August 16 – Betting operators will need the formal approval of Loterj, Rio de Janeiro’s state lottery, to advertise at the Maracana Stadium.
The Government of the State of Rio de Janeiro has added a contractual clause to the 20-year concession of the Maracanã – which Flamengo and Fluminense want to renew – that provides for a veto on the commercial exploitation by betting operators without the approval of the ‘Loteria do Estado do Rio de Janeiro’ (Loterj) or the federal government.
The clause reads: “The CONCESSIONAIRE is prohibited from advertising/disseminating and/or merchandising, directly or through an intermediary company, within the Maracanã Complex, of Betting Houses that do not have a formal authorization from the Rio de Janeiro State Lottery – LOTERJ or the Federal Union, in accordance with Decree No. 48,806/23.”
The Brazilian betting market is going through a process of reform after President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva government pushed ahead with legislation after a four-year grey zone in terms of betting regulation.
From January 1, 2025, betting operators will only be allowed to operate on Brazilian soil when complying with Brazilian law. This will include the need for a Brazilian license.
Before the legislation, most betting operators exploiting the Brazilian market held a license from Curaçao, where legislation and monitoring allow for opaque practices.
Flamengo, the biggest club in Rio and Brazil, is sponsored by Pixbet. Alongside Apostou, Bestbest, Rio Jogos and Marjosports, the operator is one of five credentialed by Loterj. Fluminense has a contract with Superbet, which has applied for approval by the federal government. The Consorcio Maracana has a deal with sportsbet.io which has yet to be licensed in Brazil.
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