After 100 days of official regulation of betting in Brazil, Fernando Vieira assessed the progress as positive. He highlighted that the legislation is modern and rigorous, with mechanisms that protect bettors and sports integrity, but acknowledged that the main challenge is still the illegal market. “There are more than 2,000 illegal websites operating and seeking out ill-informed bettors,” he said.
The director also spoke about the participation of beneficiaries of social programs: “Betting is not an investment, it is not a source of income. It is entertainment.” He said that the IBJR supports the STF decision that prohibits the use of these benefits in betting. “It wouldn’t make sense for a person to use resources intended for basic needs to gamble.”
Vieira analyzed the relationship between betting and soccer, as several cases of match-fixing have been recorded. “Regulated bookmakers are the most affected when integrity is violated,” he stated, adding that licensed operators use artificial intelligence to monitor irregularities and are required to report them to international bodies.
The IBJR’s executive director defended advertising by legal bookmakers as a tool to guide the public: “Only regulated operators should advertise. This helps differentiate the legal market from the illegal one. Despite the challenges, regulation is on the right track and should be improved over time.”
Source: Times Brasil – Exclusive Licensee CNBC
