Recently, we were faced with absurd and worrying news: the removal of YOGONET from the air. A news site, just like iGaming Brazil, which, over the years, has stood out for its commitment to truth and transparency.
This act is not just a blow to press freedom, but a worrying sign of how information, essential to democracy, can be manipulated or silenced.
Our market, the betting market, is being labeled by public opinion makers as wrong, without even taking into account the facts, the truth!
How can in a regulatory process that has been going on for five years, have a Ministry block domains randomly, for the simple reason of “being linked to betting”. They do not seek to listen and understand what each part of our ecosystem is about.
In times where misinformation spreads easily and thinking voices are often drowned out, the extinction of a news channel like our partner YOGONET, which promotes healthy debates and constructive criticism, is an unacceptable setback.
When a vehicle is silenced, we lose not only a source of information, but also a space for dialogue and reflection. The list of companies that operate the activity without meeting the requirements of Ordinance 1,475 forwarded to the National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel) needs to be analyzed under clear criteria.
It is the duty of every society to prevent this type of “error” or injustice from continuing to happen. Perhaps, if the analysis of the blocked domains had been thorough, even “using” YOGONET itself to update itself, this news site would not have been blocked.
That’s why we cannot remain silent. It’s time (or it’s past time) to unite in defense of our sector. We need important bodies fighting for us and responding to all the slander and untruths that we are suffering.
In particular, our call for industry associations to come together to combat these lies, promoting clear and transparent communication about the legality and safety of our industry.
We fought hard for our sector to be regulated so we could work “without fear”, but just when everything seemed to be going in a reasonable direction, misinformation (from the government and mainstream media) could send everything into limbo again.
Collaboration between associations will strengthen our voice, allowing us to demystify the myths that surround our sector and show the importance of adequate regulation.
The time to act is now, and only through unity and collective commitment can we protect the future of the stakes and ensure that the truth prevails.
And we end with a concern (almost a rant): we are very sorry to know that the future of our business is in the hands of people who clearly don’t know what they are doing.