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3 in 10 Brits Have Skipped a Shower or a Meal to Play Video Games in Lockdown

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More Brits than ever played video games last year to beat the boredom of staying home, and our third lockdown in 2021 has seen the trend gain even more traction. With games being released on more platforms, and more genres than ever now is an excellent time to be a gamer!

Fresh Student Living took a deep dive into the gaming industry in the UK to see just what an impact Covid has had on gaming.

More than four in ten UK gamers say they’ve been gaming more during the COVID-19 outbreak (43%). Plus, UK gamers now make up over two thirds of the population (67%); six in ten of this group say they play mobile games (52%); a quarter PC games (25%); and three in ten console games (28%).

When the pandemic first put a stop to everyday life, the gaming world expanded with regular players putting in even more time, and new people joining the trend to connect with friends, kill time and indulge in much-needed escapism. As more people picked up controllers, the UK gaming population exploded by a whopping 63%! People reported feeling happier and calmer, with a higher sense of freedom, thanks to how immersive the best video games are.

The Average Gamer Spent the Equivalent of 39 Days Playing Last Year

Games like FIFA 21, Call of Duty, Animal Crossing and Last of Us were some of the most played games of 2020, with 3 in 10 people skipping showers and meals to play uninterrupted. Almost 6 in 10 Brits also admit to losing sleep due to gaming sessions.

Pre lockdown, the average gamer spent around 13 hours a week playing their favourites. This increased by 5 hours during lockdown with Brits spending 18 hours or more exploring new worlds online – that’s equivalent to 39 whole days spent gaming!

The average gamer usually sets aside a conservative 1-3 hours to play, but in the UK, at least 3% of the population confesses to playing for 15 hours or more in one sitting.

What Video Games is Everyone Playing?

Most Played Video Games of 2020 According to Units Sold

FIFA 21 dominated in 2020 as one of the most anticipated games in the UK, with around 14 games selling per second in the UK last year.

  1. FIFA 21 (2.18 million)
  2. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War (1.4 million)
  3. Grand Theft Auto 5 (1.1 million)
  4. Animal Crossing: New Horizons (800,000)
  5. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla (660,000)
  6. The Last of Us Part II (530,000)
  7. NBA 2K20 (480,000)
  8. Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege (430,000)

More Brits Are Hooked on Video Games

Lockdown has given us all more time to kill, and today the split between male and female video gamers is strictly 50-50. In the UK, 54% of men and women play a game most days, lowering stress and connecting with others being two of the primary motivators.

Multiplayer Games Keep us Connected

With time to kill and social distancing in effect for most of last year, multiplayer games’ popularity soared as more people jumped online to chat and connect. Even ex-gamers again picked up their controllers to join online communities playing games like Call of Duty, Animal Crossing or Fortnite.

Unsurprisingly, lockdown saw most Brits opt for action-packed and interactive genres, with most gamers choosing fighting, action and huge multiplayer Battle Royale games with lots of other players!

Most played genres in 2020

  • Fighting – 81%
  • Action – 79%
  • Massively multiplayer online games – 78%
  • Multiplayer online battle arena games – 75%

The Rise of Covideogamers in 2021

Lockdown has massively changed the gaming community across the world. In the UK, younger gamers spend loads of time playing while self-isolating and spend around two hours a month watching other people play online – a pastime that has increased since lockdown began.

The pandemic has also created a whole new subgenre of gamers known as Covideogamers, who exclusively started gaming during lockdown. Compared to 36% of existing gamers between the ages of 18 – 34, Covideogamers now make up 46% of the population in the same age group – 35% of these new gamers have also admitted it’s so relaxing and stress-relieving, they’re going to start playing more, long after lockdown ends!

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BiS Brasília projects growth and boosts betting debate in Brazil

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Event will bring together leaders and experts at a time of high visibility for the sector

With an expected 20% increase in attendance, BiS Brasília reaches its second edition in a scenario of strong prominence for the sports betting market in Brazil.

Regulatory advances and growing public interest have placed the sector at the center of strategic discussions, boosting the event’s relevance this year.

Held at the Royal Tulip Brasília Alvorada, the gathering will bring together experts, executives, and authorities to discuss market trends, challenges, and opportunities, with a focus on innovation, integrity, and the sustainable development of the industry.

“The BiS Brasília arrives at a decisive moment for the Brazilian market, bringing together leaders to discuss the paths of regulation, innovation, and sustainable growth of iGaming and sports betting in the country.

It will be a strategic opportunity to promote qualified dialogue and strengthen an increasingly professional and transparent ecosystem,” explains Flávio Figueiredo, co-founder of BiS SiGMA.

Based in the federal capital—epicenter of Brazil’s main political and economic decisions—the event reinforces Brasília’s role as a convergence point for the different stakeholders involved in shaping the new regulatory landscape.

This edition is expected to consolidate itself as a milestone in the maturation of the debate on the legality of betting in Brazil.

About BiS Brasília

In its second edition, BiS Brasília is an event dedicated to the iGaming and betting ecosystem, promoting dialogue between the private sector, government, and society on the development of the regulated gaming, casino, and lottery market in Brazil.

The event brings together business leaders, authorities, and experts to discuss strategic topics such as Brazilian regulation, taxation, integrity, innovation, responsible gaming, compliance, AML / anti-money laundering, licensing, sports integrity, government relations, advertising, and CONAR.

BiS SiGMA South America is part of the event portfolio of SiGMA World Group, one of the leading global platforms for B2B business and event organization focused on the gaming and betting industry.

The post BiS Brasília projects growth and boosts betting debate in Brazil appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

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Nuevas reglas del CMN y SPA reorganizan el tablero del iGaming y las apuestas deportivas

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Rafael Brunati y Celso Basílio, abogados de Silveiro Advogados especializados en mercados regulados, derecho corporativo y derecho de la competencia, analizan las recientes medidas adoptadas por el Consejo Monetario Nacional (CMN) de Brasil y la Secretaría de Premios y Apuestas (SPA/MF), así como su impacto en la industria del iGaming y las apuestas deportivas.

En este artículo, examinan cómo el nuevo marco regulatorio redefine los límites entre las apuestas, los instrumentos financieros y los modelos emergentes de mercados digitales, al tiempo que refuerza la Ley N.º 14.790/2023 como pilar central de la regulación del sector.

Por Rafael Brunati y Celso Basílio

El conjunto de medidas adoptadas recientemente por el Consejo Monetario Nacional (CMN) y la Secretaría de Premios y Apuestas del Ministerio de Hacienda (SPA/MF) representa un nuevo capítulo en la consolidación regulatoria del mercado brasileño de iGaming y apuestas deportivas.

Más que una respuesta puntual a los llamados mercados predictivos, las iniciativas señalan un intento más amplio de reorganizar los límites entre apuestas autorizadas, instrumentos financieros y actividades consideradas irregulares en el país.

La Resolución CMN N.º 5.298/2026 prohibió la oferta y negociación de derivados vinculados a apuestas, eventos deportivos, juegos en línea y temas políticos, electorales, culturales o de entretenimiento sin referencia económico-financiera.

En la misma línea, la Nota Técnica SPA/MF N.º 2.958/2026 encuadró las plataformas de mercados predictivos como explotación ilegal de apuestas de cuota fija, lo que derivó en el bloqueo de decenas de plataformas por parte de la Anatel.

El movimiento refuerza de manera clara la centralidad de la Ley N.º 14.790/2023 como marco regulatorio exclusivo para la explotación de apuestas de cuota fija en Brasil.

En la práctica, el gobierno ha comenzado a delimitar con mayor precisión quién puede operar en este mercado y bajo qué condiciones.

Las plataformas que buscaban posicionarse como mercados financieros, contratos de eventos o estructuras tecnológicas alternativas pasaron a ser tratadas materialmente como operadores de apuestas.

El mensaje regulatorio es directo: si el producto compite por el mismo público, utiliza una lógica económica similar a las apuestas y conlleva riesgo asociado a eventos futuros, tiende a quedar dentro del perímetro regulatorio de la SPA.

Desde la óptica regulatoria y de competencia, esto genera un efecto relevante para los operadores autorizados.

Las empresas que invirtieron en licencias, cumplimiento normativo, prevención de lavado de dinero, integridad deportiva, políticas de juego responsable y estructura regulatoria dejan de competir con plataformas que operaban al margen de estas exigencias mediante encuadres jurídicos alternativos. Se produce así un fortalecimiento indirecto del valor económico de la licencia regulatoria otorgada por la SPA.

Al mismo tiempo, este fortalecimiento viene acompañado de un aumento significativo de las obligaciones operativas y de cumplimiento.

Las recientes medidas también reabren un debate importante sobre los límites regulatorios de las llamadas betting exchanges y los modelos peer-to-peer.

La propia Nota Técnica SPA/MF N.º 2.958/2026 reconoce que la negociación entre apostadores y la existencia de precios dinámicos no desnaturalizan necesariamente la condición de apuesta de cuota fija. Esta interpretación es relevante porque acerca los mercados predictivos a las estructuras de bolsas de apuestas ya previstas en la Ley N.º 14.790/2023.

Este punto podría abrir espacio, en el futuro, para modelos regulados de betting exchange en Brasil, siempre que estén dentro del perímetro autorizado por la SPA.

Sin embargo, la regulación operativa de este formato aún no ha sido desarrollada por la autoridad, lo que mantiene un nivel importante de incertidumbre para los operadores interesados en innovación de producto.

Desde otra perspectiva, las medidas también tienden a generar una intensa judicialización. Existen debates relevantes sobre los límites de la competencia del CMN para restringir ciertos tipos de derivados, sobre la actuación interpretativa de la SPA respecto a los mercados predictivos y sobre el bloqueo de plataformas sin orden judicial.

Independientemente del desenlace de estas disputas, lo cierto es que el mercado brasileño de iGaming y apuestas deportivas entra en una nueva fase.

La lógica regulatoria deja de centrarse únicamente en la autorización formal para operar y pasa a incorporar de forma más intensa temas como integridad financiera, protección de usuarios vulnerables, gobernanza de datos, trazabilidad de pagos y supervisión operativa continua.

El sector continúa creciendo, pero ahora dentro de un entorno significativamente más sofisticado —y más exigente. Para los operadores autorizados, esto representa simultáneamente una barrera de entrada para competidores irregulares y un aumento relevante en los costos de cumplimiento. En un mercado cada vez más regulado, la diferencia competitiva tiende a depender menos de la capacidad de ofrecer apuestas y más de la capacidad de operar con seguridad regulatoria, integridad operativa y rápida adaptación a las nuevas exigencias del Estado.

Rafael Brunati, abogado en las áreas de Derecho Societario, Contratos, M&A y Private Equity, así como del sector bancario en Silveiro Advogados, es graduado en Derecho por la Universidad Presbiteriana Mackenzie, posee un LL.M en Derecho Societario por INSPER y es miembro de la Comisión de Derecho Bancario de la OAB/SP.

Celso Basílio, abogado en las áreas de Mercados Regulados, Telecomunicaciones, Contratos y Derecho de la Competencia en Silveiro Advogados, es máster en Derecho por la FGV Derecho SP, posee un LL.M en Derecho de los Contratos por INSPER y es graduado en Derecho por la Universidad Presbiteriana Mackenzie.

The post Nuevas reglas del CMN y SPA reorganizan el tablero del iGaming y las apuestas deportivas appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

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New CMN and SPA rules reorganize the iGaming and sports betting landscape in Brazil

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Rafael Brunati and Celso Basílio, lawyers at Silveiro Advogados specializing in regulated markets, corporate law, and competition law, analyze the recent measures adopted by Brazil’s National Monetary Council (CMN) and the Secretariat of Prizes and Betting (SPA/MF) and their impact on the iGaming and sports betting industry.

In this article, they examine how the new regulatory framework reshapes the boundaries between betting, financial instruments, and emerging digital market models, while reinforcing Law No. 14,790/2023 as the central pillar of regulation in the sector.

ByRafael Brunati and Celso Basílio

The set of measures recently adopted by the National Monetary Council (CMN) and the Secretariat of Prizes and Betting of the Ministry of Finance (SPA/MF) marks a new chapter in the regulatory consolidation of Brazil’s iGaming and sports betting market.

More than a targeted response to so-called predictive markets, these initiatives signal a broader effort to redefine the boundaries between authorized betting activities, financial instruments, and operations considered irregular in the country.

CMN Resolution No. 5,298/2026 prohibited the offering and trading of derivatives linked to betting, sports events, online games, and political, electoral, cultural, or entertainment themes without a financial-economic reference.

In the same direction, SPA/MF Technical Note No. 2,958/2026 classified predictive market platforms as illegal fixed-odds betting operations, leading to the blocking of dozens of platforms by Anatel.

The move clearly reinforces Law No. 14,790/2023 as the exclusive regulatory framework for fixed-odds betting in Brazil.

In practice, the government has begun to draw a sharper line around who can operate in this market and under what conditions.

Platforms that previously positioned themselves as financial markets, event-based contracts, or alternative technological structures are now being materially treated as betting operators.

The regulatory message is direct: if a product targets the same audience, uses similar economic logic to betting, and involves risk linked to future events, it is likely to fall within the SPA’s regulatory perimeter.

From a competitive and regulatory standpoint, this produces a meaningful effect for licensed operators. Companies that have invested in licensing, compliance, anti-money laundering controls, sports integrity, responsible gaming policies, and regulatory infrastructure are no longer competing with platforms operating outside these requirements under alternative legal interpretations.

This indirectly strengthens the economic value of the license granted by the SPA.

At the same time, this strengthening comes with a significant increase in operational and compliance obligations.

The recent measures also reopen an important discussion on the regulatory limits of so-called betting exchanges and peer-to-peer models.

SPA/MF Technical Note No. 2,958/2026 itself acknowledges that betting between users and the existence of dynamic pricing do not necessarily alter the nature of fixed-odds betting.

This interpretation is relevant because it brings predictive markets closer to exchange-style betting structures already contemplated under Law No. 14,790/2023.

This point could, in the future, open space for regulated betting exchange models in Brazil, provided they fall within the SPA’s authorized perimeter. However, operational rules for such formats have not yet been defined by the regulator, leaving a significant area of uncertainty for operators seeking product innovation.

From another perspective, these measures are also likely to generate substantial litigation.

There are important debates regarding the limits of the CMN’s authority to restrict certain types of derivatives, the SPA’s interpretative role regarding predictive markets, and even the blocking of platforms without judicial orders.

Regardless of the outcome of these disputes, the fact is that Brazil’s iGaming and sports betting market is entering a new phase.

Regulatory logic is no longer focused solely on formal authorization to operate, but increasingly incorporates issues such as financial integrity, protection of vulnerable users, data governance, payment traceability, and continuous operational supervision.

The sector continues to grow, but now within a significantly more sophisticated—and more demanding—environment. For licensed operators, this simultaneously creates a barrier to entry for unregulated competitors and increases compliance costs.

In an increasingly regulated market, competitive advantage is likely to depend less on the ability to offer bets and more on the capacity to operate with regulatory security, operational integrity, and rapid adaptation to new state requirements.

Rafael Brunati is a lawyer specializing in Corporate Law, Contracts, M&A, Private Equity, and Banking Law at Silveiro Advogados.

He holds a Law degree from Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie, an LL.M in Corporate Law from INSPER, and is a member of the Banking Law Commission of the São Paulo Chapter of the Brazilian Bar Association (OAB/SP).

Celso Basílio is a lawyer specializing in Regulated Markets, Telecommunications, Contracts, and Competition Law at Silveiro Advogados.

He holds a Master’s degree in Law from FGV Direito SP, an LL.M in Contract Law from INSPER, and a Law degree from Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie.

The post New CMN and SPA rules reorganize the iGaming and sports betting landscape in Brazil appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

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