Freezing assets from illegal betting is an 'important step', according to associations - BNLData

Freezing assets from illegal betting is an 'important step', according to associations - BNLData Freezing assets from illegal betting is an 'important step', according to associations. Betting The 20.06.26 By: Magno Jose Share: -A + A A report by O Globo highlights that entities representing regulated companies are evaluating a measure that should increase the safety of bettors and protect operators who act in accordance with the law. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva signed a decree that obliges financial institutions to freeze funds from illegal betting in Brazil. The measure was announced on Thursday (19) and determines that the blocked amounts be allocated to the National Public Security Fund (FNSP), for use in combating organized crime. Published by O Globo, the measure received support from associations in the regulated betting sector, who classified it as a step forward in protecting operators who work within the law. According to the Ministry of Justice, approximately 25,2 million Brazilians use illegal betting platforms, which represent between 41% and 51% of the institutions operating in the country. The announcement came a day after Operation Lucky Tale, launched in Pernambuco, Ceará, and São Paulo. The operation executed 14 search and seizure warrants to investigate an alleged scheme of illegal gambling. Online , with suspicions of money laundering, illegal gambling, criminal association, and crimes against consumer relations. Investigators estimate that the volume of money moved by the investigated platforms could reach billions of dollars. Administrative block with a 48-hour deadline. Finance Minister Dario Durigan explained that the decree will allow for the interruption of financial transactions by operators identified as illegal. The Prizes and Betting Secretariat (SPA) and the Federal Revenue Service will act in identifying irregularities and will notify financial institutions for the preventive freezing of funds. “The decree that the president signed today (yesterday) allows us to block the identified funds in financial institutions that originate from these illegal bets,” said Durigan. “The financial institution will have to block all accounts that it has identified as having received funds from these illegal bets. It is an immediate administrative block that must be confirmed within 48 hours by the financial institutions to the Ministry of Finance,” he added. The Minister of Justice and Public Security, Wellington César Lima e Silva, declared the scale of the problem. “We are saying that illegal betting represents something between 41% and 51%, which is a significant number. We have already blocked more than 40 websites. That's 25,2 million Brazilians betting on these platforms,” he stated. The possibility of asset freezing was included in the decree regulating the Anti-Faction Law, approved by Congress. According to Durigan, investigations identified approximately 350 illegal operators, who use 37 financial and payment institutions, mainly fintechs , to move funds within the Brazilian financial system. The National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel) has already taken down more than 40 illegal websites and applications. How will the blocking work? The process of freezing assets will follow these steps, as per the decree: ⇒ Identifying the irregularity: The SPA identifies the operator acting without authorization and notifies the financial institution, which has up to 24 hours to block the accounts; ⇒ Follow up: The Central Bank monitors compliance with the freeze, and institutions report account balances and data to the SPA (Securities and Exchange Commission of Brazil). ⇒ Right to defense: The case is forwarded to the National Secretariat of Public Security (Senasp), which opens an administrative process with a deadline for defense and appeal; ⇒ Use of blocked resources: The funds can be used to reimburse bettors and settle outstanding taxes and fines. ⇒ Legal action: The Attorney General's Office (AGU) is asking the courts for the definitive forfeiture of the funds. ⇒ Final destination: Following a court decision, the remaining balance is transferred to the National Public Security Fund. Support from industry associations The National Association of Games and Lotteries (ANJL) declared its support for the measures, classifying them as the result of joint work between SPA, Anatel, and the regulated sector, including a monitoring and intelligence laboratory created last year as a result of a cooperation agreement. “The clandestine betting industry exposes consumers to risks, evades taxes, and generates unfair competition in relation to companies that comply with Brazilian regulatory requirements. The announced actions represent an important step in strengthening the regulated betting market,” stated the president of ANJL, Plínio Lemos Jorge. The Brazilian Institute for Responsible Gaming (IBJR), chaired by Carlos Lima, also expressed its support. According to the organization, weakening clandestine operations is essential for consolidating a healthy regulated market. "Initiatives like this represent a crucial step forward in combating illegality. In addition to strengthening public revenue, the measure directly contributes to increasing the safety of bettors, protecting operators who act in accordance with the law, and promoting the integrity and sustainability of the entire sector in the country," stated the IBJR. Betting platforms Online Specific rules were introduced following a law approved by Congress at the end of 2023, submitted by the Ministry of Finance to regulate sports betting. During its passage through the Chamber of Deputies, the rapporteur of the proposal, Deputy Adolfo Viana (PSDB-BA), included authorization for games. Online This category includes virtual casinos such as the popularly known "Tigrerinho" (Little Tiger). The Senate attempted to restrict regulation to sports betting only, but this provision was reinstated in the Chamber of Deputies before the law was approved and signed into law by Lula in December 2023. The investigation into Operation Conto da Sorte originated from technical analyses by SPA (Sociedade de Apoio ao Servidor Público - Public Service Support Service) regarding the activities of Lotseridó, an autonomous entity created by the municipality of Bodó (RN). According to the Federal Revenue Service, before ceasing operations, the entity irregularly accredited betting companies, allowing them to continue operating without federal authorization. Durigan also reported that nearly 700 people have already used the self-exclusion tool launched by the government in December, which allows users to request the blocking of their CPF (Brazilian taxpayer identification number) at all authorized betting sites. Share: Results of the CAIXA Lottery Mega-Sena lottery draw 3020: 06 - 09 - 17 - 27 - 29 - 45 Lottery draw 3021: Prize R$ 42 million Lotofácil contest 3714: 03 - 04 - 05 - 06 - 09 10 - 11 - 12 - 13 - 14 15 - 16 - 18 - 19 - 21 Contest 3715: Prize R$ 2 M Most read See also... 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