Brazil’s Anatel Partners with SPA to Combat Illegal Gambling Websites
Brazil’s National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel) has entered into a cooperation agreement with the Secretariat of Prizes and Betting (SPA) to enhance its ability to block illegal gambling websites.
Anatel announced its Technical Cooperation Agreement (ACT) with the SPA, stating that the agreement will help establish a “fast and direct flow of information” between the two bodies. It also aims to reduce operational costs and strengthen enforcement.
In November, Anatel was tasked with taking down illegal gambling sites in Brazil, following the SPA’s submission of lists containing up to 5,200 sites for blocking.
However, Anatel President Carlos Baigorri cautioned that the telecommunications agency lacked the appropriate resources to block all IPs of illegal sites passed on by the SPA. He likened the agency’s efforts to a futile task and called for more powers for Anatel.
Baigorri believes that the ACT will be crucial in enabling Anatel to carry out site blocking more effectively.
“The agreement will allow for an agile flow for the processing of blockages,” said Baigorri. “We know that it is a challenging task to prevent Brazilians from accessing illegal gambling sites, and that is precisely why cooperation is essential so that blockages can be carried out as quickly as possible by telecommunications service providers,” he stated.
“We have a duty, as a state body, to combat illicit practices that cause competitive imbalances and disrespect our legislation.”
SPA leader Regis Dudena agreed with Baigorri. He hopes the partnership will improve the relationship between the two parties and make it more fluid and efficient.
How will the collaboration between Anatel and SPA work?
Part of the SPA’s mission is to identify illegal sites before determining whether they meet the criteria for blocking.
The SPA sends its decisions to Anatel, which then notifies approximately 20,000 telecommunications providers to execute the blocking of IPs.
The agency then reports back to the SPA to inform them that the sites have been banned from operating in Brazil, closing the “transparent and traceable communication cycle” between the two parties.
Baigorri had previously highlighted the scale of the offshore market, noting that Anatel’s efforts were hindering its chances of effectively mitigating illegal gambling.
“Anatel does not have a red button that takes sites offline,” explained Baigorri. “When you talk about 3,000 sites on 20,000 networks, that’s 60 million checks. Today, we cannot guarantee that the blocking is being carried out.”
Government Measures to Combat Concerns About Gambling
The federal government of Brazil announced the creation of an interministerial working group to establish measures for “prevention, assistance and awareness” regarding responsible gambling.
The group will include representatives from the Ministries of Sports, Health and Finance, as well as the Secretariat of Social Communication. It will have 60 days to propose measures, with meetings held every two weeks.
As part of the fight against the illegal market, the government recently introduced restrictions on advertising and betting with social benefits.
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