Slow Uptake in Brazil Betting Licenses
Kaizen’s Betano was the only operator to apply for a betting license in Brazil at the time of writing, despite the huge, reported interest from operators in entering Brazil’s liberalized market.
Industry stakeholders have flagged challenges around the many requirements given by the regulator to applicants. Those that apply within the initial 90-day window will be guaranteed to have their application processed by January 1, 2025, the projected launch date of the legal market.
Lawyer Fabio Ferreira Kujawski told iGB operators didn’t have enough time to overcome the regulator’s “bureaucratic obstacles” in the initial 90-day window.
Court Blocks Fantasy Firm’s Appeal to Operate in Brazil
The Federal Court of Brazil has denied fantasy sports operator Rei do Pitaco’s appeal to overturn a block on its site carried out by the national telecoms blocker (Anatel).
Rei do Pitaco appealed the decision to block its site, which is part of a government initiative to stop public access to unlicensed betting and gaming sites.
But the court said its activities were unclear and noted the operation of recreational electronic games. It said the operator could not confirm its activities only covered fantasy sports.
Survey Highlights Betano’s Brand Lead in Brazil
With Brazil’s regulated betting market expected to launch early next year, a survey has revealed Betano as the leader among local consumers.
An Env Media survey of 500 bettors considered the 20 leading brands based on popularity in Brazil and 73.4 percent of respondents said they recognised and trusted Betano the most. Bet365 was the second-highest rated with 67.2 percent of the vote.
Betano also led the way with 45.5 million average monthly Google searches in Q2, against Bet365’s 30.4 million searches, the survey said.
Betano’s prevalence is likely boosted by its extensive sponsorship efforts in LatAm, including top-flight football leagues in Argentina and Brazil and the ongoing Copa America.
IBIA Urges Regulators to Increase Focus on Match-Fixing
The International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) has this week urged LatAM regulators to increase their focus on tackling match-fixing.
It said decision makers should increase their focus on creating a robust sports betting integrity ecosystem in their regions.
Looking to Brazil, the IBIA said it already accounts for more than 60 percent of the remote gambling market. It said it recently agreed an integrity information sharing and wider anti-match-fixing partnership with data provider Genius Sports to support the soon to be liberalized market.
New Appointments at Brazilian Regulator
The Brazilian government announced three new appointments to the Ministry of Finance’s Secretariat of Prizes and Bets (SPA) on July 10.
These included SPA Undersecretary for Monitoring and Inspection Renato Perez Pucci, Undersecretary of Monitoring and Supervision João Paulo Resende Borges and André Lartigau Wainer as Undersecretary for Monitoring and Inspection, with regards to money laundering.
Wainer, previously worked as a specialist in public policy and government management, while Borges spent time at the Central Bank as an analyst. Pucci was previously a general coordinator at the SPA.
Could a New Mexican Economy Minister Boost Online Gambling?
An article in Mexico’s Yucatan Times this week said the appointment of new economy minister Marcelo Ebrard could see renewed foreign investment in the country, presenting a significant opportunity for online gambling.
On June 20 newly elected president Claudia Sheinbaum appointed Ebrard as economy minister, and many believe a surge in foreign investment in Mexico will follow, after months of the Mexican peso’s value suffering against the dollar.
The report said online gambling in Mexico saw $84 million in revenue in 2023.
