From the ANJL, they defended the position of postponing the start of payments until all companies can adapt.
Brazil.- Betting houses operating in Brazil have until January 31 to start paying clubs, confederations, and athletes for the use of their brands and names by online betting and gaming sites. The deadline is set in Ordinance 1.092 of the Ministry of Finance, published on January 13, 2025.
However, game operators question this deadline and point out practical difficulties in starting payments before the end of the month. "It is unfeasible for operators," explained the National Association of Games and Lotteries (ANJL), while proposing the need to evaluate an extension until all companies are adequately adapted.
As explained by José Francisco Manssur, partner at CSMV Lawyers, to Folha San Pablo, since 2018, when fixed-odds sports betting began to proliferate in Brazil, Law No. 13.756/18 already anticipated this transfer. However, until today, payments have not been made due to lack of regulation.
"Law No. 14.790/23 reaffirmed the obligation of the transfer. And what the ordinance established was that this counterpart must begin to be paid by January 31," said Manssur, who was in charge of drafting the rules for the fixed-odds betting sector in Brazil as a special advisor to the Executive Secretariat of the Ministry of Finance in 2023.
"This initiative will resolve a situation that has been very poorly resolved for many years, in which clubs ceded their names, symbols, and the athletes themselves to be used by betting sites and received absolutely nothing in return," he said.
The regulation provides that, after deducting payments to bettors, the bets retain 88 percent of the collected value. The remaining 12 percent is allocated to various areas, such as social security, education, and sports.
According to Manssur, the distribution of the values among each entity will be proportional to the volume of bets made related to certain confederations and/or athletes.
"The ordinance created by the Secretariat of Prizes and Bets (SPA) of the Ministry of Finance represents an important step for the development of sports. Sports betting generates billions of reais annually, and this allocation of resources will surely open new investment opportunities in the sector," said Paulo Maciel, president of the CBC (Brazilian Committee of Clubs).
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The ordinance provides that companies have the possibility to create a non-profit association that takes care of centralizing all payments and making transfers to the entities.
However, companies are reluctant to start the payment at the end of this month. The legal consultant of the ANJL (National Association of Games and Lotteries), Bernardo Cavalcanti Freire, defended an extension of the deadline imposed by the ordinance for the start of payments, in order to adapt.
"It will be necessary to create structural mechanisms until January 31. It is unfeasible for operators. The deadline needs to be extended, this is essential. And there is also a gap, since there are competitions that have already started, such as the state championships," said Freire.
The idea is to promote jai alai or cesta punta, a sport of Basque origin that enjoys popularity in the U.S. state of Florida.
USA.- Hard Rock Bet signed an agreement with the World Jai Alai League (WJAL) of Florida, United States, at the start of the 2025 winter season of Battle Court. Through Hard Rock Bet, fans of the WJAL will be able to access betting options and watch each match live.
Operated by the Seminole Tribe of Florida, Hard Rock Bet is the only legal sports betting house in Florida. Jai-Alai is one of the more than 20 sports available on the mobile app. Betting can also be done in person at the Hard Rock Sportsbook locations of the tribe's casinos.
Nick Menas, director of corporate strategy at Hard Rock Bet, highlighted: "We are thrilled to roll with the World Jai Alai League and the 'fastest ball sport in the world' at Hard Rock Bet. Jai Alai is part of the fabric of Florida's sports culture and, as Florida's sports betting house, we are delighted to bring fans across the state closer to the action on our first-class platform."
Meanwhile, Scott Savin, chief operating officer of the World Jai-Alai League, added: "The start of a new season is always exciting and the incorporation of betting at Hard Rock Bet only enhances the feeling that the winter of 2025 will be our best season to date. We are excited to offer fans unprecedented action and engagement, both on and off the court."
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It is worth remembering that in October, the leaders of the Seminole Tribe of Florida announced an agreement with pari-mutuel companies to end litigation over a 2021 agreement that granted the tribe state control over online sports betting. The agreement was reached with West Flagler Associates and its owner Isadore Havenick, Bonita-Fort Myers Corp, and Southwest Florida Enterprises.
This week, Hard Rock Bet also announced that it was selected as the official partner and the official betting platform of the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association (NBA). This comprehensive agreement includes the installation of exclusive Hard Rock Bet branded seats at court level at the Kaseya Center, the Heat's stadium, intended for players and VIPs from Hard Rock.
