The Brazilian Institute of Responsible Gaming (IBJR) has announced the departure of its executive president Fernando Vieira, praising his “decisive contributions” during his tenure.
Vieira joined the IBJR in October 2024, before becoming the trade body’s executive chairman in March this year.
He is leaving to pursue a new professional opportunity in another sector and the IBJR has already begun the process of selecting his successor.
In the interim, current director and advisor André Gelfi will take on the role of executive president. Gelfi is one of the IBJR’s founders and also holds the position of managing partner of Betsson Group in Brazil.
In an IBJR statement on Friday, Vieira said it had been an “honour” to lead the IBJR during such a monumental time for the Brazilian betting sector, which launched its online market on 1 January.
“It was an honour to lead the IBJR at this historic regulatory milestone,” Vieira said.
“I am proud of the role we played in protecting consumers and strengthening the industry’s credibility. I remain confident that the entity will continue to advance this mission.”
Vieira and the IBJR’s fight against illegal gambling
Much of Vieira’s work during his time with the IBJR centred on the illegal market, which is proving to be perhaps the biggest concern for licensed operators in Brazil.
The IBJR expressed its gratitude for Vieira’s achievements in the fight against the illegal market, describing him as a “key figure” in the battle.
Vieira was a key opponent of the Brazil government’s approval of a provisional measure increasing the tax rate on operators’ GGR from 12% to 18%.
The IBJR estimated this could lead to the illegal market’s share of the total sector increasing from 50% to 60%.
In June, Vieira told iGB: “The only way operators will be sustainable in Brazil is to increase the channelisation level and, for that, the fight against the illicit market becomes even more important.”
Last month, the IBJR launched a campaign consisting of ads on radio and TV, as well as social media and airport billboards, which it hopes will push bettors towards licensed offerings.
It has also launched the BetAlert website, which allows players to input the URL of any betting site to find out whether it’s licensed or not.
In the IBJR’s statement announcing his departure, Vieira said the body’s work against the illegal market had “yielded important achievements”.
The IBJR, one of the largest gambling trade bodies in Brazil, is in search of a new executive president.