Betting Operators Can Still Submit Applications After 20 August

This Tuesday, 20 August, marked the deadline for betting operators to submit their applications to the Secretariat of Prizes and Bets of the Ministry of Finance (SPA). Those who met this deadline will receive a response regarding the approval or rejection of their applications by 31 December 2024, ensuring predictability for the continuation of their activities without risks of interruptions or sanctions.

Although this deadline has passed, it is important to note that operators who did not submit their applications by then can still do so afterward. However, applications submitted after 20 August do not guarantee that the SPA will issue a decision by the end of 2024. In these cases, the SPA will have up to 150 days from the submission date to make a decision. This means that operators submitting their applications after the initial deadline will face legal uncertainties regarding the response time.

Starting 1 January 2025, the SPA will implement measures to combat the unregulated market, including:

• Blocking IP addresses of unauthorized websites.
• Banning advertisements and marketing campaigns for unregulated operators.
• Prohibiting payment providers and financial institutions from offering services to operators without proper authorization from the SPA.

It is strongly recommended that operators who have not yet submitted their applications do so as quickly as possible. The sooner the submission is made, the higher the likelihood that the SPA will review the request before the implementation of measures to combat the unregulated market.

Our team at Bichara e Motta Advogados is closely monitoring the development of betting regulations in Brazil and providing legal assistance to operators interested in obtaining authorization for the exploitation of fixed-odds betting in the country. For more information, visit our website: www.bicharaemotta.com.br.