Esportes da Sorte and OnaBet secure licensing approval in Brazil

Esportes da Sorte and OnaBet, two betting companies in Brazil, have officially secured their licenses through Loterj, the regulatory body overseeing lottery and gaming activities in the state of Rio de Janeiro. 

The authorization, granted on Monday, October 7, will allow both companies to operate for the next five years, despite their ongoing wait for a response from the Secretariat of Prizes and Betting (SPA) of the Ministry of Finance regarding documentation review.

The recent collaboration with ST Soft, which manages the Apostou.com brand, positions Esportes Gaming Brasil as the new controlling partner of ST Soft, thus enhancing its standing in the Brazilian gaming market. This partnership was facilitated by Esportes da Sorte's acquisition of a majority stake in ST Soft, which has held its license from Loterj since last year.

In its appeal to the SPA, the Esportes da Sorte Group maintains that it has adhered to “all the legal and regulatory procedures established by law and its respective decrees” and continues to anticipate a favorable ruling on its pending request.

Despite the lack of a definitive answer from the SPA, Esportes da Sorte has taken proactive measures to strengthen its operations. It successfully restructured ST Soft's documentation, seeking to replace its previous domain (rj.apostou.com) with new domains, including esportesdasorte.com and onabet.com. 

Following a thorough review of the documentation, Loterj confirmed that ST Soft met all legal requirements, including aspects of legal capacity, fiscal and labor compliance, as well as economic and financial qualifications.

After the approval from Loterj, the agency notified the SPA regarding the licensing status of the companies. However, as of now, the SPA has yet to update its official list of authorized betting operators.

The updated list of brands licensed by Loterj includes several established names in the Brazilian gaming sector, such as bestbet.com.br, betvip.com, caesarsports.com.br, esportesdasorte.com, ganhabet.com, lotolegal.com, marjosports.com.br, onabet.com, pixbet.com, pixhora.com, riojogos.com, and vaidebet.com.

In a statement, the Esportes da Sorte Group expressed its commitment to maintaining regulatory standards and promoting responsible gambling practices within the industry.

On the evening of October 7, Esportes da Sorte took to social media to confirm its operational authorization, which has been validated by Loterj. The updated list of licensed brands now includes esportesdasorte.com and onabet.com, alongside others like bestbet.com.br and caesarsports.com.br.

In its official statement, the Esportes da Sorte Group declared: “The Esportes da Sorte Group has received confirmed and validated operational authorization from Loterj, securing the regulatory body’s approval for an initial five-year period. In addition, it seeks the SPA/MF license and expects a decision on this request in the coming days after an administrative appeal, given the strict adherence to all legal and regulatory procedures established by law and its respective decrees.”

“The Esportes da Sorte Group reaffirms its commitment to sector regulation and responsible gambling, advocating for a legal and trustworthy market to protect bettors’ interests and ensuring a serious and transparent industry.”