ANJL: “Brazil begins a new era in the gambling market with a historical regulation"

The year 2025 marks the beginning of a new era for the online betting and gaming market in Brazil. After years of uncertainty and lack of regulation, the country enters a regulated environment, with rules that are among the strictest in the world, promoting greater security for bettors and collecting taxes from the activity, commented Plínio Lemos Jorge, President of the National Association of Games and Lotteries (ANJL), in an article published in Poder 360. 

Since the approval of Law 14.790/2023, the sector has been preparing for this transition. The delay in regulation, originally stipulated by Law 13,756/2018, created a chaotic environment, said Lemos Jorge, marked by harmful practices such as the encouragement of compulsive behavior, misleading ads, and advertising aimed at minors. Now, with the regulation, Brazil seeks to reverse this scenario, uniting the efforts of the market, public authorities, and society to implement responsible and sustainable gambling.

"Brazil has everything to position itself as the 4th or 3rd largest online gambling market in the world," Plínio Lemos Jorge said, adding that the sector should generate about 60,000 direct and indirect jobs, in addition to raising about BRL 20 billion (more than $3.23 billion) a year in taxes and fees for the public coffers.

For the expert, although the challenges are great, the moment demands strategy and cooperation. The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Sports are leading the technical efforts to create a safe and transparent market. Regulation will not be consolidated overnight, but the commitment to constant inspection and the fight against illegal practices will be essential to make Brazil a world reference in the industry.

"Turning a game around when you are losing is never easy. It requires strategy, teamwork, and a lot of self-confidence to build plays that surprise the opponent in such a way that there is no possible reaction," expressed Jorge in the article.

The joint work between legal operators, the government, and society will be decisive for the country to achieve the necessary balance between economic growth and social responsibility in the gambling market, he concluded in his analysis.