The head of the National Telecommunications Agency, Carlos Baigorri, explained the difficulties that exist in advancing the implementation of the measure and how this situation could be reversed.
Brazil.- From Anatel (National Telecommunications Agency) they stated they need more powerful legal tools to act effectively against betting platforms operating illegally in Brazil. According to current regulations, the regulatory body admits that it cannot guarantee that the irregular websites reported by the Ministry of Finance are effectively blocked.
"As we are today, the block we have is very ineffective," explained to the local media Folha the president of Anatel, Carlos Baigorri. "They put a hot potato in my lap and I say: this low effectiveness is going to be bad for the entire government," he added in relation to his current role.
The speech of the president of Anatel shows that, according to current regulations, the regulatory body cannot guarantee that the irregular websites reported by the Ministry of Finance are effectively blocked. According to him, the difficulties are of various kinds, from the lack of technology to control the implemented blocks to the lack of regulatory power over an economic agent with a fundamental role in the functioning of the Internet: the so-called DNS operator.
The DNS operator acts as if it were a large telephone directory in the digital environment: the user enters the name of the website they want to access (which starts with www), and the company identifies which IP number to direct the access to.
When Anatel decides to block irregular bets, it does so based on a list of IP addresses currently used by the platforms. But nothing prevents the bets from breaking the barrier by asking the DNS operator to replace the old number in the "telephone directory" with a new IP that is not blocked.
This strategy is the same that was already used by X (formerly Twitter) to evade judicial decisions that determined the suspension of the social network in Brazil.
"It's like 'my new number is this, so when someone types 123bet, send them to that new number.' And I'm blocking an old number. Then the website works again. And what's the problem? The Brazilian state has no power to regulate, monitor, or sanction these DNS operators," warned Baigorri, adding that many of these operators are based outside Brazil.
In practice, this means that the 5,200 illegal betting sites blocked by the government are free to return to action using the same maneuver, until the Executive manages to identify the new IP numbers used by the irregular platforms to include them in the list and activate new suspension requests.
"There is a limitation in the state's capacity to make this block effective," affirmed the president of Anatel. According to him, the agency sent a proposal for an MP (provisional measure) to the Ministries of Finance and Sports to improve the regulation and grant police power over DNS operators.
In this scenario, Baigorri proposed three possible scenarios. The first of them is to expand the powers of Anatel, modifying the General Telecommunications Law to stipulate that the agency has the power to regulate, monitor, and sanction.
The second option is to change the law that regulated betting to expand the only paragraph that deals with blocks to say that DNS operators are also obliged to comply with these decisions. The third way would be to modify the Civil Internet Framework to expand the guidelines for blocking websites.
"If the state wants to have any power to control the internet environment, these agents must also be subject to state control," affirmed Baigorri.
See also: Online betting in Brazil: the SPA began to notify authorized companies
"Anatel does not have a 'red button' that disconnects websites. We communicate with all telecommunications companies. There are about 20,000, because we are talking about the big ones, but also about small operators from the interior of Brazil. When you talk about 3,000 sites in 20,000 networks, there are 60 million checks. Today we cannot guarantee that the block is being implemented," he acknowledged.
The spin-off of Piggy Blitz, Hard Rock Pork N Roll, will be available exclusively to players at Hard Rock Bet in New Jersey.
Press release.- Play’n GO announced the launch of a new game title available exclusively to players at the online casino Hard Rock Bet in New Jersey. Play’n GO recently announced the start of its partnership with Hard Rock Digital to provide premium content for its highly rated online casino Hard Rock Bet in New Jersey.
The gaming giant founded in Sweden partnered with the globally recognized entertainment brand to create Hard Rock Pork N Roll, a spin-off of another very popular title from Play’n GO, Piggy Blitz. The resulting game is the outcome of many months of collaboration and is expected to entertain Hard Rock Bet players in the same style as its predecessor.
Magnus Olsson, commercial director of Play’n GO, commented: "Our formal partnership with Hard Rock Digital is still in its infancy, but many months of work have been invested both in the partnership itself and in the design of this game, with inputs from both businesses. We are excited about this new exclusive title and it is a testament to the innovation and creativity of our game designers to create a fun spin-off of one of our classic titles."
He added: "Hard Rock Pork N Roll is sure to be a big hit: the game's name alone makes it stand out as an instant classic! This game is proof of our ability to create custom, high-quality content for all our clients, something we hope to do more in the future."
Meanwhile, Grant Williams, Senior Vice President of Casino, Hard Rock Digital added: "Our 'Only at Hard Rock' section continues to grow with another exclusive and personalized experience and the addition of Hard Rock Pork N Roll, an immersive title that seamlessly intertwines Hard Rock signature elements into the game. Working with Play’n Go on this custom creation has set the standard for future collaborations and we are confident that Hard Rock Pork N Roll will quickly become a standout title among the more than 2300 games in our top-rated app."
In April of this year, the alliance between Play’n GO and Hard Rock was announced. At that time, Magnus Olsson commented: "We are excited to expand our portfolio in the U.S. with a new partnership with a new operator, and partnering with a recognized brand like Hard Rock Digital is a significant achievement for us. New Jersey is a key state for our operations in the U.S. and we are thrilled to offer Hard Rock Bet players access to our top-notch casino game content. We believe this partnership will be very beneficial for both Hard Rock Digital and Play’n GO, and we anticipate many shared successes in the coming months and years."
"Play’n GO remains committed to being active in all regulated markets globally and to continued growth in the United States. Partnerships like this with Hard Rock Digital are crucial for our long-term success in the region," he added.
See also: Play’n GO announces a new partnership with the U.S. operator Stardust Casino
