Official statement on Anatel's decision to block sports betting and iGaming sites in Rio de Janeiro State
The National Association of Games and Lotteries (ANJL) learned, with perplexity, of the notification from the National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel) to internet providers operating in the State of Rio de Janeiro to block sports betting and gaming sites online that do not have authorization from the Rio de Janeiro State Lottery (Loterj).
In addition to the possibility of leaving millions of players without access to more than one hundred betting platforms overnight, the decision violates basic legal principles, the main ones being broad defense and the right to contradictory proceedings.
The determination to suspend the sites occurs without the companies ever being heard either in the judicial process or by Anatel, at a stage in which the market is under a regulatory process in Brazil, with a transition period guaranteed nationally to operators until 12/31/2024 (Law 14,790/2023).
There is, therefore, a scenario of dangerous legal uncertainty, since federal regulations, obviously, overlap with the legislation of the State of Rio de Janeiro and the Loterj accreditation notice.
It is noteworthy that, in 2020, the Federal Supreme Court (STF) decided that the exploitation of lotteries is not exclusive to the Union, and can also be exercised by the states and the Federal District, but the regulatory power rests solely with the Union. In other words, the State must respect the Union's rules. And not distort them.
The decision and determination to comply with the order, unfortunately, do not respect these principles.
National Association of Games and Lotteries (ANJL)
