GMB – Brazil is about to begin regulated operations for sports betting and online gaming, but so far there has been no definitive list of authorized operators, only individual notifications to operators. How do you see this?
Plínio Lemos Jorge – We expect a list to be released soon. Operators are already being notified to comply with their obligation to pay the concession fee.
What are the difficulties from now on until the regulated market begins?
Now is the period for collecting the fee of R$30 million, a substantial amount, plus R$5 million in guarantee. From then on, the Ministry of Finance should gather information and release definitive authorization by December 31st for companies to begin operating as of January 1st.
Do you believe this deadline will be met?
We expect it to be met. The Ministry is working hard. We have information that the Prizes and Betting Secretariat has been working day and night, so we hope the deadline will be met.
What difficulties will operators face in the face of conflicting and false information about the activity?
We hope that information will be clearer as of January 1st, due to the robustness of the regulations. We have consolidated the legal framework with over 240 pages of rules and legislation to regulate the market. The life of operators as of January 1st will be very different from what has happened to date, but everyone is prepared to face this challenge, which will not be easy, but they will face it with great energy and we will win.
What is your assessment of the Supreme Federal Court's decision to prohibit advertising aimed at minors and the use of Bolsa Família in betting?
We received this decision with great joy. We expected, after all the attacks, that some biased decision would come. But Minister Luiz Fux was very fortunate to call the public hearing to learn about the market. And as he learned about the market, he formed his perception and saw that regulation has to happen and that there is no point in declaring the law unconstitutional. When he made this decision to protect gamblers, Brazilians and Bolsa Família, he made us happy and confident that the Judiciary is integrated and knowing that we need strong legislation.
The industry has long advocated for compliance rules for gambling and responsible advertising. Were the measures in line with the industry's own discourse?
Exactly. That's why the public hearing was so important to reinforce our desire for strict and fair regulation. It already existed and no one knew about it, and perhaps the Judiciary didn't either. With the hearing, this came to light and the Judiciary felt comfortable with the information it received. What we need to do is let the regulation take effect. We told the Supreme Court justices that we don't need a vote of unconstitutionality, but rather confidence that the regulation will work.
How can we disprove to society as a whole some of the factoids that have been disseminated, such as the absurd spending on Bolsa Família and that commerce is being harmed by betting?
The only way to demonstrate that this information is not true is what we are doing now. By raising awareness among the population so that everyone understands that this information is not consistent with our industry. Producing more quality information and demonstrating that research conducted without any criteria is not truthful.
Source: Exclusive GMB
