The Federal Court ordered the blocking of more than 300 betting websites in Rio de Janeiro. The objective is to prevent access to operators not licensed by Loterj. Anatel was instructed to guide internet providers to implement the block.
However, operators Claro, Tim and Oi face technical difficulties in carrying out the blockade exclusively in the state.
These difficulties result in impacts on services provided in other states, such as Paraná, Rio Grande do Sul, Minas Gerais and Mato Grosso. Vivo managed to block mobile and fiber optic connections, but not Wi-Fi networks.
Claro sent a letter to the Federal Court and Anatel, communicating that it does not have the technical capacity to carry out the blockades only in Rio de Janeiro. Therefore, the operator warned that this measure could impact connections throughout Brazil, especially on fixed lines.
Claro says verbatim to the judge:
“Given the need to comply with r. judicial command, CLARO will have to suspend access throughout the national territory, in relation to its fixed network, and in a relevant portion of the national territory, in relation to its mobile network”.
“There are pragmatic obstacles to implementing geographically delimited blocks. Regarding this, in a centralized network, there are specific points that control the flow of data, so the suspension order would inexorably reach the entire network.”
Impacts of blocking betting websites
The blocking of betting sites generated instability in internet connections in several regions of the country. Executing the court order is complex, as many websites are hosted on international servers, making geolocation blocking difficult.
This results in a broader impact, affecting the connection of users outside of Rio de Janeiro. Oi and Tim also reported similar difficulties, highlighting that the measure could cause technical problems in their networks.
Therefore, Anatel continues to monitor the situation and seek solutions to comply with the court order effectively. The current situation highlights the technical challenges faced by telecommunications operators and the complexity of implementing geographically specific blocks.
It is worth noting that the Federal Attorney General’s Office (AGU) is appealing the decision. The court’s decision argued that companies would need authorization from the Rio de Janeiro State Lottery to operate locally. Meanwhile, the AGU argues that the regulation of the online betting market is the responsibility of the Union.
