Rio authorities target betting promoters and influencers linked to sportsbooks

Rio de Janeiro's State Department of Consumer Protection, in collaboration with Procon-RJ, is set to issue notifications to over 300 entities involved in promoting online betting. These notifications, expected to be dispatched next Monday, June 23, will include a wide array of businesses and individuals, notably social media influencers, betting operators, radio and TV stations, advertising agencies, and technology companies.

Among the prominent figures slated to receive a notice is blogger Virginia Fonseca, who recently testified before the Senate's Bets CPI, the national parliamentary inquiry into the online betting market.

Recipients will be granted a ten-day period to furnish evidence of their adherence to legal mandates aimed at safeguarding consumers. The stipulated requirements encompass providing transparent information about services, implementing measures for the protection of minors and vulnerable individuals, establishing controls to prevent excessive debt, ensuring responsible advertising practices, and maintaining effective customer service channels.

Failure to comply with these directives could lead to the initiation of administrative proceedings and the imposition of fines, according to government officials.

This action by Rio de Janeiro authorities follows the recent conclusion of the CPI das Bets in the Senate. The parliamentary inquiry's final report, which contained proposals for regulating the betting industry, was rejected by senators on June 13.

Senators Angelo Coronel, Eduardo Gomes, Efraim Filho, and Professor Dorinha Seabra voted against the report, while Senators Soraya Thronicke, Eduardo Girão, and Alessandro Vieira voted in favor. Despite the rejection of the report, rapporteur Senator Soraya Thronicke indicated her intent to forward all collected material to relevant authorities.

"This does not prevent me from taking the report to all the authorities. I will hand over the report and all the documentation to the competent authorities so that they can continue the investigation, indict, and then present it to the Judiciary," she stated.

Senator Thronicke further expressed plans to engage with several key officials, including Andrei Rodrigues, General Director of the Federal Police; Paulo Gonet, Attorney General of the Republic; Minister Luís Roberto Barroso, President of the Federal Supreme Court (STF); Minister of Justice, Ricardo Lewandowski; Régis Dudena, Secretary of Prizes and Bets of the Ministry of Treasury; and President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, to ensure the continuation of investigations related to the online betting sector.