Leading operators join forces for Brazilian lobby group
Flutter, Entain, Betsson, bet365 and Betway among nine founding members looking to guide legislation in South American country
Nine operators have come together to launch the Brazilian Institute of Responsible Gaming (IBJR) to lobby the public and private sectors ahead the market’s potential regulation.
Betsson Group, bet365, Betway Group, Entain, Flutter Entertainment, KTO Group, Netbet Group, Rei do Pitaco and Yolo Group are the founding members of the organisation.
The group will look to collaborate with various stakeholders to help build a “fair and sustainable market”.
The body will be led by Betsson’s managing partner for Brazil, André Gelfi, as president.
Brazil could finally legalise online sports betting this year after former President Jair Bolsonaro failed to green light Law No. 13,756/2018 in December before he left office.
Speaking following the body’s launch, Gelfi laid out the group’s mission statement and called on the Brazilian government to learn from other successful regulation stories to support the industry.
Gelfi said: “The IBJR’s mission is to collaborate with all sectors of society that want to learn more about the industry and understand how it can be harmoniously integrated into the Brazilian economy, as it has in other countries.
“We want to help build a safe regulatory environment for customers, while financing of the public sector, and creating a sustainable operating environment for companies.
“No other country has enjoyed such a favourable environment for the construction of a successful regulation that can be an example for the world. The government can use aspects of countries that have successfully regulated and adapt them to the local reality,” he added.
The launch of the IBJR follows that of the Associação Brasileira de Defesa da Integridade do Esporte (ABRADIE) earlier this month.
Genius Sports, Entain, Rei Do Pitaco and law firms Bichara e Motta and Maia Yoshiyasu Advogados founded and launched the association with the principal aim of protecting Brazilian sport from match-fixing and spot-fixing.