SiGMA South America panels focus on key debates to Brazil

The 2026 edition of SiGMA South America kicked off  today in São Paulo, bringing together some of the leading figures in the iGaming industry in Latin America.

The event takes place from April 6 to 9 at the Transamerica Expo Center, with a program spread across the Itaim, Jardins and Paulista stages.

Over three days, experts will address key topics for the current moment of the Brazilian market, such as regulation, sports integrity, responsible gambling and innovation in user experience.

Responsible gambling and mental health in focus

Among the highlights is the panel “Mental Health and Responsible Gambling: The Search for Solutions to the Invisible Challenge of the Gaming and Betting Market”, which proposes an integrated approach between regulation, mental health and public management.

Participants include Leandro Pamplona, partner and lawyer at BKP Advogados; Marcus Vinícius de Almeida, state deputy at the Legislative Assembly of Rio Grande do Sul; Cristiano Costa, CKO of EBAC – Brazilian Company for Support to Compulsivity; Daniel Romanowski, president of Lottopar; and Ana Bárbara Teixeira, Director of Government Relations and founder of ABRAJOGO/AMIG.

Pamplona states that the balance between protection and autonomy lies in “responsible freedom”.

“The operator cannot assume an absolute paternalistic position, but cannot be passive in the face of potentially problematic behaviors either”, he says.

According to him, the operator begins to exercise a delegated regulatory role, based on three pillars: clear information, mandatory preventive tools and effective monitoring.

Regarding Brazilian legislation, he believes there is already a relevant foundation, although still under consolidation.

“The integration of data between operators, regulators and the clinical field will be key to measuring the effectiveness of the rules”, he says.

“Brazil already has a relevant regulatory framework, but it is still in the process of practical consolidation. Until now, these issues were treated in isolation.

There is still no precise data to identify potential regulatory gaps.”

“Going forward, there will be integration of data between operators, regulators and the clinical or medical field. Based on this data, we will be able to verify the effectiveness or not of the current legislation.”

Sports integrity and real-time monitoring

The panel “Integrity on the Field: Preparing the Regulated Market for a World Cup of Safe Betting” brings together Felippe Marchetti, Director of Integrity Partnerships at Sportradar LATAM; André Megale, representative of SIGA Latin America; Michelle Ramalho, executive at the CBF; Carla Dualib, executive at SOFTSWISS; and Caio Porto Ferreira, representative of the Brazilian Federal Police and the STJD.

Marchetti explains that risk monitoring currently combines advanced technology and cooperation with operators.

“Tools based on artificial intelligence identify unusual betting volumes and significant deviations in odds, both in legal and illegal markets”, he says.

According to him, the detection of warning signals is based on a combination of advanced technology and cooperation with operators.

“Today we have tools such as the AI-based FDS, which monitors both legal and illegal markets and generates alerts when there is an unusual volume of bets or significant deviations between expected and actual odds”, he noted.

This type of system makes it possible to identify atypical patterns that may indicate potential manipulation risks.

Marchetti also highlighted the importance of information sharing with operators as a fundamental part of the integrity process.

“Another key indicator is when operators’ own risk teams detect suspicious behavior and share that information with us, allowing us to carry out a double verification of the markets”, he explained.

This is complemented by signals linked to the sports ecosystem itself.

“For example, when there is a concentration of athletes with a history of manipulation within the same team, this generates additional alerts and leads us to monitor the situation more closely”, he added.

Regarding collaboration between operators, sports entities and authorities, Marchetti stressed that the Brazilian scenario has evolved significantly following market regulation.

“Today Brazil is in a much more advanced position than in the pre-regulation period, starting with the legislation, which requires operators to maintain agreements with integrity entities”, he stated.

In this regard, he highlighted that Sportradar already works with dozens of regulated operators in the country, facilitating a constant flow of information on suspicious matches and atypical behavior.

This cooperation model also extends to public bodies and sports entities.

“We have agreements with regulatory authorities and work together with state federations, the CBF, CONMEBOL and other organizations, both in market monitoring and in educational initiatives”, he explained.

He also highlighted progress in building a national policy to combat match-fixing, which includes training for security forces and institutional coordination spaces.

User experience and personalization on the rise

The panel “Beyond the Screen: The Impact of the World Cup Betting Experience” will feature Natalia Nogues, CEO and founder of Control F5; and Dario Leiman, Head of Business Development LATAM at SOFTSWISS.

On the topics of the discussion, Felipe Costa Nadalini, Senior Account Executive at Optimove, points out that there is still limited understanding of the concept of real time in the sector.

“Real-time engagement does not mean responding immediately without relevance. The differentiator lies in personalization based on data and user behavior”, he says.

“Let’s imagine a scenario: you enter an e-commerce site and, as soon as you leave, you receive an email, a push notification or an SMS with an offer that has nothing to do with what you were looking for or your history. That is not effective engagement. Today, operators not only compete among themselves, but also with a huge indirect competition for the user’s attention.”

“Real-time engagement is important, but personalization is equally, or even more, relevant. We need to understand who the player is, their history with the brand and their behavior in order to deliver the right content at the right moment.”

“True real time happens in the background. It is the crossing of historical data that allows the action, when the moment comes, to be truly relevant. It is not just about sending an offer. It can also be a responsible action, such as detecting unusual behavior and offering responsible gambling content.”

“In addition, it is key to understand the channel. Some players interact more via email, others via SMS or push. Choosing the right channel is just as important as the message.”

When asked about underutilized technologies, Nadalini noted: “Data alone does not perform miracles. Many operators in Brazil still use their tools in a limited way, replicating competitors’ strategies instead of building something of their own.”

“There is no point in having a mountain of data if it is not used intelligently. The real differentiator lies in crossing that information to understand what content, in which channel and at what moment makes sense for each player.”

“If I do not personalize the experience, everything becomes white noise. And when that happens, the player simply stops paying attention.”

Convergence between physical and digital

The panel “Physical or Digital? Between Boundaries and Convergences in the Casino Industry” will feature Leonardo Benites, founding director of ANCASSINOS; Luiz Felipe Maia, partner at Maia Yoshiyasu Advogados; and Bryan Ortiz, director of Zitro Digital Brasil, in addition to Marco Pequeno, country manager at Amusnet; and Fernando Mora, Business Development Executive at Sportradar Brasil.

The discussion will address the growing convergence between physical and digital operations, driven by omnichannel strategies and the evolution of consumer behavior.

The role of the media in the regulatory debate

The panel “The Role of the Media in the Debate on the Restriction of Betting Advertising” will feature Magnho José, editor-in-chief of BNLData; Paulo Saad, vice president of Grupo Bandeirantes; and João Gallucci Rodrigues, managing partner at Poder360.

According to Magnho, Brazil is still going through a process of adaptation after decades of gambling prohibition.

“The Brazilian media, like the Judiciary, is still learning to coexist with sports betting and online gaming”, he said.

“A large part of the media that currently covers the sector does not understand it, and in many cases does not even try to understand it, which results in superficial and often biased coverage.”

The journalist and editor also warned about the impact of these narratives on regulation: “There is a real risk that misguided coverage may push for advertising restrictions and end up favoring the illegal market.”

For him, advertising plays a key role: “Bettors often cannot distinguish between what is legal and illegal, and advertising plays a fundamental role in that distinction.”

Finally, he concluded: “It is not about stricter regulation, but about misinformation. It is a lack of knowledge about the sector.”

To view the full agenda: https://sigma.world/summits/south-america/agenda/ 

BiS SiGMA South America 2026

BiS SiGMA South America is part of the SiGMA Group’s global event portfolio, one of the leading international platforms dedicated to the gaming, betting, and technology industry, with editions held in various regions across the globe.

Held annually in São Paulo, BiS SiGMA South America has consolidated its position as the largest and most traditional business event for the iGaming and betting sector in Latin America.

It gathers operators, technology providers, platforms, investors, government representatives, and specialized media in an environment geared toward business generation, knowledge exchange, and market development.

For the 2026 edition, the event is expected to host 18,500 participants, featuring more than 400 exhibitors and sponsors, and a content program with 250+ speakers—reinforcing the event’s scale, its international relevance, and São Paulo’s role as the region’s primary business hub for the industry.

Beyond the trade exhibition, BiS SiGMA South America offers a robust lineup of content, panels, workshops, and awards, covering topics such as innovation, operations, market trends, and industry best practices, actively contributing to the evolution and professionalization of the ecosystem.