The seminar was an initiative of SECAP - Secretariat for Evaluation, Planning, Energy and Lottery-, and took place in the Auditorium of the National Treasury Secretariat with the presence of guests only. The debate was welcomed by Marcelo Guaranys, Executive Secretary of the Ministry of Economy, who represented Economy Minister Paulo Guedes, who was unable to attend due to portfolio commitments.
He opened the meeting by thanking everyone for their presence and stated that this was an opportunity to align market ideas with the needs of society. “Lotteries, prizes and draws is an issue that has a lot to do with my career in ministry. I think three months after I arrived here in 2000 this subject came out and it has always been a very big challenge to make a good regulation, a good job for something that has such an impact on the population,” said Guaranys.
“With this in mind, the ministry has been discussing Sport Betting regulations with the population, and this event is important for us to continue this discussion and allow us to gather the necessary information so that we can make proper regulation for sport and society. We raise all possible resources while giving direction to what society needs and that we can combine both,” concluded the Executive Secretary of the Ministry of Economy.
Then, it was the turn of the representatives of the National Congress to contribute to the debate. They were present Senator Dário Berger (MDB-RJ) and Federal Deputy Pedro Paulo (DEM-RJ), who spoke about the performance of the National Congress in the development of national sport. The deputy spoke particularly about the work on the development of the bill that creates the so-called company-clubs and its relationship with the regulation of sports betting.
“We have been in permanent dialogue with the government. Alexandre Manoel speaks to me weekly so that he can offer an opportunity for this project to incorporate something that is already being studied by the government, the market and the clubs. I have insisted that this is an important discussion, that the government presenting a proposal [Chamber President] Rodrigo Maia has been open to hearing. But there is a matter of time, of opening a window of opportunity in parliament so we can include the company-club project. So, we would have to adapt this idea that comes out here, the technicians and those who are direct agents of this market, within the project of the company club,” said the parliamentarian.
Among the invited specialists was Pedro Trengrouse, Vice-President of the Special Committee on Sports, Lottery and Entertainment of the Federal Council of the Brazilian Bar Association, which among other topics highlighted the importance of the Ministry of Economy to be making room for society to participate in debates on the regulation of sports betting.
“I want to thank and congratulate Secretary Alexandre for the initiative, which, by the way, is a continuing initiative that begins with the opening of public consultations for society to be interested in, all interested parties; clubs, sports entities, companies, gamblers, media outlets, lawyers; all could contribute to the government in regulating sports betting. So, I would like to thank you and congratulate you because in the 20 years that I follow the sports discussions and the 15 I follow the debates about sports betting and gambling was the first time I saw the ministry and the government really opening their ears to society and this seminar is a result of that,” concluded Trengrouse.
Then, SECAP’s chief, Secretary Alexandre Manoel, spoke about the progress of the regulatory process and took questions from those present. He reiterated that with the regulation of sports betting and the grant of LOTEX the country will have the four modalities operating lotteries, which are numerical prediction lotteries, the instant lottery, sports betting in pari-mutuel format and that fixed-odd.
The secretary revealed the intention to present the final text of the decree regulating sports betting between November this year and January 2020, thus being able to put the activity into operation next June, the same time as the companies that won the concession of the instant lottery, IGT and Scientific Games, intends to start selling tickets of the new LOTEX.
Manoel also solved a doubt that has been causing controversy in the market regarding a quarantine for companies that already operate in the country when regulation is not ready. He denied any possibility that this policy would be adopted by the Ministry of Economy.
In addition to these themes, the seminar also discussed issues such as ‘The Importance of Sports Betting for the Promotion of Sport Integrity’. In addition to the mentioned authorities and specialists, the event's audience included important names from the gaming market and influential people who have been participating in debates about sports betting and gaming in Brazil.
Source: Exclusive GMB
