Brazil telecom agency highlights lack of structure in early betting regulation
President of Anatel believes Brazil needs public consultation mechanisms to effectively regulate betting.
Key Points
- Anatel is Brazil’s national telecommunications agency and is tasked with taking down unlicensed betting websites when notified by the Government
- Brazil’s regulation of the betting sector is still described as “immature” by the head of Anatel
- He says the Ministry of Finance currently makes decisions unilaterally, without robust institutional processes
Brazil’s regulatory framework for the betting industry remains underdeveloped, according to Carlos Baigorri, the President of Anatel, Brazil’s national telecommunications agency. Speaking at a legal seminar hosted by the Brazilian Bar Association in Madrid, Baigorri criticized the lack of institutional governance in the sector.
He compared the current setup to more established industries in the country like electricity and telecom, which operate under independent agencies, public consultations and formal regulatory frameworks. In contrast, decisions in the betting sector are still being made through simple ministerial decrees.
“The governance model is still, let’s say, very unstructured. It lacks a dedicated agency, career public servants and any process of regulatory impact or public consultation,” Baigorri said.
Good to know: Brazil’s Ministry of Finance is currently responsible for defining policies and monitoring betting operations. It is also in charge of granting authorisations and enforcing compliance, including anti-money laundering and consumer protection measures
However, Baigorri pointed out that Anatel’s role is limited. “When the Secretary of Prizes and Betting identifies illegal operators, they notify us, what we can do is take those websites offline,” he explained.
With the market expanding and concerns about illegal operators growing, Baigorri’s remarks underscore the need for a more robust and transparent regulatory architecture that includes dedicated agencies and clearer framework. This comes as Brazil’s Senate inquiry into the betting industry has been extended.
Tags/Keywords
- Brazil,
- LatAm,
- Legal,
- Online,
- Regulatory
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