According to IBJR, any game must be seen as entertainment and must be clean and have mechanisms to protect the most vulnerable groups in society, such as minors.
"The integrity of the game and the protection of vulnerable groups are non-negotiable premises for us. The largest 'Bets' (as the operators are called) in Brazil, in line with what they already practice in other countries, actively work to identify possible fraud and prohibit advertising aimed at minors. We defend and work for fair play and healthy entertainment,” says André Gelfi, CEO of IBJR.
Minors cannot bet
Law 14.790/2023, which determines the rules for online betting in Brazil, explicitly prohibits gambling by minors under the age of 18. This restriction also complies with the Statute of Children and Adolescents and was reinforced in the regulatory ordinances. To reinforce protection for this group, 'Bets' associated with IBJR will require facial recognition for betting on online platforms as of January 2025.
The measure complies with the new requirements of the Ministry of Finance and aims to prevent fraud and bets committed by minors. The technology is unprecedented in the global betting market and is similar to that already adopted by banking institutions.
At certain points in the betting process, the authenticity of the user and also of the registered information will be verified. If there is any inconsistency in the information, the user will automatically be blocked.
The initiative joins others already adopted by the Institute’s associates. These include educational messages and an Advertising Code that provides clear guidelines prohibiting campaigns aimed at minors under 18 years of age.
A step-by-step guide to combating fraud
Technology, including the use of artificial intelligence, is 'Bets'' main ally in combating match-fixing. Recent cases involving suspicions against professional soccer players are proof of how effective the platforms' monitoring system is in combating match-fixing. The alerts issued by 'Bets' have enabled investigations that, in many cases, have resulted in punishments for athletes and others involved in schemes.
Financial and gambling transactions are monitored, and inconsistencies trigger warning signs so that a more in-depth analysis can be carried out. In addition to financial transactions, inconsistencies in registration data, volumes and payment methods, location of bets, types of devices, player habits and their financial capacity are constantly assessed.
All daily bets are scanned using artificial intelligence, which indicates transactions that may constitute some type of manipulation. Examples include the concentration of bets in a specific situation of a single match, people placing non-standard bets simultaneously on several platforms, and also the sudden creation of profiles that make large transactions.
In these cases, the procedure is to alert the public to further investigations and to contact the authorities and sports entities. “Institutions dedicated to supervising sports integrity are essential in this process. For this reason, IBJR members are members of the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA), the main global entity that works for the integrity of bets and the protection of sports integrity,” explains Gelfi.
The work of integrity organizations involves the identification of suspicious cases by operators, who report and share data with these organizations. The second step is a detailed investigation and data analysis. When there is indeed strong evidence of fraud, the case is reported to the sports authority responsible for the sport, which then contacts the appropriate bodies.
Regulation is a decisive step
The regulation of 'Bets' in Brazil, which comes into effect on January 1, 2025, is crucial to combating match-fixing. The rules require 'Bets' to be part of or associate with national or international sports integrity monitoring bodies, such as IBIA.
An important move in this direction was made at the end of October, when the Ministry of Finance entered into a partnership with international integrity bodies. In this way, the Secretariat of Prizes and Betting will have new monitoring and intelligence fronts to identify suspicious movements.
“Transparency in operations is a request of IBJR and this translates into innovative solutions focused on the safety of bettors. We remain in tune with the Federal Government's regulatory efforts and reaffirm our commitment to healthy and legal gambling. In this context, monitoring and preventing illegal gambling is also necessary to protect bettors and minors”, concludes André Gelfi.
Source: Correio Braziliense
