Brazil continues to refine the architecture of its regulated gaming market with the official creation of the National Forum for Systematization of Bets (SINAPO).
Established by the Secretariat of Prizes and Bets (SPA/MF) via Ordinance No. 227 on January 29, the new body aims to harmonize betting practices across the Union, States, and the Federal District.
The creation of SINAPO serves as a capstone to the tenure of Regis Anderson Dudena, the outgoing head of the SPA, who has now been appointed Secretary of Economic Reforms. His final major act ensures a structured dialogue between federal and state regulators in a market where both levels of government hold lottery competencies.
Objectives and Structure
SINAPO’s primary mission is to promote legal certainty, integrate strategic data, and facilitate the exchange of regulatory best practices. The forum is designed to reduce fragmentation in the industry, ensuring that operators and regulators function under a coherent national framework.
The ordinance states the forum’s goal is to:
“Articulate, integrate, and promote dialogue between the Union, the States, and the Federal District in regard to the operation of lottery modalities.”
Governance and Meetings
Coordinated by the SPA, SINAPO will function as a consultative body rather than a supervisory one. State representatives can join by signing an adhesion term, which the SPA will release within 45 days. The forum is scheduled to meet four times a year, with provisions for extraordinary sessions and the creation of specialized “Thematic Debate Forums” to tackle specific regulatory challenges.
By emphasizing coordination over centralization, SINAPO represents a cooperative federalist approach to gaming regulation. It aims to protect the popular economy and ensure integrity across Brazil’s rapidly expanding betting and lottery ecosystem.
