Last week, the National Consumer Secretariat (Senacon), linked to the Ministry of Justice, took a stance against the adjustment deadline for fixed-odd bets. The demonstration took place within an administrative process regarding the regulation of betting sites in Brazil.
Senacon’s positioning
Thus, in a technical note attached to the process, Senacon argued that the interpretation of the six-month period for companies to adjust to the new rules would be “unreasonable”.
According to the organization, this period would suggest a “hermeneutical absurdity” when assuming that no one would become addicted to betting during this period. In this way, the document reaffirms the position that current legislation does not allow betting bonuses. This measure exists precisely because this bonus can lead to addiction and dependence.
The National Consumer Secretariat criticizes the interpretation that would allow this “adaptation” period. So, for Senacon, accepting that companies can operate for six months in a “legal limbo” goes against the intention of the Bets Law, signed by President Lula in December 2023.
The legislation aims to establish strict control over betting, ensuring that companies do not encourage practices that are harmful to consumers, such as addiction.
Regulation of betting websites
Senacon’s positioning is directly related to the Bets Law, which created a regulatory framework for online betting in Brazil. Furthermore, the text also mentions Ordinance No. 1,475 of the Prizes and Betting Secretariat (SPA), of the Ministry of Treasury.
According to this ordinance, the conditions were established for companies to participate in the transition process to regulation. The new rules aim to ensure that companies comply with legislation, without offering incentives for addiction.
Senacon questions the logic of the six-month deadline for companies to adapt to the new regulations, as the same law prohibits practices that could generate addiction among consumers.
According to the agency’s technicians, allowing this deadline would be a way of ignoring the nature of the problem. Furthermore, it is inconsistent with the legislation that already prohibits betting bonuses.
In turn, the Ministry of Treasury justified the publication of the list of 100 companies and 219 betting platforms that continue to operate until the end of the year, based on Ordinance No. 1,475.
In short, the adaptation phase seeks to ensure that online betting companies follow the new rules responsibly, without harming consumers. However, Senacon questions the impact of regulation and protection against addiction precisely during this adjustment period.
