Through an unprecedented dissemination, with huge advertising investment and strong impact, the Brazilian Institute for Responsible Gaming (IBJR) launched on Monday (4) a manifesto to defend the safety of bettors, the sector's commitment to society, and the application of betting regulations. The text appears as a promotional cover in major Brazilian newspapers such as Folha de S.Paulo, O Globo, and Valor, as well as portals (UOL, Jovem Pan, Bandeirantes etc), including audio.
The Brazilian Institute for Responsible Gaming (IBJR) was founded in March 2023 by some of the main international betting house companies: bet365, Flutter, Entain, Betsson Group, Betway Group, Yolo Group, Netbet Group, KTO Group and Rei do Pitaco. Other companies soon joined as members, including LeoVegas, Novibet, Kaizen Gaming and SkillOnNet.
Its associated companies are OKTO, Pay4Fun, Better Collective, Clever, OneKey Payments, Volta para Marcar and Geo Comply.
All these brands united understand that this is the right moment to launch a national campaign of massive dissemination of the message to society. For this, the IBJR decided to make a huge advertising investment that reflects the sector's commitment to regulation, its concern for integrity, health, and safety of the bettor.
To play, there must be rules
Brazil is one step away from a very important achievement. Soon, the long-awaited regulation of the online betting sector will come into effect. With it, more transparency and safety, always having integrity and a healthy environment for entertainment as the main references.
The Brazilian online betting market celebrates the regulation and trusts in its firm application. Only then will it be possible to avoid a game without rules and without a referee. Some condemnable practices have already been identified by the authorities, who are active and vigilant to curb illegalities.
To play, only with respect and responsibility. That's where the Brazilian Institute for Responsible Gaming comes into play. We represent 75% of the Brazilian market, bringing together some of the main betting companies with global operations and experience accumulated in mature markets, such as the United States, England, and Australia.
Our goal is to promote all efforts to develop a sustainable, safe, reliable online betting ecosystem that generates benefits for the entire society.
On January 1st, the initial whistle will be blown for the regulation to officially take effect.
Among other requirements, bets will feature facial recognition, an essential tool to prevent minors under 18 from betting. Users will be able to set parameters on betting platforms defining maximum limits of time played, as well as financial loss. Other measures have even been anticipated, such as the blocking of credit card use. These initiatives are designed to help prevent abusive use, contain compulsion, and combat addiction.
A new termination will also be adopted in the domains for Bets on the internet, indicating their legitimacy: .bet.br. Only authorized brands will have this domain for better identification by bettors.
And so the rules are becoming clearer and clearer, definitively differentiating legitimate companies from those that adopt harmful and illegal practices.
After all, to play there must be rules. And the main rule is to have responsibility.
To play, there must be transparency and integrity
The joint efforts between bets, sports entities, and public authorities to curb illegalities are already showing important results in the face of revelations of alleged match manipulations.
That is why the IBJR plays together with entities like the IBIA – International Betting Integrity Association. The members of the IBJR share with the IBIA data about suspicious activities, which are detected through artificial intelligence tools and data cross-referencing. The IBIA consolidates this information and, if the suspicion is confirmed, they are passed on to sports entities and authorities.
After all, from advertising to tax collection, through sponsorship of sports and support for responsible gaming, the circle of betting in Brazil has to be clean. This is what we defend – without concessions!
We are already operating on several fronts:
1. Regulation
We advocate for rules with rigorous application, maintaining dialogue with the public authorities and sharing our international experiences applied in mature markets. These learnings are already being incorporated for the benefit of the sector.
2. Conscious advertising
We advocate for the regulation of sector advertising, especially to curb the attractiveness of Bets that act outside legal norms. We have already adopted clear parameters and launched an Advertising Code that guides the campaigns of the companies associated with the IBJR, and we always promote educational messages.
3. Contribution to the economy and sports
We defend the sector as a driver of the economy and investments in sports, generating benefits for society as a whole. With the high number of requests from companies to operate in Brazil, it is estimated that tax collection could reach billions of reais in the coming years. As these companies consolidate in the country, they boost various sectors, from marketing to technology, through significant innovation initiatives.
It is also worth noting that bets have made significant long-term investments for the sustainability of Brazilian football. The segment is also active in supporting different sports modalities, strengthening the sector and driving transformative projects.
4. Responsible gaming
It is essential that bets ensure that all bets are made consciously, with actions and mechanisms to help the public play safely and responsibly, respecting their financial and emotional limits.
The online betting market must work to prevent harmful behaviors, especially the potential risks to the health of bettors, and against the operation of illegal Bets. For this reason, we have created digital barriers through technological solutions to combat addictive behaviors and prevent minors from online betting.
Brazil is a pioneer in adopting facial recognition, becoming a global case. Tools that allow the player to set limits on time and losses while playing are being implemented. We have also banned credit cards as a payment method and provided a Manual of Good Practices for bettors.
The only game worth playing is responsible gaming with rules applying to everyone.
To play, there must be rules.
Brazilian Institute for Responsible Gaming (IBJR) - #ResponsibleGaming
