Plínio Lemos Jorge, President of the Associação Nacional de Jogos e Loterias (ANJL), has been at the forefront of Brazil’s transition to a regulated betting market. Representing licensed operators and advocating for a sustainable regulatory environment, ANJL has played a central role in discussions around taxation, market oversight, and the fight against illegal betting. The association has also worked alongside regulatory authorities and telecommunications stakeholders to support initiatives aimed at identifying and blocking unauthorized gambling websites.
In this CasinoRank interview, Jorge discusses the lessons learned during Brazil’s first year of regulated betting, the risks associated with excessive taxation, and the importance of policies that do not inadvertently strengthen the illegal market. He also explores Brazil’s growing appeal to international operators, the economic contribution of the sector, opportunities for broader gaming expansion, and the foundations required for long-term regulatory stability and sustainable growth.
As Brazil’s betting market enters its second year, what lessons from the first 12 months are now shaping your priorities going forward?
Plínio Lemos Jorge: The year 2025, the first of the regulated betting market in Brazil, was challenging, but absolutely fundamental for the consolidation of the sector. Since the beginning, our actions have focused on two priorities. These are combating the illegal betting market and resisting super-taxation proposals that could undermine the regulated model.
Throughout the year, the sector came to be treated, at various times, as a kind of “quick fix” for the country’s budgetary challenges, which raised an important alert. Initiatives of this nature, when poorly calibrated, jeopardize precisely the objective of regulation: to strengthen a transparent, safe, and economically viable market.
Our actions have always been guided by institutional dialogue, respect for authorities, and a commitment to Brazil’s economic development. We have reiterated that excessive taxation produces exactly the opposite effect to that intended: it encourages the migration of bettors to illegal platforms, many of them operated by criminal organizations with international reach. It also reduces tax collection, and weakens the companies that opted for legality. It is nonsensical to weaken the regulated market just as it begins to structure itself.
On the other hand, 2025 was also marked by relevant advances. ANJL partnered with Anatel’s Inspection Superintendence and the Secretariat of Prizes and Bets (SPA). Together, they implemented an automated system to identify and block illegal websites. This represents a decisive step in combating clandestine operations.
Furthermore, research conducted throughout the year brought important — and worrying — data. An example is the proposal to prevent beneficiaries of social programs from accessing sports betting platforms. The data indicates that this measure tends to produce the opposite effect to that desired: about 45% of these users state that they would migrate to the illegal market if the restriction is maintained. This reinforces the importance of public policies based on evidence and not on simplistic solutions.
You’ve recently warned that certain regulatory changes could unintentionally strengthen the illegal market. What risks do you see if policy decisions are not carefully calibrated?
Plínio Lemos Jorge: Excessive regulation or the adoption of poorly calibrated measures can unintentionally strengthen the illegal market already in the second year of operation of the regulated sector.
A concrete example is Bill No. 5,582/2025, known as the Anti-Faction Bill. It proposes a 15% Contribution of Intervention in the Economic Domain (CIDE) on bettor deposits. This is a relevant structural change in the taxation of the betting sector, with direct impacts on the competitiveness of legalized companies.
There is a central contradiction in this model. Although the project’s stated objective is to combat criminal organizations, the super-taxation of the regulated market tends to produce the opposite effect. By making the user experience on authorized platforms more expensive, the State ends up encouraging the migration of bettors to illegal sites, which do not pay taxes, do not follow rules, and, in many cases, are associated with criminal networks with international reach.
Taxation has become one of the most debated issues in Brazil’s betting sector. How do you strike the balance between public revenue generation and maintaining a viable market for operators?
Plínio Lemos Jorge: Alongside the illegal market, the tax issue today represents the main threat to the sustainable development of the sector. There is a mistaken perception that the tax burden on betting would be only 12%. In practice, this percentage does not replace other taxes, but is added to the entire burden already borne by any company operating legally in Brazil.
Furthermore, the proposed calculation base is inadequate and does not dialogue with the real functioning of the betting industry. This generates a concrete risk of economic imbalance and of making the regulated model unviable. The sector’s concern is that these proposals advance without a clear understanding of their impacts and the consequences they can bring to the sustainability of the market.
The creation of new taxes precisely at a time when the regulated market is still in the consolidation phase increases unpredictability, weakens legal certainty, and compromises the trust of companies that have invested billions of reais to operate within the law, answering a call from the Brazilian State itself.
In your view, what are the main elements still missing for the Brazilian regulatory framework to reach its full potential? What differentiates Brazil from other emerging regulated markets at this time?
Plínio Lemos Jorge: The regulated betting market in Brazil gathers very attractive characteristics for international operators, especially for its potential for tax collection, job creation, and consumer scale. These factors place Brazil in a leading position in the global scenario of the sector.
In addition, the regulatory model adopted in the country has proven to be consistent and aligned with the best international practices. It contributes to the development of a sectorial know-how that is still under construction in various parts of the world. This makes the Brazilian environment especially relevant for companies seeking mature markets or in an advanced process of structuring.
The fixed-odds sports betting market has already consolidated itself as one of the engines of the new Brazilian economy. The sector accumulates R$ 7.5 billion in invested equity and presents an expressive multiplier effect, with the potential to generate up to R$ 28 billion in additional demand in other productive segments of the economy.
In 2025 alone, the formal betting market moved R$ 36 billion in operator revenue. The sector is currently responsible for about 10,000 direct and 5,500 indirect jobs, with significant growth after regulation. Formal employment ties have tripled since the approval of Law No. 14,790/2023.
Another highlight is the qualification profile of the workforce. According to Rais data, 65% of professionals in the sector have completed or incomplete higher education, and 47% occupy positions that require technical or higher education. The average salary is approximately R$ 7,000, more than double the national average, estimated at R$ 3,200 according to IBGE. Furthermore, 63.8% of workers receive more than four minimum wages.
The direct jobs generated by the legal betting sector result in an annual wage bill of R$ 460 million, in addition to R$ 87 million in social charges that contribute to the financing of social protection policies and systems. This volume of income presents a relevant multiplier effect, with the potential to transform into about R$ 1 billion in total income for the national economy over time.
Industry events like SBC Summit Rio 2026 have highlighted both optimism and challenges. What sentiment are you seeing among stakeholders on the ground today?
Plínio Lemos Jorge: This type of event is important because it promotes an environment for exchanging experiences and debates about the future of the gaming industry. Among stakeholders, the predominant sentiment is long-term confidence, combined with redoubled attention to public policy definitions, especially on topics such as taxation, inspection, and combating the illegal market.
There is growing discussion around expanding the market beyond online betting. How do you see Brazil’s broader gaming ecosystem developing in the coming years?
Plínio Lemos Jorge: The main benefit is the projection of the national tourism sector, mainly in regions with potential, but without as much visibility. By expanding the range of economic activities with the regulation of casinos, bingos, and online games, the government makes room for the development of cities with increased tax collection. In addition, the country becomes part of an international hub of routes for tourists interested in betting as a form of leisure and entertainment.
Looking to the future, what would define a “successful” Brazilian betting market at the end of this regulatory cycle?
Plínio Lemos Jorge: The country’s ability to guarantee three fundamental pillars: effective combat against the illegal market, regulatory stability, and a sustainable economic environment for companies that opted for legality.
With a background in digital media and a keen eye for emerging technologies, Ronaldo bridges the gap between players and platforms through clear, insightful reporting to the iGaming industry.
