More than 20,000 websites and digital channels have been referred for blocking in Brazil, while Australia is preparing to introduce stricter gambling advertising rules in 2027. Two markets, two different regulatory approaches, but one shared challenge for advertisers, affiliate networks, and media buying teams: how do you manage traffic when regulations change faster than advertising strategies?
In 2026, regulatory developments have become a major factor shaping the iGaming industry. From operator licensing requirements to restrictions on advertising formats, government policy increasingly determines not only which products can be offered but also how they can be promoted.
For affiliate marketing businesses, this means rethinking established approaches to GEO selection, advertiser relationships, and budget planning.
Brazil and Australia provide two particularly relevant examples.
Brazil has introduced sweeping restrictions on fixed-odds betting operations, while Australia has passed advertising reforms that will significantly change how betting operators attract customers from 2027.
Let's examine what is happening in both markets, how these changes affect the iGaming affiliate industry, and what advertisers, affiliate networks, and media buying teams should consider.
Brazil: How a Promising iGaming Market Faced Sweeping Restrictions
At the beginning of 2025, Brazil was actively developing its regulated betting market.
On January 1, the country introduced a new licensing framework with specific requirements for operators and government oversight of their activities.
A large audience, growing interest from international brands, and opportunities for localization made Brazil an attractive GEO for iGaming companies and affiliate networks.
However, the situation changed dramatically on September 25, 2026.
The Brazilian government introduced Provisional Measure No. 1,394/2026 (Medida Provisória), prohibiting the operation, offering, intermediation, and advertising of fixed-odds betting products.
The restrictions cover sports betting and online games, including products offered by foreign operators targeting users located in Brazil.
According to the Brazilian Ministry of Finance, the implementation schedule included:
- September 25: Operators were prohibited from accepting new deposits into player accounts.
- October 5: Deadline for players to voluntarily withdraw their remaining balances.
- October 6: Betting websites and applications covered by the restrictions were required to become unavailable.
- October 9 - 14: Financial institutions were required to return remaining player balances.
The restrictions apply to the betting products specified in the legislation and do not automatically prohibit all other legally authorized lottery products.
It is also important to understand the legal status of the measure. A Medida Provisória is a temporary legislative instrument with immediate legal force, subject to further consideration under Brazil's legislative process.
Source: Brazilian Ministry of Finance — Official explanation of Provisional Measure No. 1,394/2026.
More Than 20,000 Websites and Digital Channels Referred for Blocking
The scale of Brazil's regulatory response can be assessed using official government statistics.
According to the Brazilian Ministry of Justice and Public Security, as reported on October 9, 2026, authorities identified 20,318 websites and digital channels associated with the illegal offering or promotion of betting services and referred them for blocking.
The total included:
- 16,627 betting websites.
- 3,691 pages, profiles, groups, channels, and servers across digital platforms.
- 1,027 Telegram groups, included in the digital platform total, with a combined audience of more than 18.4 million members.
Authorities also identified numerous social media pages and profiles associated with the promotion of illegal betting services.
An important distinction should be made: these figures represent resources identified and referred for blocking, not necessarily the number of resources already blocked.
Nevertheless, the data illustrates the extent of government enforcement across digital betting promotion channels.
What Does This Mean for Affiliates and Media Buying Teams?
Regulatory decisions of this scale affect much more than betting operators. They can disrupt the entire customer acquisition ecosystem.
For advertisers, immediate priorities include ceasing prohibited activities, fulfilling financial obligations, reviewing active advertising campaigns, and reconsidering market entry or expansion plans.
For affiliate networks, the focus shifts to verifying offer availability, informing partners about restrictions, coordinating campaign shutdowns, and ensuring that outstanding contractual obligations are addressed.
For media buying teams, such changes create risks around planned traffic volumes, budget allocation, and the availability of compliant alternative markets.
Switching to another operator does not necessarily resolve the problem.
Brazil's restrictions also cover foreign companies offering affected betting products to users located within the country.
The central question is therefore not simply whether an offer remains available, but whether promoting it is legally permitted.
Brazil demonstrates that even a newly licensed market is not immune to major regulatory policy changes.
For affiliate businesses, this reinforces the importance of GEO diversification and continuous regulatory risk assessment.
Australia: New Advertising Rules Will Change Player Acquisition Strategies
Unlike Brazil, Australia has chosen a different regulatory approach.
The country is not introducing a blanket ban on all licensed betting activities. Instead, it is strengthening restrictions on gambling advertising and certain aspects of affiliate relationships.
On August 19, 2026, the Australian Parliament passed the Interactive Gambling Amendment (Gambling Reform) Bill 2026.
Most of the reforms will take effect on January 1, 2027.
The changes cover advertising across television, radio, digital platforms, and sporting venues, as well as certain forms of direct marketing and affiliate compensation.
It is important to note that Australia already prohibits certain online gambling products, including online casinos and in-play sports betting.
The 2026 reforms should therefore be understood as additional restrictions within an existing regulatory framework rather than the introduction of an entirely new system.
Source: Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) — About the Interactive Gambling Act.
From 2027, Prominent Public Figures Will Be Restricted From Gambling Advertising
One of the most significant changes is the prohibition on using notable people in gambling advertising.
On October 19, 2026, the Australian Communications and Media Authority published initial guidance explaining the upcoming requirements.
From January 1, 2027, gambling advertisements must not feature individuals defined by the legislation as notable persons.
These include:
- Current and former professional athletes.
- Celebrities and other prominent public figures.
- Current and former social media influencers.
- Other specified categories of notable individuals.
The prohibition will apply across advertising platforms, including social media, news websites, television, radio, online games, and other digital services.
Licensed wagering operators will also be prohibited from entering into arrangements involving the sponsorship or participation of notable people in betting advertising.
Certain exceptions are provided, including those relating to dedicated racing services.
Source: ACMA — Official guidance published on October 19, 2026.
The Reforms Go Beyond Advertising Creatives
Australia's reforms introduce a broader set of requirements affecting betting operators and their marketing activities.
Advertising restrictions. Additional rules will apply to gambling advertising across broadcast media, online channels, and sporting venues.
Direct marketing controls. New restrictions will apply to promotional inducements targeting new account holders, people who recently deregistered from BetStop, and customers identified as being at risk of gambling-related harm.
Advertising opt-out register. A centralized mechanism will allow individuals to opt out of gambling advertising.
Affiliate commission restrictions. The legislation introduces a ban on commissions paid to staff or affiliates when those commissions are based on customer activity.
The final point is particularly important for the iGaming affiliate industry.
Depending on the structure of existing agreements, operators and partners may need to review their compensation models and contractual arrangements.
Specific commission structures should be assessed against the relevant legislation and subsequent regulatory guidance.
How Could These Changes Affect Traffic Acquisition?
Australia's reform may influence several aspects of performance marketing and affiliate operations.
First, advertisers will need to review and adapt their creative strategies. Campaigns featuring celebrities, athletes, or influencers will require additional compliance checks.
Second, operators and affiliates must reassess which advertising formats and acquisition channels remain permitted under the new framework.
Third, restrictions on affiliate commissions may affect the commercial terms under which operators and partners cooperate.
However, it would be misleading to assume that advertising budgets will automatically shift from influencer marketing to SEO, PPC, or other channels.
All acquisition channels must still comply with Australian law and the relevant advertising platform policies.
The key distinction is that Australia is changing how licensed betting products can be marketed and how certain affiliate relationships can operate, rather than shutting down the entire regulated betting market.
For companies targeting this GEO, preparation should begin before the new rules take effect.
Brazil vs. Australia: Two Different Regulatory Scenarios for iGaming
Although both markets are undergoing significant regulatory changes, the nature of those changes is fundamentally different.
Main regulatory change
- Brazil: Prohibition of specified betting products and their promotion
- Australia: Stricter advertising and affiliate-related rules
Effective dates
- Brazil: From September 25, 2026
- Australia: Mostly from January 1, 2027
Main impact
- Brazil: Product availability and campaign operations
- Australia: Advertising formats, marketing, affiliate compensation
Affiliate risks
- Brazil: Offer unavailability and campaign shutdowns
- Australia: Contract and commission model changes
Media buying risks
- Brazil: Suspended campaigns and GEO reallocation
- Australia: Creative and acquisition channel adjustments
Both cases demonstrate how regulatory requirements increasingly influence the economics of traffic acquisition.
Traditionally, GEO selection has focused on payout rates, conversion rates, advertising costs, and potential ROI.
Today, regulatory predictability must also be part of that assessment.
This involves more than checking whether an advertiser holds a license. Teams must understand which products can legally be promoted, which acquisition channels are permitted, and what restrictions apply to affiliate compensation.
How Should Affiliate Networks and Media Buying Teams Adapt in 2027?
The developments in Brazil and Australia underline the importance of systematic risk management in iGaming affiliate marketing.
Five areas deserve particular attention.
1. Diversify GEOs and Advertisers
Concentrating a substantial share of traffic or revenue in a single market increases exposure to local regulatory changes.
Even a highly profitable GEO can become unavailable for certain products or acquisition channels.
Working across multiple legally accessible markets and advertisers helps distribute risk and provides alternative growth opportunities.
2. Verify Regulatory Conditions Before Launching
Evaluating an offer should go beyond payouts, payment models, and current conversion performance.
Before launching a campaign, teams should verify the product's legal status, permitted advertising channels, local restrictions, and the compliance of the proposed affiliate compensation model.
This is particularly important in markets undergoing active legislative reform.
3. Regularly Review Advertising Materials
A creative that complied with local regulations when a campaign launched may no longer be compliant after new rules take effect.
Regular reviews of advertising materials, landing pages, affiliate integrations, and promotional messages should therefore become part of campaign management.
4. Maintain Clear Communication Between Advertisers and Affiliates
Regulatory changes often require immediate operational decisions, from pausing offers to revising commercial terms.
Advertisers need to communicate updated restrictions and product availability promptly.
Affiliate networks, in turn, should ensure that this information reaches the partners and media buying teams responsible for traffic acquisition.
5. Prepare Alternative Scenarios
Scaling a profitable campaign is important, but knowing how to respond when conditions change is equally valuable.
Teams should identify alternative compliant GEOs, backup offers, and clear criteria for pausing campaigns before problems arise.
This approach can help reduce financial and operational exposure.
Conclusion: Regulatory Stability Is Becoming Part of Traffic Economics
Brazil and Australia illustrate two different regulatory developments affecting iGaming in 2026 - 2027.
Brazil has introduced sweeping restrictions on betting operations and promotion. Australia is implementing reforms affecting gambling advertising and certain affiliate business models.
For the affiliate industry, both developments point to the same conclusion:
The profitability of an iGaming GEO can no longer be evaluated independently of its regulatory risks.
High payouts, competitive offers, and strong conversion rates cannot guarantee sustainable results when market rules change.
At AFFPRO, we approach GEO and offer selection as a broader business decision. Commercial performance matters, but so do advertiser requirements, available traffic sources, and market-specific restrictions.
An affiliate network's role goes beyond providing access to offers. It also involves helping partners build sustainable working relationships while taking market opportunities and risks into account.
In 2027, the ability to respond quickly to regulatory changes may become just as important a competitive advantage as finding profitable offers and scaling traffic.