On Monday, Senacon held a training workshop on the oversight of online betting operators in Brazil.
The meeting was attended by entities from the National Consumer Defence System, as well as the Secretariat of Prizes and Bets (SPA). The agenda covered the legal framework for sports betting and online games, challenges and opportunities for improving oversight, and efforts to combat illegal activities associated with the betting sector.
Participants included representatives from the SPA, the National Secretariat for Digital Rights (Sedigi), Public Prosecutor’s Offices, consumer defence institutes, state consumer protection agencies (Procons), public defender’s offices from various states, and the National Advertising Self-Regulation Council. Representatives from the National Association of Games and Lotteries and the Brazilian Institute of Responsible Gaming also took part.
State agendas
“Issues that gain prominence, such as consumer protection matters, also become public safety concerns, alongside other topics within the Ministry’s purview,” stated Minister of Justice Wellington César Lima e Silva. “Issues like these must be treated as matters of state policy. That is why we aim to establish ties and partnerships with a wide range of Brazilian state institutions.”
According to the minister, it is essential to focus on collegiate bodies so that good ideas can be refined and validated. He asserts that this approach ensures the reach of public policies and their effective implementation across different regions.
Ricardo Morishita, the National Consumer Secretary, explained that the workshop aims to integrate the various agencies working on this issue, stating: “We have spent the day collaborating on a topic that has been a major focus and concern for consumers. I hardly need to emphasise the urgency of the situation. The goal is to develop guidelines for action within the National Consumer Defence System to combat illegal practices and the inadequacies associated with unregulated betting platforms.”
Topics
The agenda covered Statute No. 14,790/2023, misleading and abusive advertising, and the chain of custody for evidence in investigations. The regulatory ecosystem, data protection, and consumer protection were also addressed. The presentation by Victor Oliveira Fernandes, who is the Ministry of Justice’s Secretary for Digital Rights, included a discussion on market conduct in the digital sector.
Legal framework
In July, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Finance, and the Presidency’s Secretariat of Social Communication issued Ministry of Finance/Secretariat of Social Communication/Ministry of Justice and Public Safety Joint Ordinance No. 73. Based on the Consumer Protection Code and Laws 13,756/2018 and 14,790/2023, it provides for consumer protection in advertising, communications, marketing, and the offering of fixed-odds betting.
The regulation also establishes cooperation procedures among the SPA, Senacon, and Sedigi. The rules apply to betting operators and to individuals or legal entities that produce, promote, sponsor, publicise, broadcast, distribute, boost, or disseminate advertising and marketing activities related to fixed-odds betting—by any means, formats, or channels, whether directly or indirectly.
Original article: https://igamingbusiness.com/legal-compliance/regulation/brazil-consumer-secretariat-strategy-betting/
