The volume of requests from online gambling companies to operate legally in Brazil has exceeded market expectations, according to an assessment by the National Association of Games and Lotteries (ANJL).
In total, there were 113 requests for federal licenses to the Ministry of Finance until the final application deadline on Tuesday (20). Despite this, betting houses can still be registered in the Betting Management System (SIGAP).
The registration period remains open indefinitely, but companies that submitted their application by Tuesday will be guaranteed that the government will analyse their authorization by the end of the year, with operations under the new bet.br domain starting on January 1st.
The president of ANJL, Plínio Lemos Jorge, said that the sector’s expectation is that many other operators will apply for licensing after last Tuesday’s deadline. According to Plínio the sector expects many more companies to apply for licensing after August 20. Requests can still be submitted to SIGAP after August 20, and it is anticipated that many more applications will be filed by the end of the year.
“We are certain that next year we will have a completely different market. Honest, responsible and regulated, where bettors will be able to be sure that they are playing on a serious and safe platform,’ he said.
Plínio, said that the decision by the Regional Federal Court on August 12 to lift the block on hundreds of sites without a license from the State of Rio de Janeiro contributed to many operators deciding to file their requests at the last minute. The court ruled that betting platforms operating in the state without a license from the Rio de Janeiro State Lottery (Loterj) could continue their operations.
“Foreign operators assess the market as a whole, considering both the potential and risks of operating in a given country. With only eight days left in the SPA’s (Secretariat of Prizes and Betting) federal authorization window for this year, the judicial decision, achieved through the ANJL, was a relief for the sector as it brought greater legal certainty, since the blocking requested by Loterj was also affecting operations in other states of the country,” he said.