Brazil began its new era of regulated betting on 1 January when the legal online market launched and the SPA is overseeing enforcement of the sector.
The black market remains a lingering concern in Brazil, though, particularly for licensed operators that have paid a hefty BRL30 million ($4.8 million) license fee.
So far, the SPA has granted full licenses to 14 companies, while 52 are awaiting final approvals.
Dudena remains confident the regulations laid out by the SPA in 2024 will be effective in blocking illegal sites by making the environment financially untenable for black market operators.
“The trend is that, over time, the economic incentives to operate illegally in the country will increasingly diminish,” Dudena told EXAME on 3 January.