In a fight against what the government has called a “betting pandemic”, Brazil began shutting down 2,000 betting websites on Friday.
Sports betting has become extremely popular in the football-loving country since it was made legal in 2018.
But the market has developed unchecked, and many websites operate without paying taxes and without regulations.
The government wants to change that, so that new rules that, among other things, prohibit minors from playing, come into force in January.
Websites that are not in the process of living up to the rules will be closed.
– Anyone who is not regulated or is not in the process of being regulated will be taken down, says Finance Minister Fernando Haddad in a statement.
The left-wing Brazilian president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, has said that a ban on betting via websites could be discussed if new regulation does not help.
In particular, Lula has expressed concern that many Brazilians end up in debt.
About 2,040 “suspicious domains” have been identified, the Treasury says.
The telecommunications authority Anatel has now been asked to block them.
The list includes the site Esportes da Sorte, which sponsors the football club Corinthians – one of Brazil’s most popular clubs. The site also sponsors Athletico Paranaense, Bahia and Gremio.
Meanwhile, around 200 sites will be allowed to continue after agreeing to comply with the new rules.
The rules must not only prohibit betting among minors, but also contribute to combating fraud and money laundering.
Brazil’s central bank estimates that around 24 million Brazilians gamble online. About 212 million people live in the country. So it’s one out of nine.
/ritzau/AFP
Source: www.kristeligt-dagblad.dk
