Licensing – FairOdds Network

April 4, 2025

How Rei do Pitaco is following the US DFS to sports betting model in Brazil

One of the first to gain a full licence in the newly regulated Brazil betting market, Rei do Pitaco is hoping to compete against a wave of international entrants. Somewhat following in the footsteps of success stories in the US, CEO Kiko Augusto explains how the company’s strategy differs and how Rei do Pitaco’s daily fantasy sports (DFS) roots have set it up for success.

Rei do Pitaco launched its DFS offering in 2019 with one eye already on the soon-to-be regulated sports betting market in Brazil, which finally launched on 1 January.

It first signed an online sportsbook partnership with Kambi in 2022 – a deal it extended last October as it prepared to transition from a DFS operator to a full-fledged sports betting site.

It is a strategy that has been hugely successful in the US for the two market leaders, FanDuel and DraftKings. Both evolved from DFS-focused operations to sports betting and igaming to the tune of a combined $10.6 billion (£8.2 billion/€9.6 billion) in FY2024 reven..

March 13, 2025

Tipico hits back at ‘secret agreement’ media claims

German operator Tipico has rejected reports that a “secret agreement” on raising player deposit limits is in place between federal states and operators in the market. It has agreed to investigate an instance where a player was allegedly able to increase their deposit limit to €10,000 within seconds.

Joint research conducted by ARD and Die Zeit and Investigate Europe, published on 6 March, reported that gambling operators have benefitted from a “secret agreement” with the federal states.

The report, covered by ARD’s Monitor programme, claimed the state of Hesse concluded a settlement with sports betting providers in 2022 before the Darmstadt Administrative Court.

As per that reported settlement, sports betting operators can use a credit bureau to check a player’s financial standing, if they seek to increase their monthly betting deposit limit past €1,000. German private credit bureau Shufa is the credit agency referenced in the Monitor report.

However, the issue raised by Tipico, ..

February 12, 2025

Stake to cease UK operations amid Gambling Commission investigation

Stake will exit the UK market next month amid a Gambling Commission investigation into social media advertising from the operator.

The Gambling Commission made the announcement today (12 February) with TGP Europe Limited (TGP), which operates Stake in the UK on a white-label basis, stating they will shut the site down.

The Gambling Commission has launched an investigation into a video distributed widely on social media that displayed Stake’s logo. The video featured an adult entertainment actress outside Nottingham Trent University.

After meeting with the Commission, TGP said it will immediately stop accepting new registrations to Stake’s UK platform and will remove any redirection links to the main Stake website. TGP will complete a full shutdown of the site by 11 March.

TGP has already faced regulatory scrutiny in the UK after being fined £316,250 (€379,430/$393,951) by the Gambling Commission in April 2023 for anti-money laundering (AML) and social responsibility failures.

“Whe..

February 6, 2025

2025 a year of stability in Brazil as sector interprets new regulations, says legal expert

The first year of Brazil's legal online gambling market will be one of interpretation and major consolidation of regulations, predicts specialist betting lawyer Udo Seckelmann of Bichara e Motta Advogados. He also believes the public narrative against gambling is influencing the SPA's decisions.

Speaking to iGB, Seckelmann, who is head of gambling & crypto at Bichara e Motta Advogados, said he believes this first year of operation for online gambling in Brazil will bring many changes in regulations as the sector settles into the new rules.

He expects 2025 to be a “year of consolidation” for gambling in Brazil as regulations and expectations from the regulator are interpreted and finalised.

“We can expect a lot of changes and consolidation in Brazil this year, consolidation of the understanding or the interpretation [of regulations] for the SPA. [Consolidation] of what’s going to work, what’s going to be allowed, what’s not going to be allowed and eventual changes that w..

February 5, 2025

After IPI disaster, has CNMI abandoned land-based casino hopes?

The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) is drafting legislation that would dissolve its gaming commission. The Pacific island group is looking at igaming as a next step.

On 4 February, CNMI representative Ralph N Yumul told Marianas Variety that a house committee is reviewing the 2014 statutes which legalised gaming and established the Commonwealth Casino Commission (CCC).

If enacted, the move would transfer the regulator’s enforcement powers to the lottery commission. At that point, Yamul said, the CCC “will not be in existence anymore”.

Committee members are also looking at online gaming and “marketing it out to the world”, Yamul said. The CCC “can’t do its job anymore”, he added, “because it’s tied with the only casino licensee in the CNMI.”

And its experience with that licensee, Imperial Pacific International (IPI), has been nothing short of disastrous.

Ten years ago, IPI opened a temporary casino, called Best Sunshine Live, inside a shopping mall on Saipan, th..

January 24, 2025

Esportes da Sorte granted full authorisation to operate in Brazil

Esportes da Sorte has been granted authorisation to operate fixed-odds betting in Brazil after a Federal Court injunction.

On Thursday (22 January), the Secretariat of Prizes and Bets (SPA) published SPA/MF Ordinance No 136 in the Official Gazette of the Union, allowing Esportes Gaming Brazil and its Esportes da Sorte and Onabet brands to operate throughout Brazil.

Esportes da Sorte’s inclusion in the federal regulator’s list of authorised companies follows the Federal Court of the Federal District granting an injunction in January to allow it to operate nationally, despite only holding a state lottery licence with Loterj.

In response, Esportes da Sorte said the ruling confirmed the company’s compliance with Brazil’s gambling regulations including paying its licence fee to operate in the regulated market.

“The decision confirms that the company, from the beginning, complied with all legal and regulatory procedures established by the legislation and its respective ordinances,” Espor..

January 14, 2025

Esportes da Sorte avoids Loterj national betting ban with Federal Court injunction

Esportes da Sorte has obtained an injunction from the Federal Court of the Federal District that will allow it to operate in the licensed Brazil betting market, despite it only holding a Lottery state betting licence.

The Federal Court’s decision, taken on Monday (13 January), enables Esportes da Sorte Group to launch its Esportes da Sorte and OnaBet brands nationally in Brazil, even though it has not been granted a federal licence or provisional licence to operate in the legal online betting market.

On 3 January Federal Supreme Court minister André Mendonça passed a preliminary ruling to ban Rio de Janeiro State Lottery (Loterj) licensees from providing nationwide gambling activities.

Esportes da Sorte gained Loterj authorisation back in August 2024 after its owner, Esportes Gaming Brazil, became the controlling shareholder of Loterj-licensed platform owner ST Soft.

However, the new Federal Court ruling guarantees Esportes da Sorte will be granted special authorisation to operat..

January 14, 2025

First in line: Brazil licence holders KTO and Stake on licensing challenges and first-mover advantages

Among the first to gain access to the legal online betting market in Brazil, KTO and Stake sat down with iGB to uncover the licensing process and how their early entry will bolster credibility among consumers.

After years of delays, Brazil finally launched its legal betting sector on 1 January, with operators looking to tap into what is expected to become a top-three market globally. For companies who have already secured licensed approval, the first-mover advantage has provided them with an exciting opportunity to be trailblazers.

The legal betting market in Brazil launched with 14 companies initially receiving full licences, as well as 52 operators that were granted provisional authorisation.

Provisional licences were granted to companies who are facing setbacks with their applications, such as certification delays. The extensive requirements relating to certification, as well as the huge number of applications submitted to the Secretariat of Prizes and Bets (SPA), have led to ..

January 8, 2025

Brazil Supreme Court rejects Loterj’s latest appeal in ongoing spat with federal government

Supreme Federal Court (STF) minister André Mendonça has rejected the Rio de Janeiro State Lottery’s (Loterj) appeal against the ban on state-licensed brands operating throughout Brazil.

On 2 January, Mendonça passed a preliminary decision to ban Loterj licensees from operating nationally across Brazil. The request was initially filed by the attorney general’s office (AGU) back in October, requesting the court suspended certain 2023 provisions that gave Loterj powers to regulate outside of Rio (Accreditation Notice 01/2023).

As a result of the court’s ruling, Loterj licensees were banned from accepting bets beyond Rio de Janeiro state borders and also mandated to reintroduce geolocation tracking to ensure bets are only being accepted within the state.

Mendonça’s decision gave Loterj five days from 2 January to halt its nationwide activities and impose these geolocation mechanisms.

Loterj immediately appealed the decision, citing “defects, omissions, obscurities and material errors..

December 20, 2024

Betano deputy CEO points to localisation and sponsorship as the keys to success in Brazil

Betano looks set to be one of the frontrunners when the legal market launches in Brazil on 1 January 2025, with deputy CEO Aris Dimarakis emphasising the importance of sponsorship and a localised approach.

Legal online betting in Brazil is now less than two weeks away, and operators such as Betano have been jockeying for position to ensure they capitalise on being among the first to enter what will likely be a top-three global gambling market.

Betano was the first to apply for a licence back in May, with the company enjoying early brand awareness advantages due to its sponsorship-heavy strategy.

Making Betano visible across Latin America

Betano sponsored the Copa América football tournament over the summer, while it also sponsors the top-flight league in Brazil, as well as a number of clubs.

Betano’s sponsorship of the copa América afforded the brand huge visibility across latin america

Dimarakis believes this has been crucial to Betano becoming front and centre in the Brazilian..

November 28, 2024

Aposta Ganha eyes 10% market share as one of Brazil’s first betting licensees

Aposta Ganha expects to take up to 10% market share in Brazil's licensed betting market after securing one of the first licences and gaining early mover advantage.

Aposta Ganha announced on Tuesday (26 November) that its betting licence had been approved by the Secretariat of Prizes and Bets (SPA), paving the way for the operator to enter the legal betting market in Brazil in January.

As a local operator, the company takes pride in being one of the first to receive licence approval in its home country.

Aposta Ganha CCO Hugo Baungartner describes it as a “big, big step”, one that reinforces the operators’ belief that the soon-to-be regulated sector in Brazil will support and protect players and stakeholders.

“We are really happy to get this and this whole thing just comes to reconfirm that we are a group in Brazil that really believes in the market, being a Brazilian group and always, always trying to make the best things for Brazil as well and that’s why we were on the one ..

November 21, 2024

Could a 1% consumption tax topple Peru’s betting ambitions?

The reintroduction of a betting consumption tax looms over Peru, raising concerns that double taxation and a rise in black market activity could dampen growth.

It has been a huge year for gambling in Peru and industry commentators expect, thanks to recent online regulation, that it could become the third largest online betting market in South America. An amended Law No 31557 to regulate online sports betting and igaming in the country came into effect on 9 February, after initially being signed off by President Pedro Castillo in 2022.

The country’s gambling regulator, the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism (Mincetur), started taking online licence applications in February and the market’s potential encouraged top tier operators such as Betsson, Rush Street Interactive and Stake to apply. By 21 March, 145 applications had been received.

The regulatory framework set out in Law No 31557 has been described as favourable for operators as it features a respectable 12% tax on gross gami..

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Tag: Licensing