These sites operating in cyber space have their servers based in countries where gambling is legalized, such as Costa Rica, Gibraltar, France, and countless other places. Although betting is not permitted in Brazilian territory, betting operators open a checking account in Brazil for deposits and premium payments, which, in principle, does not directly violate the national legal rule.
Bets are only made when the financial transaction data is confirmed by the international carrier's server. With practical effects, the bet is made on a foreign basis. It is a situation similar to a Brazilian who uses his credit card to bet on casinos in Las Vegas and pays the bill when he returns to Brazil.
Brazilian Legislation
Brazilian legislation does not provide for specific regulations for online sports betting. Bets are prohibited in national territory starting from an analogy of the text of Decree-Law no. 9.215 of April 30, 1946. Obviously, at the time of this legal device there was no internet and its target was traditional games of chance. So the prohibition is, at least in part, a lack of updating of the law.
It is estimated that the online sports betting market has the potential to move at least US$1.65 billion annually. In a first analysis, it is a billionaire movement free of taxation. This means that a legal review could represent an increase of approximately US$660 million to the Union coffers.
Another aspect to be taken into account is that Brazil has thousands of bookmakers regulated and under the regulation of the Caixa Econômica Federal. This shows that, internally, Brazil is already prepared to carry out the monitoring and the management of this market with enormous potential that attracted the eyes of operators from 70 countries. Brazil ranks third in the world online betting market, only behind of the UK and Japan.
There are already two bills in the Legislative Chamber and the Federal Senate that propose the legalization of electronic and physical betting. And the Economic Monitoring Secretariat is studying to pass a bill regulating only the fixed-odd bettings (sports), in which players bet on the outcome of sporting events.
Way beyond the fun
With a new legislation that allows the operation of sports betting online in Brazil, would not only meet the demando f people who enjoy betting in a responsable way, but also would provide incentives to the sports world, investments in sports marketing, job creation and increased collection of federal taxes.
Source: GMB / Exame
