This Wednesday the Brazilian iGaming Summit 2024 / BiS SiGMA Americas 2024 Congress began at the Transamérica Expo Center in the city of Sao Paulo.

The opening speech was given by Alessandro Valente and Carlos Cardama, co-founders of the event, together with Eman Pulis representing the SiGMA Group.

“We have held a fair that really is an example for all Latin America, I don't know if for the whole world. But, with great humility, we thank you all for your participation,” said Cardama,

Who also highlighted the current moment in Brazil “which is one step away from being First World because of all the technology we have here.”

The Congress will take place on April 24 and 25 with presentations from iGaming industry experts and large companies to explore new advances in technology and strategies.

Representatives of the Secretariat of Prizes and Betting (SPA) of Brazil met with authorities of the Buenos Aires Lottery (LOTBA), taking advantage of their visit to Buenos Aires during the CIBELAE 2024 Conference.

Simone Vicentini [pictured] , deputy secretary of the SPA, had a meeting with Jesús Acevedo, president of LOTBA, and his team, a meeting in which executives from Gaming Laboratories International (GLI), a certification company approved in both jurisdictions, also participated.

The participation of SPA members in the Cibelae 2024 Conference revolved around this year's central theme: "Sports Betting in Latin America: approaches to a developing market." The SPA, created in February of this year to regulate sports betting and online casino games, plans to develop and implement a regulatory framework for online gaming, payment methods, strategies for responsible gaming and prevention of money laundering.

All these areas are of reference for the LOTBA, and the meeting also served to share that experience.

The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) published the new General Competition Regulations (RGC) of 20241. This document establishes the general norms and rules for the dispute of all championships organized by the entity. One of the most notable novelties of the new RGC is the regulation on betting house sponsorships on club uniforms. According to Article 114, the display of betting house brands on club uniforms is conditional on compliance with the requirements set forth in Law 14790/2023 and in the regulations of the Ministry of Finance.

Law 14790 on Sports Betting came into force on December 29. This rule and the regulation of the Ministry of Finance are fundamental for the implementation of the new rules on betting house sponsorships.

The new RGC also reinforces integrity actions and combats the manipulation of results. The CBF may request the production of a report by a company specialized in the detection of manipulation of results. In addition, sports betting companies must submit a declaration of non-involvement in any economic infringement or ethical violation related to the manipulation of sports results.

In recent months, Coljuegos has dismantled illegal betting houses that would have stopped transferring nearly usd $20million annually in exploitation rights.

A total of 445 gambling elements such as slot machines, computer equipment, roulette wheels, televisions, among others, were destroyed by Coljuegos in the municipality of Itagüí, Antioquia. All these items were used in illegal gambling and were valued at nearly usd$500k.

“We have another 4,600 illegal elements of games of luck and chance that will be destroyed in the coming days in municipalities such as Cali and Bucaramanga.”

Likewise, during the destruction of the items, $23,751,050 ( usd $4,500 )in coins and bills were found that were inside the electronic slot machines. These resources are constituted as a judicial deposit in the name of Coljuegos and may be transferred to health.

Senator Rodrigo Pacheco (PSD-MG), president of the Senate, announced the senators appointed to join the Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry (CPI) on Sports Betting.

The CPI’s purpose is to investigate and clarify issues related to allegations and suspicions of match-fixing in Brazilian football.

The collegiate has scheduled its first session for Wednesday, where it will elect the president, vice-president and possibly the rapporteur. The complaints being investigated by the CPI cover players, managers, and betting companies. The creation of the CPI was announced on March 12.

Sports betting CPI: investigation and objectives

Senator Romário (PL-RJ) requested the CPI, which will have 11 full senators and 7 substitutes, lasting 180 days. In the application (RQS 158/2024), the senator emphasizes that sports betting represents a significant financial movement today.

“It is important to highlight that football is a vital economic activity for the country. Thus, it generates tens of thousands of jobs and drives significant income generation. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the State to regulate and supervise its activities in favor of the public interest”, argues the senator.