Betting on Brazil
Brazil’s betting market is on the brink of a new era, and few will play a more pivotal role in that journey over 2025 than Regis Dudena, the leader of the Secretariat of Prizes and Bets (SPA). Appointed to the role in April 2024, Dudena has been tasked with overseeing the rollout of betting regulation that is paving the way for the hotly anticipated legal online market’s launch on January 1, 2025.
Dudena’s professional background spans several years in regulatory and public law, including his tenure as legal manager for the National Association of Rail Transporters from 2016 to 2019 prior to his arrival at the SPA. His expertise has quickly positioned him as a key figure in what many anticipate will become one of the world’s top three betting markets.
The promised four-stage rollout of gambling legislation was completed by the July deadline after a flurry of last-minute regulations were filed in the summer, dictating how the sector must approach everything from player protection to marketing and technology certification. These regulations have been praised for prioritizing responsible gambling, despite pushback from various public and political entities.
The SPA will be able to enforce fines of up to BRL2 billion ($328.8 million) for companies that stray into the wrong side of regulation.
However, in an industry as polarizing as gambling, it’s perhaps unsurprising that some don’t feel the regulation goes far enough, or even that the betting laws themselves are not aligned with Brazil’s constitution.
For instance, Dudena spoke in November at the Federal Supreme Court (STF), which was holding a two-day hearing to investigate the impacts of betting in Brazil following a request by the National Confederation of Trade in Goods, Services and Tourism (CNC), the country’s third biggest trade union, to deem the betting laws unconstitutional, an act that could have far-reaching implications.
Dudena has staunchly defended the regulations and betting laws in place, as he believes their reversal would likely push bettors towards the illegal market and exacerbate issues like fraud and exploitation as a result.
There’s expected to be an STF resolution to that saga in the first half of 2025, but even with a favorable outcome for the gambling industry in Brazil, Dudena will continue to play a pivotal role as both regulator and advocate, navigating the delicate balance between helping the sector to grow and addressing societal concerns.
There’s no doubt 2025 will prove a milestone year for betting in Brazil, and with Dudena at the helm, the country is set to establish itself as one of the leaders in regulated gambling thanks to the SPA leader’s commitment to fostering a safe and secure betting environment in the country.
