Weekend Report: New São Paulo HQ for Big Brazil and Indonesia bans DuckDuckGo

Welcome to the Weekend Report, where iGB covers the news you may have missed over Friday, Saturday and Sunday. This week we’ve got news of Big Brazil launching a new headquarters and Indonesia banning search engine DuckDuckGo.

Caesars’ Big Brazil to set up São Paulo HQ
Caesars Sportsbook licensee Big Brazil will invest BRL10m (£1.4m/€1.6m/$1.7m) in a new headquarters in São Paulo.

As reported by Games Magazine Brasil, the offices are located in Americana. The new base will create 210 jobs and an estimated annual revenue of BRL25m.

Alongside KTO, Big Brazil is one of seven applicants for a federal sports betting licence in Brazil ahead of the legal market launching on 1 January 2025.

Indonesia bans search engine over gambling concerns
Indonesia has banned search engine DuckDuckGo over fears it allows people to access illegal gambling sites.

In a statement shared with Reuters, communications ministry official Usman Kansong highlighted concerns over “rampant online gambling and pornography content”. DuckDuckGo is a search engine that makes privacy a USP for users.

Indonesia, which has the largest Muslim population globally, announced in July 2023 it was working with telecommunications providers to block access to gambling sites. Indonesia has banned gambling, with a prison sentence of up to four years for offenders.

KTO applies for Brazil licence
KTO has submitted its licence application in Brazil, becoming the seventh operator to do so.

Through Apollo Operations Ltda, KTO submitted its application to Sigap, the betting management system. KTO group CEO Andreas Bardun confirmed the licence will only cover the KTO brand.

Last August, KTO joined the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) after the association announced its expansion into Brazil earlier in the year looking to monitor sports integrity in the country.

Former ANJL president called before CPI in Brazil
Wesley Cardia, former president of the National Association of Games and Lotteries (ANJL), will appear before Brazil’s Parliamentary Inquiry Commission on sports betting this week.

The CPI has asked Cardia to provide clarifications over an alleged bribe offering made to the ANJL. Felipe Carreras, a CPI rapporteur, reportedly made the request, as revealed in a Veja magazine report in September 2023.

Former Ministry of Finance special advisor José Francisco Manssur told a previous CPI meeting that Cardia alleged Carreras offered a BRL35m bribe to the ANJL for help and protection in the CPI to “ease the pressure on betting houses”. Manssur also said Cardia never offered evidence to back up his claims.

The Federal Supreme Court has ruled that Cardia can remain silent in Wednesday’s (7 August) CPI in response to questions that may incriminate him.

Three injured after Las Vegas casino attack
An attack on Saturday (3 August) morning at a Las Vegas casino has left three people injured.

Local news outlet Las Vegas Sun reported the incident happened at the Red Rock Casino Resort and Spa at approximately 1:30am. Two people were stabbed and one shot, with two victims left in a critical condition.

Police didn’t reveal if anybody had been arrested or what led to the incident. However, they confirmed there was no ongoing threat to the public.