The Subsecretariat of Prizes and Draws now run by Waldir Marques, includes the General Lottery Coordination and the General Coordination of Commercial Promotion which comprises the work of 13 people in its different management teams.
As part of his preparation for the role that is related to the gaming industry, Waldir Marques participated in important courses such as "Essentials of Gaming Law and Regulation" and "Strategic Perspectives of the Gaming Industry" (Strategic Perspectives in the Gaming Industry) at the University of Nevada, United States.
Marques has been working in the Ministry of Finance since 2006 and has held various positions until he reaches this new role within the Secretariat for Evaluation of Public Policies, Planning, Energy and Lottery (SECAP), which is led by Alexandre Manoel.
Check the complete interview of Waldir Marques on the attributions and challenges of the new position:
GMB - What tasks and responsibilities are part of your new position within SECAP?
Waldir Marques Júnior - Within the current structure of the Secretariat for Evaluation, Planning, Energy and Lottery (SECAP), I will be in charge of the Subsecretariat of Prizes and Draws (SUPES), which, by legal force:
I - act in the regulation, authorization, and supervision of the segments of free distribution of prizes by means of advertising;
II - to act in the regulation, authorization, and in the fiscalization of anticipated capture of popular savings;
III - act in the regulation, authorization, and supervision of draws and lotteries carried out by horse-racing entities;
IV - act in the regulation, authorization, and supervision of all lotteries; and
V - propose, coordinate and implement, within the Federal Government, the policy and regulation of lotteries.
Did you expect this appointment?
In line with the guidelines of the Secretary of Evaluation, Planning, Energy and Lottery, Alexandre Manoel, our role in the regulation of lotteries has always been to seek best practices, expansion of the national lottery market and the promotion of competition in the sector. I understand that the appointment is the result of this tenacious and very professional performance on our part.
How do you analyze the changes that took place in the old SEFEL with the new government? Did they help to improve the work?
The regulatory environment is very dynamic, so I see the changes as evolutions and updates that are preparing the area for the upcoming challenges in terms of regulation and operation of lotteries.
Once again the Lotex concession was postponed. Do not you think that it is something careless for the interested companies? What is the reason for the new postponement? What are the expectations?
On the contrary. The postponement of the LOTEX auction, from April 26 to May 9, was exclusively aimed at obtaining the most successful result in the privatization of this public service, in order to allow a greater number of potential bidders in the event.
Does Brazil urgently need a unification of payouts?
We have been working hard on this in recent years. There is no need to talk about unification of payouts, since each type of lottery has a payout range appropriate to its nature. Thus, with the advent of Law No. 13,756 of December 12, 2018, lottery modalities such as the federal lottery and sports prognostics lotteries, after the start of the commercialization of LOTEX, will have their percentages destined to high awards, in a significant way.
Does your position include participating in the construction of sports betting regulations? Do you have a position on how it should be?
This is a project that is underway, about which any positioning would be premature.
As one of the most traveled, prepared and acquired knowledge to assume responsibilities; how do you consider the Brazilian gaming market is seen abroad? Would you like to work on changing that image?
I can speak exclusively about the Brazilian lottery market, under which I have a mandate. In this sector, we have a market with high growth potential, but it has a solid basis in terms of security, risk management, corporate social responsibility and money laundering prevention. In this way, we have the challenge of maintaining and providing conditions for this market to remain modern and efficient over the next few years, maintaining this image of credibility and recognition of the betting public.
What will be the first steps or topics you will address in your new management?
At this time, all efforts are concentrated in the auction of LOTEX and in the regulation of fixed odds sports betting.
Source: Exclusive GMB
