The block went into effect this Monday, and from now on, betting sites must consult the Betting Management System (Sigap) for each new registration and on the first login of the day for users already registered on the platforms. They must also recheck the list in Sigap every 15 days.
The measure was decided by the Supreme Federal Court based on a recommendation from the Federal Court of Accounts, which pointed to the economic mismanagement of beneficiaries of social programs and the unchecked increase in betting by the less fortunate.
Under the new rules, all regulated betting platforms had to cross-reference their customer databases with a list sent by the federal government, which includes the CPF numbers (Brazilian taxpayer ID numbers) of beneficiaries of Bolsa Família and the Continuous Benefit Payment.
With this measure, the sector estimates that about 20 percent of the total user base of the platforms will be lost after the activation of the official list of blocked CPF numbers, with the risk of migrating to the illegal market, which has no control or Responsible Gaming programs.
Industry executives state that the change directly impacts the profile of bettors, since the low-income segment was responsible for a large volume of small, but frequent, transactions. Companies are forced to adjust commercial strategies, review promotions, and reassess marketing actions aimed at audiences that can no longer participate in the regulated environment.
From now on, betting sites must return users' remaining balances within three days, and new registrations, deposits, and bets linked to the CPF (Brazilian taxpayer ID) of beneficiaries of social programs on betting sites will no longer be accepted.
For families, the block acts as a forced safeguard. Those who used Bolsa Família on betting sites as an illusory income supplement lose the possibility of continuing to bet with the same easy access, but gain some protection against the escalation of debt that usually accompanies the routine of recurring gambling.
At the same time, the measure could boost the illegal market, which accepts registrations from anyone, without consulting Sigap, with no Responsible Gaming policy, and without tax collection or the generation of formal jobs.
Source: GMB
