From the introduction of Law 13.756 of 2018, which paved the way for sports betting in Brazil, to the more recent detailed regulations, the regulatory environment has become increasingly complex, requiring compliance with the rules and principles that govern the market.
The regulation of the betting sector is a major step forward for Brazil, bringing legal certainty and clear rules for both operators and consumers. As with any developing market, a continuous process of improvement will be necessary to ensure its sustainable evolution in alignment with best practices.
Dialogue among all stakeholders, government, operators, society, and regulatory bodies—will be essential to strengthen this regulatory environment and ensure it keeps pace with the sector’s dynamics.
The legislation requires companies to implement robust policies for the prevention of money laundering and terrorist financing, promote responsible gambling practices, and adopt auditable systems that ensure transparency, security, and traceability of operations. These measures aim to protect consumers as well as preserve the integrity of the market.
With the beginning of regulation, betting companies began operating under an isonomic model established by the government, in which they must submit a large volume of financial and non-financial information, ensuring proper controls and demonstrating the preventive work they have undertaken. This reinforces the need for strong compliance, which goes beyond mere formal rule-following and must be effective, contributing to the sector’s credibility by making information and transparency central pillars of all operations and decisions.
By integrating regulatory norms into their daily operations, betting companies face significant challenges. For instance, the need for continuous monitoring requires considerable investment in technology to allow real-time access to operational data by SPA (the Prizes and Betting Secretariat).
There are also operational requirements, such as mandatory facial recognition for all user transactions, conducted exclusively and instantly via Pix, with security levels comparable to those required in the banking sector. This imposes a high standard on the internal processes of fixed-odds betting operators, demanding continuous improvements with full transparency for regulators, investors, and consumers.
Another crucial aspect is risk management. Contracts must include conflict resolution mechanisms to avoid costly litigation, such as arbitration and mediation clauses. At the same time, companies must ensure their operational systems are secure, preventing fraud and ensuring that bets are placed transparently and reliably, especially to combat match-fixing in sports events, which is highly detrimental to all parties.
Despite the challenges, compliance offers significant opportunities. Companies that lead with ethics and transparency in their internal and external processes will be well-positioned to attract consumers and investors, establishing themselves as references in a competitive and developing market.
In this regard, it is worth emphasizing that betting is a form of entertainment, but pathological gambling does exist. Therefore, it is essential to offer customers a variety of tools and raise awareness. At the very least, this means providing control tools such as time limits for platform access, account self-exclusion, financial limits for betting, and automatic notifications, among others. But we must go further, with systematic training and professional, personalized support for those showing signs of addiction or gambling disorder.
It’s important to understand that compliance and transparency must be part of a company’s culture, permeating all processes and decisions. At EstrelaBet, one initiative that demonstrates this commitment is the unprecedented partnership with Fumec University, in Minas Gerais, to reinforce responsible gambling practices and support players with gambling disorders.
This initiative, the first of its kind in the Brazilian market, offers free psychological support to EstrelaBet clients and uses predictive analysis to identify behaviors that may indicate a need for intervention. The program begins by identifying at-risk players through support channels such as email, chat, and phone, available seven days a week on the platform.
The EstrelaBet team is trained to recognize signs of pathological gambling and, when necessary, to suggest counseling and schedule free sessions with Fumec health professionals.
The regulation of the betting sector in Brazil marks a turning point for the market. However, for the sector to reach its full potential, a continuous effort to adapt and improve the rules is necessary, always with an eye on innovation and international best practices. Turning these rules into a competitive advantage is the main challenge.
Compliance, far from being just a cost, is a necessary investment in sustainability, innovation, and trust of the market. By aligning this strategic perspective with effective internal controls, companies can combine regulatory compliance and innovation, standing out in a constantly evolving market.
It is important for society to understand that many regulated betting companies are working professionally and carefully, with high levels of monitoring and control, enabling the growth of trust in Brazil’s regulated fixed-odds betting market. Those who bet on compliance, transparency, and dialogue never lose.
Fred Gabrich
Chief Legal Officer at EstrelaBet. He holds a PhD, Master’s, and Specialist degree in Commercial Law from UFMG (Federal University of Minas Gerais) and has over 30 years of experience in providing strategic legal services, with broad expertise in business structuring, compliance, mergers and acquisitions, and corporate education. He has been an adjunct professor and advisor at Fumec University for 29 years.
Tiago Mosci
Head of Compliance, Risk and Data Protection Officer at EstrelaBet. He holds a PhD and Master’s in Law from PUC-MG. With over 20 years of experience in regulatory compliance, risk management, and corporate governance, he was previously Compliance Director at Arien Invest-BPS Capital. He is also a researcher and professor, having served as Deputy Coordinator of the Law program at Faseh and taught undergraduate and postgraduate courses at PUC Minas.
Source: Poder360
