Plínio Lemos Jorge, president of the National Association of Games and Lotteries (ANJL), recently met with Carlos Baigorri, president of the National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel), in Brasília.
The main objective was to discuss measures to intensify the fight against illegal betting sites in Brazil. ANJL announced that the leaders of the two entities have started conversations to develop a Technical Cooperation Agreement.
Therefore, this agreement aims to improve the mechanisms that could interrupt the operation of clandestine betting platforms.
Observatory of the legal market in relation to the illegal
With this partnership, ANJL intends to establish an observatory of the legal market in relation to the illegal one. Bookmakers, duly licensed by the federal government, will have the opportunity to contribute to the effective functioning of the regulated market.
However, inspection and punitive actions will continue to be under the responsibility of the Prizes and Betting Secretariat (SPA), of the Ministry of Treasury.
Plínio Lemos Jorge highlighted: “Our idea is, through this partnership, to create direct communication with Anatel, informing about the illegal websites that we identify. The big challenge today, shared by President Baigorri, is the continued blocking of these bets that are outside the law.”
The president of ANJL highlighted the challenge of the multiplication of illegal websites, even after SPA’s order to block Anatel. In this way, several mechanisms allow these platforms to circumvent the intervention of the regulatory agency, while remaining accessible to bettors.
For ANJL, this situation compromises the effectiveness of betting market regulation in Brazil. “There is no way to sustain an industry that follows all the rules set by the regulator and that has to live with the existence and free activity of illegal platforms.”
“A scenario like this would make market regulation ineffective, promoting an unfair, confusing and dangerous environment for bettors in Brazil”, he concluded.
Regulated betting market
The regulated online betting market will begin on January 1, 2025. During the transition period, only companies that have requested authorization from the SPA by September 17 will be able to operate legally.
Furthermore, state and Federal District regulatory bodies nominated other companies, allowing them to operate legally until the end of the year.
The first registration deadline was August 20th. Additionally, approximately 150 additional requests emerged after that date. These requests, in turn, will be evaluated later. The Ministry of Treasury has already ordered the blocking of more than 5,200 unauthorized betting sites.
Finally, in the Federal Supreme Court (STF), two direct unconstitutionality actions (ADI nº 7721 and ADI nº 7723) are underway against Law nº 14,790, of 2023, known as the Bets Law.