Who’s the real problem? Ana Gaming CEO questions treatment of regulated operators

Ana Gaming CEO Marco Tulio Oliveira has argued that Brazil’s regulated betting sector continues to face institutional prejudice.

Despite operating under one of the country’s most closely supervised regulatory frameworks, executives from the industry believe they’re still treated like part of an illegal activity.

Oliveira revealed he had been asked to remove his investments from the private banking division of one of Brazil’s largest financial institutions after taking over as CEO of the regulated betting group.

According to Oliveira, the decision prompted broader questions about how licensed gambling companies continue to be perceived by businesses outside the sector.

“Does it make sense that professionals working for companies authorized, supervised and regulated by the Federal Government are treated as though they were part of an illegal activity?” he wrote.

Oliveira stressed that financial institutions are free to define their own client policies but argued that regulated operators continue to be judged alongside illegal businesses despite complying with strict licensing, tax and compliance requirements.

He described the industry’s image problem as one of the biggest obstacles facing Brazil’s newly regulated market.

“Even after regulation, there is still enormous difficulty distinguishing companies that comply with strict regulatory requirements from those that continue operating illegally,” he said.

The executive added that licensed operators generate employment, pay taxes, invest in technology and comply with government oversight, yet are frequently grouped together with black-market operators in public perception.

Recently, Ana Gaming strengthened its executive team by appointing Valmir Gomes as Corporate Strategy Director and Guilherme da Mata Fiorin as Sportsbook Superintendent, reinforcing the company’s strategic and operational leaderships.

“The key question remains the same: are we able to distinguish those who are part of the problem from those who are part of the solution?” Oliveira concluded.