Illegal websites pose a major threat to the stability of the regulated betting market. In addition to evading taxes, they also put children and adolescents at risk, since they lack access control mechanisms to prevent underage participation — a mandatory measure on platforms that are properly licensed and supervised by the federal government.
Today, more than half of the sports betting and online gaming market is still in the hands of illegal operators that have not sought regulation and continue to operate without paying taxes or following Responsible Gaming practices. This puts players at risk, as they are not always able to distinguish a legal site from an illegal one.
Since August of last year, Anatel has already blocked more than 18,000 illegal websites — a never-ending task, as every blocked illegal betting site is quickly replaced by another the next day. With the beginning of joint efforts by the National Association of Games and Lotteries (ANJL), the Superintendence of Oversight of the National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel), and the Secretariat of Prizes and Betting (SPA), it is expected that upcoming measures will finally curb illegal operations.
To carry out monitoring, a physical laboratory will be set up at Anatel’s facilities, along with a virtual lab. In cooperation with the SPA, the agencies will conduct studies, monitoring, and technical analyses aimed at identifying and combating illegal betting platforms in the country.
The next meeting for decision-making is scheduled for November 5. The agreement will remain in force for three years and may be extended thereafter.
Source: GMB
