bets
Stellar Gaming e the best World Cup of all time
The World Cup 2026 promises to be a turning point for the Brazilian sports betting market, the first major stress test in a fully regulated environment, with projections reaching R$ 19 billion in turnover in the country.
In this scenario, Stellar Gaming (EstrelaBet) positions itself at the center of this transformation, where technology, legal security, and user experience become strategic pillars of growth.
In an exclusive interview, Fellipe Fraga, CBO of Stellar Gaming, analyzes how the maturity of the regulated market, the advancement of responsible gaming, the evolution of technological infrastructure, and the fight against the illegal market will shape the “best World Cup of all time” for digital entertainment in Brazil, and the legacy this event will leave for the industry.
The World Cup 2026 is the first major ‘stress test’ of the fully regulated Brazilian market, with projections of around R$ 19 billion in turnover in the country. How does Stellar Gaming assess that legal certainty and operational maturity will make this tournament the ‘best World Cup of recent times’ for digital entertainment in Brazil?
Fellipe Fraga – In the 2022 World Cup, we were still fighting for market regulation, which unfortunately did not happen in time.
This time, we will have the opportunity to test not only at the technology level, but also in terms of customer behavior, as we will see the impact of the biggest sporting event in the world.
In addition, in regulated operations, the control tools provided for in the specific regulations ensure a safe experience for the customer and enhance the reach of responsible gaming.
With this, the next two months represent great expectations for the sector.
In a mass event that attracts millions of new bettors, concerns about problem gambling come into focus. EstrelaBet has a pioneering partnership with FUMEC. How does the AI-based predictive risk matrix work in practice to identify atypical patterns and ensure that the World Cup is a safe leisure moment, distancing the brand from the stigma of the ‘gray’ market of the past?
One of the great advantages of technological advancement is being able to use it to improve the collective experience, and it is no different when we talk about responsible gaming.
By introducing machine learning mechanisms with data and behavioral science concepts, we can improve risk predictability in behaviors where the customer shows signs of moving away from responsible gaming.
This allows the operation to act to reduce these risks, ensuring that betting entertainment is only what it is meant to be: fun.
We know that Brazilian users are mobile-first and do not tolerate friction during an important match. EstrelaBet has recently improved loading time by 60% and reduced live betting latency by 80%. How does this “Formula 1” infrastructure, led by the technology team, translate into trust and user retention during tournament peak moments?
The main direction we must take is to put ourselves in the customer’s shoes and understand what can create friction in the experience. A site that is unstable and slow is not well received.
That is why we adopted a mindset we called “EstrelaTech”, focused on technological development to improve the customer experience.
This automatically generates confidence in performance, stability, and service quality, which, combined with our technology partners, enables the delivery of a platform where entertainment happens more smoothly.

The brand’s CEO, João Gerçossimo, recently brought from SXSW the concept of the “Attention Economy 3.0”, where community belonging surpasses aggressive offers. How does EstrelaBet plan to apply this philosophy during the World Cup to retain customers without relying solely on transactional acquisition bonuses?
The World Cup is an excellent opportunity to bring the customer closer to the brand.
On June 5th, we will launch a major campaign that connects the audience and the brand to the national desire to achieve the sixth world title.
This connection goes beyond the product itself and is about the relationship between the customer and the company.
Our marketing team’s work has been outstanding, including in the choice of media partners, who are able to communicate with the audience and deliver key messages, not only about entertainment but also about a modern mindset regarding health, physical activity, and technology.
Sports integrity is a cornerstone of a strong regulated market. Today, EstrelaBet uses AI systems that achieve up to 90% accuracy in detecting suspicious behavior, such as multi-account abuse. How will this technology be used to protect the platform against fraudsters during the high volatility of the World Cup?
The betting product is essentially about uncertainty about the future, whether in an online game or a sporting event.
Any situation that tries to guarantee a future outcome empties the essence of the product.
Therefore, defending sports integrity is extremely important to us in itself, and combined with our passion for sport as an entertainment platform, it makes us even more committed to protecting it.
With technology and partnerships, we are able to monitor suspicious behavior and track fraud attempts in real time.
Although the World Cup carries the weight of being the biggest sporting event, with all eyes on it and consequently reducing the risk of suspicious behavior on the field, it is essential to ensure that there is also no negative influence on operations, allowing not only AI but also dialogue with partners to work in the best possible way.
With the World Cup taking place in the Americas (USA, Mexico, and Canada), the time zone is extremely favorable for Brazilian bettors. Combined with the advancement of 5G, what is EstrelaBet’s expectatio for the explosion of in-play betting and micro-moments during Brazil’s matches?
The Brazilian market already predominantly uses mobile phones. Matches taking place, often outside working hours, will allow the act of sitting down and watching a game to be enhanced.
Therefore, the trend is for a significant increase in activity during the World Cup, where the social factor—being with friends, watching the game together, and betting—will play an important role.
You, Fellipe Fraga, as the brand’s CBO, have been vocal about the fact that overly restricting licensed platforms only pushes users toward the illegal market. During an event with the scale of the World Cup, how can the regulated sector and the government work together to educate the public and prevent revenue leakage to unlicensed operators
The World Cup is a huge opportunity for the public sector in a broad sense, not only the regulator, but also the Federal Government and even legislators, to join forces in favor of the regulated sector.
Only through proper operations is it possible to have data, access to behavioral insights, and proper tax collection that will enable the country’s development, along with the correct promotion of responsible gaming initiatives.
We hope this awareness helps to combat an illegal market that, if not addressed, will only benefit illicit activities.
For the market, the 2026 World Cup is considered the “extended Super Bowl.” After the final whistle on July 19, what will be the main legacy of this US$ 35 billion tournament for the Brazilian sports betting market, considering the advances achieved in governance, technology, and end-user protection?
The 2026 World Cup will allow a full understanding of customer behavior in the betting market.
We will have data, results, and information collected from the various initiatives and strategies the market adopts.
The increase in volume will allow the validation of responsible gaming and sports integrity theses, as well as ensuring that users treat betting as proper entertainment during leisure moments while watching matches.
The post Stellar Gaming e the best World Cup of all time appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
ANJL
Betting in Brazil under credit restrictions and regulatory debates
The regulatory landscape of iGaming and electronic betting in Brazil is undergoing a profound realignment that combines high-level political tension, structural mental health metrics, and new financial payment barriers.
Bellow, the core pillars transforming the operational and compliance dynamics of the industry nationwide.
“If it were up to me, I would ban them all”
The online betting ecosystem has established itself as a central agenda item for the federal Executive branch.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva ratified his intention to tighten controls over the marketing campaigns of digital platforms.
Speaking during an interview on EBC’s Sem Censura program, the president was direct in confirming his regulatory plans for advertisements, even revealing a drastic personal stance:
“If it were up to me, I would ban them all.”
However, the head of state recognized the institutional boundaries that limit his administration’s leverage over regulated economic activities, noting that the country’s governance depends on a tripartite system.
“I am not the owner of Brazil. I am part of a system of institutions that govern the country alongside the National Congress and the Judiciary,” he pointed out.
Legislative barriers and the electoral agenda
To illustrate the political complexity of industry oversight, Lula exposed the balance of power within the legislature, noting that his political base holds just 70 deputies out of 513 and 9 senators out of 81.
This correlation means that any unilateral veto by the Executive could easily be overturned by the Legislative branch, where the betting sector maintains significant political influence.
Despite these legislative hurdles, the government highlighted the progress made by the specialized secretariat within the Ministry of Finance, which has successfully deactivated over 90% of illegal gambling domains in the country, and confirmed that the moratorium on granting new operating licenses will extend until the end of the year.
The Executive signaled that market regulation will form an active part of upcoming political campaigns.
The focus will remain on linking digital betting to public health, considering that 1.3 million young citizens, mostly low-income, interact with these platforms, affecting family budgets and justifying containment measures such as the 12-month betting account freeze for individuals seeking to renegotiate their debts.
The New Desenrola initiative and the financial offensive against debt
As part of its macroeconomic strategy to curb household over-indebtedness, the Brazilian government launched the New Desenrola program.
The initiative aims to cut off indirect financing channels in gambling through Article 16, which strictly prohibits any credit operations that serve as a bridge to transfer resources to betting platforms.
The primary objective of the rule is to shut down the use of credit-linked Pix (Pix crédito) as a deposit method.
A technical audit conducted by Folha de S.Paulo revealed that despite the implementation of the rule, major tier-one entities such as Bradesco and Banco do Brasil kept the credit transfer feature available for betting deposits until mid-May.
This government concern is backed by CNC economic indicators, which place Brazil’s family debt index at a critical 80.4%, the highest proportion recorded since the historical data series began in 2010.
The mechanics of credit-linked Pix and the banking response
From the legal perspective of the financial system, credit-linked Pix qualifies technically as a post-paid payment method, given that the user finalizes the cash payment after the transaction rather than upfront.
Lacking specific standalone regulation from the Central Bank (BC), this tool operates under two internal commercial modalities handled by banks:
- Card-backed financing: The financial institution processes the charge on the customer’s credit card limit, deducts operational service fees, and sends an immediate cash transfer via Pix to the recipient. If the user fails to clear their monthly statement, they enter the revolving credit interest pool.
- Direct personal loans: The bank approves an interest-bearing personal loan for the consumer, instantly routing the credit capital generated from the operation to the destination commercial establishment.
Faced with this scenario, most commercial banks chose to block these movements once internal compliance systems flag that the destination corporate ID (CNPJ) belongs to the list of 85 licensed operators published by the Ministry of Finance. Instead, they enforce corporate Pix QR codes restricted to cash transactions and emit risk alerts through platforms like Nubank and PicPay.
Regulatory oversight vacuums and operator reactions
Although the regulatory framework mandates fines of up to R$ 2 billion and license suspensions for betting houses that accept post-paid payment methods, operators represented by the IBJR and the ANJL clarified that they possess no technical means to filter out credit-linked Pix.
Because the financing is cleared entirely within the internal banking environment, the funds reach betting accounts as a standard instant bank transfer, shifting the responsibility of transaction filtering back to the financial institutions.
For its part, the monetary authority has yet to define the definitive inspection framework. The Secretariat of Prizes and Betting (SPA) of the Ministry of Finance holds the power to penalize gambling platforms but lacks the legal jurisdiction to discipline commercial banks.
Legal experts point to a regulatory vacuum that requires a new ordinance to empower the SPA to audit not only betting operators, but also their intermediary payment providers.
Constitutional litigation and the defense of the regulated industry
Regulatory friction has also shifted to the judicial and federal arenas.
The National Association of Games and Lotteries (ANJL) filed a Direct Action of Unconstitutionality (ADI 7971) before the Supreme Federal Court (STF) against Law 16.508/2026 enacted by the state of Rio Grande do Sul.
The provincial statute imposes severe restrictions on the marketing campaigns of iGaming platforms within state lines.
The association representing the regulated market argues that the state government violates Article 22 of the Federal Constitution, which grants the exclusive competence to legislate on telecommunications and commercial advertising solely to the Federal Union.
The case was assigned to Supreme Court Justice Cármen Lúcia, and the industry is seeking an urgent preliminary injunction to prevent a chaotic fragmentation of regional advertising laws from ultimately strengthening unregulated, offshore black-market domains.
Aligning with the sector’s institutional defense, André Gelfi, Director of the Brazilian Responsible Gaming Institute (IBJR), warned about the dangers of turning the regulated betting industry into a “convenient scapegoat” for household default trends.
Gelfi argued that political debates routinely generalize the activity without differentiating authorized environments from clandestine networks.
The director advocated for “Smart Regulation” sustained by behavioral user monitoring, financial education, and technical actions aimed exclusively at the illegal market.
Market indicators: tax collection and self-exclusions
The consolidation of the legal market in the country shows a direct impact on state coffers.
According to the official balance sheet of the Federal Revenue Office (Receita Federal), obtained via the Access to Information Law, the federal government collected R$ 4.17 billion from gaming and lotteries during the first quarter of 2026.
Within this fiscal pool, licensed online fixed-odds betting platforms generated R$ 1.15 billion, consolidating sports betting as a stable source of federal revenue for the National Treasury.
In parallel with economic growth, responsible gaming mechanisms are recording unprecedented activity. In its first five months of operation, the central platform of the Ministry of Finance processed 519,000 player requests for self-exclusion from digital betting environments.
The report details that the system absorbs an average of 144 requests per hour, with 40% of cases based on a loss of behavioral control over gambling, demonstrating the active adoption of these compliance tools by consumers to curb addiction.
The post Betting in Brazil under credit restrictions and regulatory debates appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
apuestas deportivas
¿Son las casas de apuestas las culpables o la arquitectura económica construida por Brasil en los últimos 35 años?
The post ¿Son las casas de apuestas las culpables o la arquitectura económica construida por Brasil en los últimos 35 años? appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Apple
El mercado de apuestas brasileño enfrenta su semana más turbulenta
Desde el acceso a la App Store hasta disputas por el presupuesto policial, cuatro desarrollos esta semana reconfiguraron el panorama regulatorio y comercial para los operadores licenciados en Brasil
Uno de cada diez adolescentes brasileños apostó en plataformas en 2025
El verdadero problema está en otro lado
Un estudio encargado por la plataforma de verificación de identidad Unico y realizado por Ipsos con 1.200 jóvenes brasileños de entre 10 y 17 años reveló que el 11% de esa población realizó apuestas en plataformas de betting durante 2025.
La mayor concentración se produjo en los últimos cuatro meses del año, cuando el 9% de los encuestados reportó haber apostado. Los datos fueron publicados originalmente por Estadão.
Los números se concentran en los grupos de mayor edad y entre los encuestados masculinos. Entre los varones de 16 y 17 años, el 20% afirmó haber realizado apuestas en línea.
Entre las mujeres de 14 y 15 años, la cifra fue del 14%, más del triple del índice registrado entre niñas de 10 a 13 años, donde el 4% reportó acceso a plataformas de apuestas o juegos como el “tigrinho.”
Lo que los datos revelan sobre el mercado ilegal
Los hallazgos son significativos no porque señalen fallas en el mercado regulado, sino porque evidencian lo que ocurre más allá de él.
Desde enero de 2025, todos los operadores autorizados en Brasil están obligados a implementar reconocimiento facial en tiempo real como parte de sus procedimientos de Conocimiento del Cliente (KYC), lo que hace prácticamente imposible que un menor de 18 años se registre en una plataforma autorizada.
Las transacciones por Pix están restringidas a cuentas con la misma titularidad del registro en la plataforma. Los operadores que incumplan enfrentan multas de hasta R$2.000 millones y la revocación de la licencia.
Luis Felipe Monteiro, CEO para América Latina de Unico, identificó la vulnerabilidad central: “El principal desafío hoy es que gran parte de internet todavía opera con mecanismos frágiles de verificación de edad, basados únicamente en autodeclaración.
En la práctica, hacer clic en un botón que dice ‘soy mayor de 18 años’ es suficiente para acceder a diferentes tipos de contenido o servicios.”
La curiosidad fue el principal motivo citado por los jóvenes para apostar, mencionado por el 41%.
La perspectiva de ganar dinero fácil fue citada por el 34%, mientras que la influencia de los creadores de contenido registró apenas el 9%, una cifra que complica la narrativa predominante sobre el papel de los influencers en el juego entre menores.
El marco regulatorio continúa fortaleciéndose
El Estatuto Digital del Niño y el Adolescente de Brasil, en vigor desde el 17 de marzo, exige que las plataformas digitales implementen mecanismos para prevenir el uso excesivo o compulsivo entre los jóvenes, disposición que cubre explícitamente las apuestas y los juegos digitales.

La App Store se abre a los operadores de apuestas licenciados en Brasil
En un avance que la industria venía impulsando desde el lanzamiento del mercado regulado, Apple actualizó sus políticas de la App Store el 8 de mayo para permitir la distribución de aplicaciones de apuestas de cuota fija en Brasil.
El cambio aplica exclusivamente a los operadores que posean una licencia válida emitida por la Secretaría de Premios y Apuestas del Ministerio de Hacienda.
La medida pone fin a un período en el que el ecosistema iOS mantenía restricciones más estrictas para las aplicaciones de apuestas en el mercado brasileño que en mercados regulados comparables de Europa.
Esas limitaciones habían llevado a los operadores licenciados a priorizar versiones web móviles y Progressive Web Apps en lugar de aplicaciones nativas, una desventaja estructural en un mercado donde el smartphone es el principal punto de acceso del apostador.
Requisitos para la distribución en la App Store
Para los operadores que busquen publicar sus aplicaciones, Apple ha establecido un proceso de revisión específico.
Actualizar la información del app en App Store Connect sin subir una nueva versión no iniciará una revisión. Los desarrolladores deben incluir los detalles de la licencia brasileña en la sección App Review Information, insertar la información en el campo Notes y adjuntar documentación que acredite la autorización operativa.
Las aplicaciones clasificadas como contenido de juego de azar deben llevar una clasificación de edad 18+ en Brasil, aplicada automáticamente cuando el desarrollador confirma contenido de apuestas en el cuestionario de clasificación.
La lectura de la industria es clara: la actualización representa el reconocimiento internacional del marco regulatorio brasileño por parte de una de las mayores empresas tecnológicas del mundo.
Las implicaciones prácticas se extienden a toda la estrategia comercial.
El móvil ya representa la mayor cuota de acceso de usuarios en Brasil, y la disponibilidad de aplicaciones iOS nativas abre nuevas posibilidades para la optimización de conversión, la retención de usuarios, las estrategias de CRM y las campañas de notificaciones push, herramientas que las soluciones web no pueden replicar completamente.
La actualización acerca a Brasil a las condiciones operativas de los mercados regulados consolidados de Europa, donde los operadores licenciados distribuyen desde hace tiempo aplicaciones nativas a través de los ecosistemas móviles oficiales sin restricciones.
La reguladora de apuestas de Brasil lleva la experiencia nacional a Bogotá
Daniele Cardoso, secretaria de Premios y Apuestas del Ministerio de Hacienda de Brasil, representó al país en la 10ª Cumbre Iberoamericana de Juegos, que concluyó el 6 de mayo en Bogotá, Colombia.
El evento, celebrado bajo el lema “América Latina: un mercado regulado que impulsa oportunidades”, reunió a autoridades y representantes de 15 países iberoamericanos junto a empresas globales y asociaciones del sector.
La institución anfitriona fue Coljuegos, el regulador colombiano de juegos vinculado al Ministerio de Hacienda y Crédito Público.
Cardoso participó en el panel “Regulación y licencias en América Latina: el marco de estabilidad”, donde expuso la trayectoria del proceso regulatorio brasileño y los desafíos de construir un marco para un mercado que ya operaba plenamente cuando se redactaban las normas.
Trazó la base legal desde la Ley 13.756/2018 hasta la Ley 14.790/2023, que estableció el régimen regulatorio de apuestas de cuota fija, definiendo las reglas de entrada y permanencia en el mercado, el proceso sancionador, las medidas de protección al consumidor y los mecanismos para abordar las externalidades negativas de la actividad.
“Participar en encuentros internacionales nos permite conocer las experiencias de otros países, intercambiar buenas prácticas y mejorar las herramientas regulatorias legales y tecnológicas”, afirmó Cardoso.
“Esto contribuye a un entorno más seguro, transparente y protegido para el apostador.”
Una mesa iberoamericana de referencia
El panel contó también con:
- Luis Filipe Coelho, director del Servicio de Regulación e Inspección de Juegos de Portugal;
- José Luis Pérez, director de Regulación y Registro de la Dirección General de Juegos de Casino y Máquinas Tragamonedas de Perú;
- Juan Carlos Santaella Marchán, director de la Comisión de Juegos de Puerto Rico;
- Maria de Lourdes Ramírez, directora General de Juegos y Sorteos de México;
- Marco Emilio Hincapié, presidente de Coljuegos.
Un segundo panel, centrado en el juego responsable como motor de sostenibilidad a largo plazo, abordó la protección al consumidor como eje central de las operaciones de la industria, con énfasis en la implementación de políticas y herramientas capaces de garantizar la viabilidad del modelo de negocio con base en la protección de los clientes.
La presencia de Brasil en Bogotá refleja el peso creciente que el país tiene en las conversaciones regulatorias regionales.
Con uno de los marcos de licencias más completos de América Latina ya en su segundo año de operación, los reguladores brasileños son cada vez más consultados como referencia por sus pares en la región.
Fuerzas policiales disputan el control de los ingresos fiscales de las apuestas
Una medida provisional firmada por el presidente Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva a principios de abril ha generado una tensión significativa dentro de las fuerzas de seguridad federales de Brasil por la distribución de los ingresos derivados de la tributación de las apuestas de cuota fija.
La medida destina hasta R$200 millones al Fondo para el Equipamiento y Operacionalización de las Actividades Principales de la Policía Federal, conocido por su acrónimo Funapol, con el objetivo declarado de cubrir los beneficios de salud de los agentes de tres fuerzas policiales federales: la Policía Federal, la Policía Federal de Carreteras y la Policía Penal Federal.
Un reparto que no está garantizado
El encuadre político presentó la medida como una victoria compartida para las tres fuerzas. La realidad legal es más compleja.
El Funapol está estructural y exclusivamente vinculado a la Policía Federal.
La medida provisional no contiene ninguna garantía legal de que los fondos se distribuirán proporcionalmente entre las tres instituciones, una brecha que ha generado una preocupación sostenida dentro de la Policía Federal de Carreteras y la Policía Penal Federal, según CNN Brasil.
El contexto de la medida es relevante.
El gobierno había impulsado originalmente un Fondo Constitucional de Seguridad Pública como vehículo para este financiamiento, pero ese proyecto se estancó en el Congreso sin tiempo suficiente para su aprobación antes de que entraran en vigor las restricciones de la legislación electoral.
La medida provisional, que tiene fuerza legal inmediata, fue la solución alternativa. Resolvió el obstáculo burocrático sin resolver la disputa subyacente sobre la distribución.
El modelo establecido por la medida prevé que el gobierno transfiera, de forma progresiva hasta 2028, hasta el 3% de la recaudación total de impuestos sobre apuestas de cuota fija al Funapol.
Con el mercado regulado de Brasil registrando un GGR de R$37.000 millones en 2025, la escala potencial de esas transferencias es considerable.
Los aliados parlamentarios de la Policía Federal de Carreteras y la Policía Penal Federal han respondido presentando enmiendas que buscan ampliar el alcance de la distribución e impedir que la Policía Federal sea la única beneficiaria.
La disputa ha convertido el trámite de la medida en el Congreso en un verdadero campo de batalla legislativo, con ambas fuerzas manteniendo operaciones de lobby activas en Brasília para garantizar un trato igualitario.
Para la industria de las apuestas, el episodio ilustra una dinámica que se ha vuelto cada vez más visible desde el lanzamiento del mercado: los ingresos fiscales de los operadores licenciados ya son lo suficientemente grandes como para atraer competencia política por su asignación, un desarrollo que subraya tanto la escala que ha alcanzado el mercado regulado como la complejidad institucional de gestionarlo.
The post El mercado de apuestas brasileño enfrenta su semana más turbulenta appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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