Brazil’s Ministry of Finance has achieved significant progress toward regulating its burgeoning gambling industry by introducing the Secretariat for Prizes and Betting (SPA). This strategic move is part of a broader governmental initiative to enhance control and bring legal oversight to the rapidly evolving landscape of gambling within the country’s borders.

A New Regulator for a New Age

This regulatory drive finds legislative backing in Law No. 14,790 of 2023. Enacted by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, this law addresses fixed-odds betting intricacies and introduces significant changes to existing laws. It delineates taxation criteria, outlines rules for commercial exploitation, defines revenue distribution mechanisms, and establishes sanctions.

The focal point of SPA’s mandate is efficient regulation of the fixed-odds sports betting market, encompassing sports betting and online gambling. The secretariat will also actively manage processes related to lotteries and commercial promotions, working in tandem with broader anti-money laundering initiatives. Furthermore, SPA will establish and enforce responsible gambling policies safeguarding vulnerable groups, especially minors.

The new Secretariat will also carry out actions to detect and prevent money laundering, as well as monitoring the market, aiming to establish responsible gambling policies.

Brazil Ministry of Finance statement

Within the larger organizational framework, the Ministry of Finance will host eight secretariats, with SPA emerging as a pivotal player. Structurally, SPA will operate through three key sub-divisions: Authorization, Monitoring and Inspection, and Sanctioning Action. The collective effort will involve 38 dedicated professionals who will dedicate their efforts to creating a safe and sustainable market.

Enforcement Effectiveness Remains Paramount

The enactment of Law No. 14,790 marks a critical milestone, filling a regulatory void that persisted for years. Despite the legalization of fixed-odds betting in 2018, the absence of specific inspection and taxation rules left the sector operating without proper oversight, exposing stakeholders to potential scams and fraud. This advancement will ensure such domains receive the necessary transparency, remaining subject to comprehensive oversight.

In a collaborative effort, SPA’s activities will align with the Ministry of Sport, particularly in matters related to sports integrity. This collaboration extends to monitoring result manipulation in sporting events and overseeing transfers involving athletes, clubs, and sports management bodies. Such efforts should increase fan engagement and prevent controversies from tarnishing the country’s sports reputation.

As Brazil takes this proactive step in instituting the Prizes and Betting Secretariat, the country’s gambling landscape will undergo a transformative journey. The dedicated focus on transparency, responsible gambling practices, and effective oversight aims to create a secure and regulated environment for operators, bettors, and other stakeholders. With SPA at the helm, Brazil ventures into a new era of regulated and accountable gambling practices.

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MGM Resorts International has demonstrated a clear and unfaltering commitment to creating robust and sustainable gambling experiences, not least through the introduction of the GameSense responsible gaming program and championing public awareness companies such as the American Gaming Association-led Have A Game Plan. Bet Responsibly, which has sought to educate the public on the dangers of excessive betting in the age of regulated sports wagering.

Funding Evidence-Based Approach in Responsible Gambling

Commenting on the latest contribution which features a $360,000 tranche to the International Center for Responsible Gaming (ICRG), BetMGM said that it was committed to ensuring that RG practices are observed. MGM, said SVP & chief compliance officer Stephen Martino, was committed to supporting ICRG’s critical work around RG best practices.

The ICRG has been one of the most forward-thinking research institutions that has been working on responsible gambling and problem gambling research since it was established in 1996, and it has been one of the main drivers of an evidence-based approach in understanding gambling and informing public policy on how to minimize harm from the sector.

Commenting on the donation, ICRG president Arthur Paikowsky, thanked MGM Resorts for the ongoing support that will now allow the company to conduct research over two years. The money will be used to understand, prevent, and address risks stemming from the gambling industry, Paikowsky noted.

Ongoing Efforts Needed to Achieve Results

“We salute MGM Resorts for supporting our research that will answer the many questions we have about the impact of gender on gambling disorder and address the health risks of casino employees,” Paikowsky said and noted that the ICRG remained grateful to the company’s long-standing and ongoing support of the research body.

The ICRG received backing from various gambling industry leaders in October, with another $180,000 allocated to the organization’s various research initiatives. Earlier in 2023, GeoComply, a geolocation and fraud-prevention specialist, also funded ICRG’s research on the self-exclusion program and its efficiency.

As gambling is becoming better regulated, this has called attention to allocating more resources to gambling harm prevention and a better understanding of gambling addiction in the first place to prevent harm to consumers.

Some states have surprisingly overlooked responsible gambling as a prerequisite for setting up gambling shops. Washington D.C. for example even reduced the funds allocated to responsible gambling initiatives, which could have long-lasting implications on vulnerable consumers.

There is also a cultural difference between responsible gambling practices in places such as the United States and the United Kingdom, and the rest of Europe, for example. Some jurisdictions have been rolling in very strict restrictions to limit the potential harm for consumers whereas the United States is only now beginning to get a better feel of the issue, with ICRG’s funding and MGM Resorts International’s continuous support a contributing factor.

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According to the Toronto-based organization, the Center for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), the significant increase in gambling advertisements across various media, including TV, broadcast and online has had an adverse impact on the well-being of consumers, pushing many of them into problem gambling.

CAMH Calls for More to Be Done to Protect Consumers

Although a recent measure to prohibit athletes from participating in gambling advertisements was introduced by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) a few weeks ago, CAMH is not convinced that this is nearly enough. Marketing has become ubiquitous in the province and young people are being exposed to it.

AGCO has made the right call in prohibiting the use of athletes, celebrities, entertainers, and other role models that may impact young people’s perception of gambling, but this alone would not be enough. Ads are normalizing sports gambling, according to CAMH, no matter whether a famous person is featured in them.

One of the issues is that sports gambling is pushed as a form of entertainment, and while many consumers get excited about winning big, few realize that losing is usually the norm, argues CAMH. According to CAMH, a whistle-to-whistle ban ought to be introduced instead, suspending all betting-related content, including commercial messages, editorial content, and inducements.

CAMH also sees a problem with the increased chatter between commentators who discuss betting frequently. The organizaiton also wants AGCO to hold advertisements about gambling to pretty much the same standards as ads about alcohol. Sports betting in Ontario has been picking up its pace.

Ontario’s Sports Gambling Market Is Big and About to Get Bigger

In the first year of operation, sports fans in the province wagered as much as $35.5 billion on various contests in the province, across 76 regulated websites. There were 1.65 million active accounts in the first 12 months of official operation, with these numbers only going up. CAMH also wants to see the signage on stadiums and overlays of betting companies go.

These demands are not unreasonable as there is a global push for tightening regulation insofar as sports gambling goes. Fanatics, a newly-launched sportsbook in Ohio, USA, got under fire for a social media ad that linked the company’s sports apparel business and sports betting arm. The UK is undergoing a seminal overhaul of its gambling laws, and Europe in general is tightening its advertisement and gambling standards as a whole.

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Niagara Falls Review reported that the OLG Stage at Fallsview Casino opened its doors to the media for a tour of the new theatre in order to showcase the venue and its unique features.

All 5,000 Seats Are No More Than 150 Feet Away from the Stage

The 5,000-seat theatre was built on top of the Hilton Hotel parking garage and required 685,000 work hours to complete. It cost CAD 130 million ($96 million) and was built in the period from 2017 to 2020.
The new theatre was delayed by the pandemic, which either canceled or postponed several shows. The delay gave designers the chance to fine-tune the venue to optimize the acoustics. OLG spokesman Tony Bitonti explained that there were operational requirements that needed to be addressed and that fine-tuning was necessary, as is the case with all facilities of this size around the world.

The OLG Stage boasts four levels of seating, and no seat is more than 150 feet away from the stage. The facility further features cutting-edge sound and lighting technologies. Two glass-enclosed walkways connect the venue to Fallsview Casino.

To test the sound system, Toronto band The Beaches played an eight-song set for about 100 media members and social media influencers that was followed by a Q&A session. The media were impressed with the 6,400-foot stage and audio system.

The Beaches also praised the sound quality on stage, with drummer Eliza Enman-McDaniel commenting that it was the most notable thing that made an impression on her. Lead singer Jordan Miller said that it felt like being back in high school doing a matinee, while guitarist Kylie Miller suggested that The Beaches were the first all-girl band to play at the new venue. Miller further added she was blown away by the facility, saying that it was new but sounded amazing.

Niagara Casinos President Expects a Visitation Boost Prompted by the New Theatre

According to Niagara Casinos’ President Richard Taylor, the new facility will boost tourism in Niagara, prolong hotel stays, improve customer satisfaction, and attract more visitors to Fallsview Casino.

Senior property asset manager Rob Divencha noted that the new theatre has received positive feedback from the handful of artists who have already played there. The first production to use the new venue was “Canada’s Got Talent,” which rented the OLG Stage for a week in October 2022 to film the show. Since then, the stage has seen concerts by The Lumineers, Don Felder, LIVE, and a few others.

Upcoming shows at the new theatre include Bret Michaels, Rod Stewart, and a grand opening night with Billy Joel. The Fallsview Casino Resort is also home to the 1,500-seat Avalon Theatre, which will remain open despite the new venue opening.

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