Two of Brazil’s leading gambling industry bodies, the National Association of Games and Lotteries (ANJL) and the Brazilian Institute of Responsible Gaming (IBJR), have put their names to a joint statement addressing regulatory compliance in the country’s newly licensed betting market. The document was circulated on LinkedIn by the head of legal and regulatory compliance at operator Novibet, giving it visibility beyond the associations’ immediate membership. The move comes as operators, regulators, and legal teams work to interpret the obligations of Brazil’s fixed-odds betting framework.
For a market that only formally opened licensed operations in January 2025, coordinated messaging between rival trade groups carries weight. It signals alignment where the industry has often spoken in fragmented voices.
What the Joint Statement Signals for Operators
Before the specifics, the context matters: Brazil’s regulated betting sector is one of the largest to come online globally in recent years, and the rules governing it are still being tested in practice. The joint position from ANJL and IBJR points to where the industry’s priorities sit right now.
- Unified industry voice: Two associations that represent overlapping but distinct memberships aligning publicly reduces the risk of regulators receiving conflicting signals from the sector.
- Compliance as a competitive filter: Operators without the legal infrastructure to meet ongoing obligations face growing exposure as scrutiny tightens.
- The prominence of a legal and compliance executive amplifying the message tells you where reputational risk now concentrates.
- Market credibility: Coordinated advocacy strengthens the case for treating licensed operators differently from the unauthorised offshore sites that dominated Brazil for years.
A Market Still Finding Its Footing
Brazil legalised fixed-odds betting in 2018, but a workable licensing regime took years to materialise. Federal Law 14.790/2023 set the modern framework, and the Ministry of Finance’s Secretariat of Prizes and Betting (SPA) became the supervising authority. Licensed operations began in January 2025, with authorised companies paying a licence fee reported at BRL 30 million for a five-year term covering up to three brands.
The transition has been anything but smooth. Hundreds of domains operated in a grey zone for years, and the shift to a licensed model forced a reckoning over who could legitimately serve Brazilian bettors. Trade bodies such as the National Association of Games and Lotteries in Brazil have positioned themselves as intermediaries between operators and a regulator still building institutional muscle.
And while the licensing wave brought structure, it did not settle every open question. Advertising standards, payment restrictions, and player protection duties continue to draw debate among stakeholders.
Why Compliance Advocacy Matters Now
The timing is not incidental. Brazilian authorities have moved aggressively against operators functioning outside the licensed perimeter, ordering the blocking of thousands of unauthorised domains through coordinated action with telecommunications regulators. For licensed companies that paid substantial fees to enter legally, the presence of unlicensed competitors erodes the value of that investment.
That shift matters because the industry’s argument to government rests on a simple proposition: enforcement against unauthorised sites protects both consumers and the tax base. Licensed operators contribute through a tax structure that channels revenue toward sport, tourism, and social programmes. Unauthorised sites contribute nothing (a distinction the associations are keen to keep visible).
The statement’s circulation through a compliance leader rather than a communications team reinforces the point. This is a legal argument dressed as public messaging.
Key Compliance Pillars in the Brazilian Framework
| Area | Obligation |
|---|---|
| Licensing | Federal authorisation via the SPA, with a BRL 30 million fee covering a five-year term and up to three brands per licence |
| Taxation | Revenue allocated across sport, tourism, education and social security under the terms of Law 14.790/2023 |
| Player protection | Responsible gaming controls, self-exclusion mechanisms and restrictions on certain payment methods |
| Advertising | Restrictions on targeting minors and requirements for responsible marketing conduct |
| Enforcement | Domain blocking and financial restrictions applied to operators working without authorisation |
The Stakeholders and Their Interests
ANJL and IBJR do not represent identical constituencies, which is part of what makes the joint statement notable. Each brings a distinct slice of the market to the table, yet both benefit from a regulatory environment that rewards compliance over evasion.
- Licensed operators want protection for the fees they paid and a level field against offshore rivals.
- Regulators gain from an industry that polices its own standards, easing the burden on a still-maturing supervisory body.
- Consumers, at least on paper, stand to benefit from clearer protections and recourse.
- Government finance depends on channelling betting activity toward taxed, licensed operators rather than the untaxed grey market.
What remains less clear is how far coordinated advocacy can push enforcement in practice.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do ANJL and IBJR represent in Brazil?
Both are industry associations active in Brazil’s regulated gambling sector. ANJL is the National Association of Games and Lotteries, while IBJR is the Brazilian Institute of Responsible Gaming. Each advocates for the interests of licensed operators and for a functioning regulatory framework.
When did Brazil’s licensed betting market begin operating?
Licensed operations started in January 2025, following the framework established by Federal Law 14.790/2023 and oversight from the Ministry of Finance’s betting secretariat.
Why was the statement shared through Novibet’s compliance executive?
Circulating a legal position through a compliance leader rather than a marketing channel underlines that the message is regulatory in nature. It also lends the statement professional credibility within the sector.
What happens to operators without a licence?
They face domain blocking and financial restrictions. Brazilian authorities have already ordered action against thousands of unauthorised sites.
What Comes Next for Brazil’s Betting Sector
The precedent set by joint industry advocacy gives regulators a template they have already shown interest in using: partnering with trade bodies to define acceptable conduct. As enforcement against unauthorised operators continues, the gap between licensed and unlicensed activity becomes the sector’s defining fault line. Whether self-regulation holds, or whether the SPA tightens its grip further, will shape how credible Brazil’s market looks to international investors watching from the sidelines.
