Former legal director of the Lottery of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Marcello M. Côrrea will participate in two panels during the Brazilian iGaming Summit. In one of them, as a speaker, he will address the legal aspects of the regulation of sports betting and lotteries in Brazil. In the other, as moderator, he will discuss what has been learned so far about expressions of private interest in state lotteries. In both, he will contribute his expertise in the area.
GMB - How do you analyze Brazil's growth in the sports betting segment, still in the process of regulation, and how do you believe that the activity will be explored in time to take advantage of the Qatar World Cup?
Côrrea - The sports betting segment is a reality, regardless of regulation. But it is worth noting that regulated markets, with legal stability, tend to attract more investments. It is also worth noting that a draft decree circulated last May, including publicity in the media. As is the nature of complex issues, some points of the published text deserve correction, but in general it is better to have some regulation than none, especially to establish legal certainty. And, as appropriate, it is also important to note that the published regulation is restricted to the public service of the Federal Union and, therefore, does not communicate with the exploration models of the states and the Federal District.
How do you see the local gaming market in general and its evolution from a political and regulatory point of view?
Looking at Brazil and recognizing that gambling is a reality, the lack of a legal framework for the development of this industry causes a lot of damage, as everyone knows. But recently, we have taken some steps towards development, such as the approval in the Chamber of Deputies of a bill that deals with gaming as a private activity. Looking at a further scenario, we can have games exploited as a private activity and games exploited as public services (lottery), each with its legal framework (regulation). And lotteries, it is worth noting, are still divided between those that are operated and regulated by the Federal Union and those that are operated and regulated by the states (and the Federal District). In short, we still have a long evolutionary way to go, but we're pretty excited.
Were the results of your work this year as expected? Do you have plans in Brazil to grow and contribute even more to the local market?
As a lawyer and consultant, I have been able to help some governments build their lotteries in recent years. Now we are seeing some fruits appearing and the scenario is encouraging. But, as I said before, we still have a long way to go, a lot to be done, and I intend to continue contributing to the growth of the gaming industry in Brazil.
With the regulation of sports betting, do you believe that the other gaming verticals could gain space for their legalization in Brazil?
As everyone knows, sports betting is the fastest growing vertical today. And going straight to your question: I have no doubt that the regulation at the federal level of this vertical in Brazil will be a great incentive for the legalization of many others, such as casinos and the jogo do bicho. A little of this type of phenomenon is being seen with the decision of the Federal Supreme Court in favor of the Lottery of the State of Rio de Janeiro (LOTERJ) and the Brazilian Association of State Lotteries (ABLE), because with all the movement of the state governments in the direction of exploitation of its lotteries, the topic gained great momentum within the National Congress. We can say that they are chain reactions: in 2020 we have the decision of the Supreme Court; in 2021 the first states seeking to structure their lotteries; and, in 2022, the approval of the Bill that deals with gambling in the Chamber of Deputies. Like so many other people, I would venture to say that the Bill only parked in the Senate due to the election year.
But going back to your question, I also venture to say: when the first sports bets are registered in a regulated environment (either within the states or the Federal Union), many of the myths that are used to prevent the approval of the referred Bill will disappear. And, again in a chain action, it will be more difficult to block the regulation of gambling in Brazil, especially in the face of governments' quest to increase revenues. And, although this is a subject for another occasion, I hope that the Senate will correct some provisions of the aforementioned project to bring it in line with our Constitution.
About the Brazilian iGaming Summit and LATAM Affiliates
São Paulo, the largest business hub in Latin America, will host the second edition of the Brazilian iGaming Summit on the 28th and 29th of June. It will be the time to meet again with industry partners and network in what promises to be the most exclusive event in the iGaming market, covering sports betting, casino games and lotteries.
In this second edition of BiS there is a novelty. The third day will be dedicated to LATAM Affiliates, the first event dedicated to the exchange of experiences in affiliation marketing and digital media in general, in addition to hundreds of affiliates to form an environment of perfect interaction with various market players.
The Brazilian iGaming Summit (BiS) will take place at Espaço Boulevard JK, in São Paulo, on June 28 and 29, and LATAM Affiliates, on the 30th. The event has a strategic partnership with Games Magazine Brasil, and will be attended of investors and entrepreneurs in the sports betting, communication, affiliates, lotteries and regulatory bodies.
For more information, visit the event’s official website.
For registrations, click here.
Source: GMB
