TLDR
- Brazilian gaming groups met with government regulators on August 7 to discuss new online game rules.
- The government plans to publish an Interministerial Ordinance covering game design, user experience, and platform rules.
- Industry groups worry new rules could give illegal betting sites an advantage over licensed platforms.
- The National Association of Gaming and Lotteries proposed splitting the rules into two phases.
- The group also wants a proposed 5-minute minimum game round time lowered to 2.5 seconds.
Brazilian gaming industry groups met with government regulators last week to talk about new rules for online games. The meeting took place on August 7.
The National Association of Gaming and Lotteries and the Secretariat of Prizes and Betting of the Ministry of Finance led the talks. The government plans to publish a new Interministerial Ordinance soon, possibly within days.
The ordinance would set standards for game design, user experience, and platform rules. Industry groups raised concerns about parts of the plan before it goes into effect.
Some worry the rules could force changes to how games actually work. That could mean extra costs and delays for companies already operating in Brazil.
Concerns Over Illegal Operators
One main worry is that new rules could give an edge to illegal betting sites. Licensed platforms would need to update their games and pass new certification steps.
Illegal sites would not face the same requirements. They could keep running without the same oversight or consumer protections.
The gaming association shared data comparing Brazil to other countries. It pointed to the United Kingdom, Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Ontario as examples.
The group said these markets show how rules can be phased in over time. It stressed the comparison was meant to show sequencing, not to prove a direct link between rules and outcomes.
A Two-Phase Plan
The association proposed splitting the new rules into two phases instead of rolling them out all at once.
The first phase would cover advertising, interface design, and transparency rules. These changes would not require companies to alter how their games actually function.
The second phase would cover deeper changes to game mechanics, like autoplay and quick spin features. This phase would only begin once separate rules for game suppliers take effect.
The group also asked for a longer transition period once the second phase begins. It said this would give companies time to adjust and get games recertified.
The association also raised a specific concern about game round length. The draft rule sets a minimum round time of five minutes.
The group wants that number lowered to 2.5 seconds instead. It based this request on similar rules already used in the United Kingdom and Ontario.
The Secretariat of Prizes and Betting said it would review the phased proposal internally. Officials did not commit to a decision at the meeting.
The gaming association said the phased plan does not resolve all of its concerns. It plans to keep raising the issue before final rules are published.
Officials attending the meeting included Deputy Secretary Fabio Augusto Macorin and coordinators Andiara Maria Braga Maranhão and Leandro dos Reis Lucchesi. Industry representatives included officials from the association and a director from NSX Betfair Brasil.
Talks are set to continue with other government bodies. These include the National Consumer Secretariat and the Secretariat for Digital Innovation.
The gaming association said it will keep working with these agencies. It wants to address possible market effects before the ordinance takes final form.
