Эрик Хейзер о роли СМИ в развитии iGaming в Бразилии

Автор: Matthew Busuttil

Переводчик: Daria Lyakh

May 29, 2025

Теги:

#iGaming

#Brazil

Igaming

At BiS SiGMA Americas, Eryk Heeyzer, chief executive officer of iGaming Brasil, outlined how the press must guide public discourse to ensure a robust and credible regulated gaming sector. Under the framework established on 1 January 2021, Heeyzer argued that accurate reporting and informed analysis are vital to counteract misconceptions and facilitate meaningful dialogue among legislators, operators, and the general public.

The press as the first line of defence

Heeyzer opened by stressing that “the role of the media, the role of the press as a whole, is crucial, especially at this moment of regulation and regularisation of the market in Brazil today” . He observed that many established journalists’ associations, including FENAG and ABI, remain insufficiently engaged with the sector’s intricacies. Without well-prepared media professionals to dispel “fallacies and lies about the industry”, public opinion risks being shaped by unsubstantiated fears rather than economic and social realities.

Appreciating cultural pluralism

Brazil’s continental scale gives rise to significant regional distinctions in consumer behaviour. Heeyzer introduced the concept of cultural pluralism, urging international operators to tailor offerings to the Northeast, Southeast, South, and North alike. “International operators should observe the peculiarities and a concept called the cultural pluralism of Brazil,” he explained, noting that product localisation and marketing strategies must reflect each region’s economic and cultural formation to achieve meaningful engagement.

Building a sovereign regulatory framework

Highlighting iGaming Brasil’s spearheading of IGRA, Heeyzer described the agency’s partnership with the Secretariat of Prizes and Bets and SNAED under the Ministry of Sports. He championed “the defence of an issue called national sovereignty”, proposing that domestic institutions such as USP, UFSCar, and Unicamp become certifiers in place of predominantly foreign validators. This shift, he argued, would embed greater credibility and trust in Brazil’s regulatory infrastructure.

Closing the dialogue gap

Despite the legal framework being in force since January 2021, Heeyzer lamented the absence of regulatory representation at sector gatherings. “I see booths from providers and operators from all over the world at BiS SiGMA, but I do not see a booth or the presence of regulators at this event,” he remarked, citing the Sports Betting Regulator (SPA), the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Sports as conspicuous by their absence. He pressed for structured engagement to align industry growth with social investment, from Paralympic initiatives to community football and athletics programmes.

Gaming as the next phase of industrial evolution

Concluding on a forward-looking note, Heeyzer framed regulated gaming as part of Brazil’s broader industrial journey that began in the 1930s. He expressed his hope that BiS SiGMA Americas would remain “the most important event in the sector” and expand regionally to showcase the industry’s sustainable potential in every corner of the country. According to Heeyzer, a well-informed media, culturally attuned market strategies, and a sovereign regulatory framework constitute the blueprint for the gaming sector’s sustained contribution to skills development, technological innovation, and economic diversification.