The meeting aims to address concerns and propose concrete measures for successful online gambling regulation.
Brazil.- The National Association of Games and Lotteries (ANJL) and the Brazilian Institute of Legal Gambling (IJL) responded to comments and complaints from commercial and service sector entities about the "dangers" of betting with a call for an intersectoral meeting, including the national government. The purpose of the meeting will be to "address concerns and, in a dialogued manner, propose concrete measures for successful regulation" of online betting.
In the call, ANJL and IJL state that they support the ban on advertising betting as a form of investment, "so that games are seen only as entertainment, never as a source of income", and the provision to ban the use of credit cards to "mitigate risks of indebtedness and coercion, especially among the youngest and most vulnerable".
"Brazil is about to have a solid and responsible regulation, which will be among the best in the world, to curb abusive practices and ensure that betting and online gaming develop in a sustainable manner and for the benefit of society as a whole. The sector bets on awareness campaigns and the development of consumer protection tools," the entities stated in their statement.
Furthermore, as highlighted in the statement, "the association and the institute reiterate their willingness to dialogue and collaborate with all stakeholders, with the aim of building a safe and adequately regulated market, ensuring consumer protection and combating harmful practices."
The betting associations sent the letter to the Vice President of the Republic and Minister of Development, Commerce, Industry and Services, Geraldo Alckmin, and to the Minister of Institutional Relations, Alexandre Padilha, as well as to the Ministries of Finance, Sports, and Health.
The call promoted by the IJL and the ANJL comes just a week after these two entities, along with the Association in Defense of Integrity, Rights and Duties in Gaming and Betting (ADEJA), the Brazilian Association for the Defense of Sports Integrity (Abradie) and the International Gaming Association (aigaming) published an open letter to the Brazilian population in which they defend their stance against various criticisms.
Specifically, these entities defend themselves against accusations suggesting that the population is getting more indebted and consuming less because of betting. It is the first move of the industry against irresponsible and inconsistent information about the activity.
In the publication, the entities affirm that, from last year to now, the country was going through a "historic moment" with the regulation of the sector, but that economic segments have shown, due to ignorance of the practices adopted by the industry, "often hasty concerns" about the impacts of these entertainment services.
In the open letter, the entities reinforce "their commitment to consumer protection, transparency, and the fight against any harmful practice", dismissing these accusations.
See also: More support for Ordinance 1.475 in Brazil: the ANJL positively valued the decision to set a deadline for adjustment for betting houses
They also clarify that the majority of the betting consumer public would not be from lower-income social strata. The target audience would be the middle class: "The financially most vulnerable people, although present in the universe of bettors, represent a tiny portion", states the message.
