As President Jair Bolsonaro said in an interview last Friday (14) to Youtube channels Paparazzo Rubro-Negro, Instaverde and Futbolaço, the government is interested in regulating sports betting sites that are currently hosted outside the country even though they have primarily targeting Brazilians. This is because sports betting is prohibited in the country, but there are loopholes in the legislation for sites to work in a way that companies host them in other countries.
“For this '.bet' (domain of gaming sites), a decree to regulate is quite advanced,” said Bolsonaro. "The guy keeps playing and the money goes out, so this is mature with the whole society," he added, who also stated that he is discussing a way to send the future collection of these taxes to specific areas such as security, treatment of chemical dependents, infrastructure, or even for the second or third division of football clubs.
“I don't want it for the Treasury, I have too much money. I'm the first president with a spending cap,” Bolsonaro commented. “Money comes in to the government and I cannot spend it, I prefer money elsewhere, so the arm wrestling of the moment is where this money goes,” he concluded, stating that he will veto the release of other types of betting games such as slot machine or casino, a topic that is particularly sensitive to its Christian electorate.
Delay in regulation
The companies responsible for the sports betting sites expected that the regulation would be approved still in the Bolsonaro government, since next year its approval will be hampered by a more conservative National Congress and, in the case of Lula's victory, by a government that would benefit the interests of the State, such as Caixa lotteries, rather than those of the private sector. The change of folder is seen as another obstacle to this regulation later this year.
“This transfer, right at the end of the procedural deadline, should have a negative impact on the conclusion of the work for the publication of the decree,” said Daniel Trajano, commercial director of Esportes da Sorte. “We know that until October 30th there will be no movement in the sector due to the presidential elections. Subsequently, we will be 20 days away from the start of the World Cup and very close to the end-of-year festivities and parliamentary recess,” he says.
A study by Zion Market Research shows that this market should grow 10% per year, reaching about US$ 155.5 billion by 2024. In Brazil, the estimate is that sports betting sites should move between R$ 7 and R$ 10 billion (US$ 1.35 and US$ 1.9 billion) per year as soon as regulation takes place.
“With the regulation, we will reinforce the integrity of the sport and strengthen the mechanisms to guarantee the safety of bettors, develop protection networks for vulnerable people and provide more transparency to operations,” says Hans Schleier, marketing director at Casa de Apostas. “The regulation allows the creation of a new industry with new professions and Brazil can become a technology center in this sector,” says Ricardo Rosada, marketing director at galera.bet.
A resolution presented by Minister Alexandre de Moraes and unanimously approved by the Superior Electoral Court closed the siege against the spread of fake news and disinformation in the final stretch of the electoral race. Now, the court can directly ask social networks to take down content with disinformation.
If the platforms do not act within two hours, they are subject to a fine ranging from R$100,000 (US$19,000) to R$150,000 (US$28,500). Moraes also called the campaigns of Jair Bolsonaro and Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to a meeting, to ask for more civility in the networks.
Source: Veja
