Gaming as entertainment was the central topic of one of the panels at BiS, which brought together operation, dissemination and regulation. On center stage, Alex W. Pariente - Senior Vice President Hotels and Casinos, Hard Rock International, Paulo Saad - Vice-President of Paid Channels of the Bandeirantes Communication Group, and Gustavo Guimarães, of SECAP.
Pariente highlighted the long period in which the global gaming activity was paralyzed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, "which is now recovering and regaining its breath with the resumption of operations around the world."
According to him, Hard Rock is very attentive to the direction of the regulation of the gaming sector in Brazil. “SECAP has done an excellent job in regulating sports betting and it is very pleasing to know that clear rules and legal certainty are sought so that the gaming sector in Brazil can achieve the success that we all hope. We operate within strict compliance standards and it is clear that Brazil is following the same path, which enables us to make investments in the activity as soon as the legalization of gaming takes place," he commented.
Pariente stated that "Secap allows for an open debate on the regulation and that gives us great satisfaction to be able to contribute with all our experience in the activity of gaming all over the world.”
Paulo Saad, from Bandeirantes Communication Group, commented that “we have always supported the legalization of gaming in general in Brazil. Brazilian hypocrisy needs to be remedied. There are bets of all forms illegally and without protection for the bettor and the employee, in addition to a lack of tax collection for social application. This needs to be resolved and I'm sure sports betting regulation is the first step towards that.”
He took the opportunity to tell SECAP’ Secretary Gustavo Guimarães that he expects the regulation of sports betting to take place in January and not in December of next year, "because we can no longer wait for that."
For Saad, Brazilians need to be well informed and the media serve to build public opinion. "So, we have the role of informing, supervising and promoting the gaming activity as an economic activity capable of meeting the expectations of Brazilians both from the point of view of entertainment and for tax collection, which ultimately has its resources returned to the society."
Gustavo Guimarães, SECAP’ Secretary, stated that “the industry needs information and needs to know the next steps, offering clear rules as quickly as possible. We have already resolved the tax issue and now we are working on all the contributions made by society and industry to finalize the regulation of betting.”
As for Paulo Saad's provocation, that he prefers regulation in January rather than December 2022, Guimarães said that “we want as soon as possible. I believe in the industry as a form of entertainment. We are at a unique time to deal with regulation and the time is now.”
Pariente reinforced the technology issue, stating that “Brazil has a lot of resources at the disposal of the gaming sector and we can contribute with our knowledge to a good experience for the Brazilian player. In view of this, I very much welcome the work being developed by SECAP and I am sure that the reality of the gaming sector in Brazil will soon be diferent.”
Source: GMB
