Brazil’s Betting Market Transition: More Operators Approved, Key Absences Remain
Brazil’s Secretariat of Prizes and Bets (SPA) has updated its list of approved betting operators, allowing them to continue business during the country’s ongoing market transition. This update follows the initial publication and aims to correct errors and address omissions.
Companies had until September 30th to submit their federal betting license applications. This was a crucial step for those wanting to operate between October 1st and December 31st, ahead of the full legal market launch scheduled for January 1st, 2025.
The initial list, released on October 1st, included 89 operators, representing 193 brands. However, discrepancies and unanswered questions prompted the SPA to revise the list.
The updated list now includes 93 operators and 205 brands. The SPA clarified that some companies were initially excluded due to errors in their notification system. Others were added after submitting the necessary legal documentation.
The following companies and their brands have been added to the approved list:
- F12 do Brasil Jogos Eletrônicos: F12.bet, Luva.bet, Brasil.bet
- Lucky Gaming Ltda: 4play, Pagol
- Grove Eagle Gestão de Bens Ltda: ESTADIUM, JOGANHO, OTENB3T
- 4 International Group Ltda: Bet4
Notable Absences: Esportes da Sorte and VaideBet
Despite the updated list, some prominent names remain absent. Esportes da Sorte, a well-known betting brand, was initially left off the list due to a reported formal error. The company requested the SPA to rectify the situation, but it remains excluded.
Esportes da Sorte now faces potential blocking by Brazil’s national telecoms agency (Anatel) starting October 11th, giving players a limited time to withdraw their funds.
VaideBet, another significant player, is also missing from the register. Both VaideBet and Esportes da Sorte have been implicated in a recent illegal betting and money laundering investigation in Brazil.
Caixa Loterias, the federal lottery monopoly, is also not on the list. While they applied for a license before the August 20th deadline, they haven’t yet started operations and will have to wait until January to potentially begin.
State-Licensed Operators: An Updated Tally
The SPA has also updated its register of state-authorized licensees. This list includes brands and domains authorized to operate locally by state regulators.
The initial list featured six companies, primarily from Paraná and Maranhão. Following communication with regulators in Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais, and the addition of more companies from Maranhão, the list now includes 18 state licensees.
Interestingly, VaideBet is included on the list of companies with a Rio de Janeiro State Lottery (Loterj) license, despite its absence from the federal register.
The Supreme Federal Court (STF) recently granted Loterj a preliminary injunction, allowing Loterj-licensed betting brands to continue operating outside the federal ban on unlicensed operators.
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