Brazil’s National Association of Games and Lotteries (ANJL) has appointed Plínio Lemos Jorge as the new president after the end of Wesley Cardia’s one-year tenure as head of the organisation.
Lemos Jorge, who is also a lawyer at Lemos Jorge Advogados Associados, holds a master’s degree in Tax Law, a PhD in Business Law, and boasts previous experience as a judge of the Tax and Fees Court of São Paulo.
On his latest venture he commented: “The online gambling and sports betting market is experiencing a promising moment in Brazil, while the regulation of the sector is still in process. I take on the challenge of presiding over the ANJL while maintaining my commitment to build an honest, safe and regulated environment in our country, both for bookmakers and for bookmakers.”
The change at the highest level will allow for the advancement of a new strategy reviewing the role of lotteries in Brazil, which currently include members like galera.bet/PlayTech, Kaizen, Betano, Big Brasil, Hebara, F12, PagBet, Betnacional, Mr. Jack, Parimatch, BetFast, Aposta Ganha, Liderança Capitalização, ZRO Bank, OKTO, Propane and Paag.
A key focus for the organisation going ahead will also be the launch of negotiations with Brazilian regulators around the vetoing of Article 31 of the freshly enforced 14,790/2023 Gambling Law that dictates the collection of the Bet Income Tax.
According to the ANJL, the veto ‘encourages the migration of players to the illegal market’.
Outgoing President Cardia added: “We actively participate in the entire process of regulation of the sector, interacting with the Executive and the National Congress and publicly defending the best rules and practices for the development of the market. I am sure that Plínio will make many contributions in this regard.”