Luiz Felipe Maia: The ban on betting creates distrust towards Brazil
By The Weekly Edge desk ·
Summary
Brazilian lawyer Luiz Felipe Maia of Maia Yoshiyasu Advogados told iGaming Business at SBC Lisbon that the betting ban announced by the president in late September is politically driven and should be overturned by Congress or the courts. He argues the measure undermines a regulated market overseen by the SPA, risks compensation claims against the state, and could cost about BRL15 billion ($2.99 billion) a year while pushing bettors to illegal operators. Maia also disputes the Attorney General's Office action seeking BRL1 billion in collective moral damages and BRL2.6 billion in SUS reimbursement, saying operators broke no law.
Why it matters
If Brazil's ban stands, licensed operators and investors face market loss, possible compensation claims against the state, and customers shifting to illegal operators.