Lygia Lais Rodrigues speaks with Ricardo Magri, a Responsible Gambling Ambassador for BiS SiGMA South America.

The debate around responsible gambling in Brazil has been gaining depth, but it still faces the challenge of breaking through myths, stigma, and misinformation — especially across mainstream media and social networks. At BiS SiGMA South America 2025, this topic took centre stage, led by Ricardo Magri, who served as Responsible Gambling Ambassador and moderator of one of the most important panels of the conference: “Misinformation and Myths: Educating the Public on Responsible Gambling.”

During the discussion, Magri presented a bold and innovative proposal: the launch of a public campaign project, a partnership between the agencies Golaaço and Sport Solution, and EBAC — the Brazilian Support Company for Compulsive Gamblers. The goal is to take educational initiatives to public spaces, connecting sport, culture, and awareness around betting in a direct, empathetic, and offline way. The objective? To build bridges with civil society, reinforce the industry’s role as an agent of social transformation, and broaden the reach of responsible gambling messages.

In this interview, he discusses the origins and aims of the project and reflects on the responsibilities of operators, the importance of public education campaigns, and the urgency of taking control of the narrative with data-driven, constructive communication.

Let’s start with the most promising announcement from the panel: the Educational Campaigns Project. Where did the idea come from, and what is its main goal?

This idea arose from a market need that came about with the new set of duties outlined in the ordinances published by the Secretariat for Prizes and Betting (SPA). In the specific ordinance on Responsible Gambling, it is clearly stated that operators must, without exception, promote awareness campaigns aimed at the general public — not just existing or potential customers — regarding the risks of compulsive gambling. These campaigns go beyond standard advertising messages — we must not confuse the two. The aim here is to raise awareness in the broader population, explain the role Responsible Gambling plays, and in a way, help demystify and shed light on one of the darker sides of our industry in the eyes of the public.

Do you believe that face-to-face actions — blending sport, culture, and education — can be more effective than traditional digital awareness campaigns?

Look, these are two completely different concepts. Digital campaigns are always part of a marketing initiative. The metrics used are mostly linked to advertising success: customer acquisition, views, reach, etc. Educational campaigns have a different purpose. They aim to engage with any audience without any advertiser agenda. At the end of the day, what really matters is being able to say, for example, that 2,000 people visited the “Responsible Gambling tent” at a sports park on a Sunday — rather than saying that a digital campaign reached 200,000 impressions.

The project proposes a partnership model involving operators, social initiatives, and sporting events. How do you see the market responding to this kind of proposal?

I expect the response to be very positive. My hope, in fact, is for full support. There’s a very interesting economic component here: the campaigns would be funded through tax incentive schemes — that is, resources coming from corporate income tax credits. There would be no need to draw from other budget lines to fulfil this social duty. This is entirely legal and, in fact, aligns with the main reason these tax incentive laws exist — to fund cultural, sporting, and educational events. All of them could carry a core message about Responsible Gambling.

During the panel, the difference between ‘mandatory advertising messages’ and ‘educational campaigns’ was clearly highlighted. Why is this distinction so important?

I’ve already touched on this in a previous answer, but let me reinforce the point here: Educational Campaigns and Advertising are two completely different things and must not be confused. Putting a brand ambassador in an ad saying “This platform supports Responsible Gambling” does not meet the requirements set out in the ordinance. An Educational Campaign must include elements such as audience engagement, educational language, and non-commercial messaging. This must be clearly understood by all operators and stakeholders in our industry.

You pointed out that the responsibility to educate the public should not fall solely on the regulator. How can — and should — operators take on this role?

What we see in the SPA ordinance is that the regulator has made it very clear that this will be a duty of the operators. In this regard, the industry associations we have can play a key role in bringing their members together to pool resources and create a powerful campaign that fulfills this requirement for all — especially the operators and the regulatory authority.

We’re living through a regulatory transition. How can initiatives like these help build a healthier and more trustworthy image of the sector for both the public and institutions?

They show that we’re not shying away from difficult topics. They show that the sector is proactive, understands the issues, and does not adopt a defensive stance. On the contrary — it faces the issue with seriousness and demonstrates to the public what can be done to mitigate the risks that naturally arise with the arrival of this industry.

You mentioned the need for empathetic campaigns that break away from a defensive tone. What kind of narrative is still missing from our industry’s communication?

We need a more educational, more welcoming tone — these are two of the core principles of Responsible Gambling itself. It’s important that these campaigns are prepared to engage with individuals who may be critical of the industry and to present them with information that may offer new perspectives. Ideally, they’ll come to better understand certain realities and possibly shift their stance — maybe even move past that initial resistance.

Finally, what do you hope to see in the coming years regarding the evolution of the Responsible Gambling narrative in Brazil? What’s still holding us back?

First of all, I’d like to say that I believe Brazil got off to a strong start with this part of the regulated market. Perhaps no other market has given this much importance to responsible gambling from the outset. That said, I believe there’s just one final piece missing to take this to the next level — and that’s a stronger commitment to proactive campaigns and taking ownership of the narrative. Otherwise, it risks being shaped by those who either don’t understand the issue or, worse, have a deliberate intent to attack our industry.

The path to a healthier betting market in Brazil inevitably involves education, empathy, and a collective commitment to responsibility. Initiatives like the one proposed by Ricardo Magri prove that it is both possible — and necessary — to go beyond good intentions and turn them into concrete actions that engage society in a transparent, accessible, and transformative way.

Each week, we’ll be publishing exclusive interviews with professionals who took the stage at BiS SiGMA South America 2025 — sharing valuable insights, hands-on experiences, and powerful debates. This series is an invitation to continue the journey with us, diving deeper into the topics that truly matter and expanding the conversation around the present and future of the betting industry in Brazil.

And don’t forget: the next edition of BiS SiGMA South America 2026 is already in the works. Once again, we’ll gather the sector’s key players, anticipate trends, and push forward the debates that are reshaping the betting landscape in Brazil. Stay tuned — the game is on, and you won’t want to miss it.