Plínio Lemos Jorge, president of the National Association of Games and Lotteries (ANJL), writes an article in Folha about whether online betting advertising should face stricter restrictions. He claims it should not and that the measure would only benefit the illegal market. For the leader, effective and clear communication is the best tool to protect the bettor.
Good advertising brings clarity to the relationship between bets, the market, and the better judgment of bettors. Its prohibition leads to obscurantism in the consumer relationship. It is hypocritical to say "let's stop gambling advertising in Brazil", as this ban would guarantee only the operation of illegal gambling. And this is the path that many sectors have defended, whether due to lack of information or due to ulterior motives.
The omission of the previous federal government delayed for four years the regulation of law 13.756/2018 and led to the emergence of thousands of sites in Brazil, without any concern for good practices – including in terms of advertising. Only a small, but important part of the operators, cared for the integrity of the sector.
The market is relentless. Any ban on advertising legal games would dress the market in the guise of a forbidden topic. And every forbidden game will be transferred to the illegal. No one can stop this. Whether in Brazil, in China, where it is 100% forbidden (and is the largest market in the world), or in Iran, where religion forbids and is one of the places where most is played on the planet. Therefore, the only way is good regulation, so that the correct part of the market is the largest part of it.
In European countries where regulation is excessive, illegal gambling advances year by year. In Germany, for example, the University of Leipzig estimates that only 50.7% of games are from legal operators. In France, the number of bettors using illegal sites reaches 4 million, above the 3.6 million who bet on licensed ones. Both countries have restrictions on advertising.
Italy banned advertising many years ago. The result: as the public cannot discern which site is licensed and which is illegal, the lack of advertising put everyone in the same drawer, leading to a volume of 75% of bets made in irregular operations.
Is this what is wanted in Brazil?
Effective and clear communication is the most powerful tool to protect the bettor, prevent abuses, and demonstrate that betting should be fun and not a means to make money. Prohibiting advertising leads to the opposite side.
According to the American Gaming Association (AGA), 55% of bettors in the United States believe they are using licensed sites. Only advertising can make this differentiation. Otherwise, the bettor chooses the illegal platforms, which pay better prizes because they do not pay taxes and are not subject to strict rules.
The Ministry of Finance defined regulations, such as the prohibition of minors in advertisements and of advertising sports events practiced by children. On the legislative side, the National Congress established the requirement of facial recognition for the bettor to access the platforms, preventing use by minors.
Meanwhile, Conar (National Council for Advertising Self-Regulation), through chapter 10 of the National Code of Advertising Self-Regulation, determined that every advertising piece must carry the inscription "18+" and that any roles in commercials must be played by people who are or appear to be over 21 years old.
The latest report from the International Betting Integrity Association (Ibia) states that the broad advertising capacity to licensed bets, across all media, is fundamental for the integrity of the sector.
Brazil needs to follow this path. There is no way to educate bettors without adequate advertising. Hiding or denying the existence of bets means leaving millions of bettors in the dark.
Plínio Lemos Jorge
President of the National Association of Games and Lotteries (ANJL)
Source: Trends/Debates - Folha
