The National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel) has partnered with the Prizes and Betting Secretariat of the Ministry of Treasury to take illegal betting platforms offline. However, after the contingency imposed by the economic team, the agency was left without resources to maintain the blocks.
Carlos Baigorri, president of Anatel, reported that the agency has taken down approximately 15,000 illegal websites since January, when the law regulating betting came into effect.
However, the operation only remains active through an agreement with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), which provides R$8 million to cover the cost of the tool.
Lack of structure and budget affect inspection
With the advancement of unregulated platforms, Baigorri believes it will be necessary to expand the agency’s structure.
He stated: “It is not yet possible to know how many of these employees will be directed to controlling bets. We may have to establish new partnerships.” Anatel’s annual budget is expected to increase to R$23 million with the entry of 50 new employees approved in the public selection process.
The Betting and Fantasy Sports Association (ABFS) sent a letter to the agency’s presidency. In the document, the entity requests that Anatel‘s technical staff be reinforced to intensify the fight against illegal websites.
According to ABFS, the recomposition could be done by appointing those approved in the 2024 competition for the position of Regulatory Specialist.
The agency is currently facing a staffing deficit. There are 141 vacant positions in the regulatory specialist role, corresponding to 25.8% of the total established by law. The association warns that new retirements scheduled for 2026 are likely to further aggravate the problem.
However, to increase the number of technicians, Anatel needs formal authorization from the Federal Government. Finally, authorization depends on a presidential decree, accompanied by a favorable opinion from the Ministry of Management and Innovation in Public Services.
Anatel President points out flaws in betting governance
During his participation in an event in Madrid, Spain, Baigorri criticized the lack of institutional structure in the betting sector in the country.
He stated: “The governance model for regulating the betting business is still very, very, little institutionalized.
TreasuryYou think that the electricity and telecommunications sector has an agency, civil servants with a career, a collegiate body, a regulatory impact process, public consultation. The betting sector does not. There is a secretariat of the Ministry of Finance that decides in a monocratic manner, by ordinance.”
