Regis Dudena has resigned from his position as the head of Brazil’s Secretariat of Prizes and Bets (SPA) to assume a new role within the Ministry of Finance. This change was speculated earlier in the week and was officially confirmed by the SPA on Thursday. Dudena is set to lead the Secretariat of Economic Reforms. His departure comes after his appointment as SPA chief in April 2024, during which he was responsible for establishing Brazil’s regulatory framework for gambling. Dudena played a key role in launching the country’s licensed betting market on January 1, 2025. The transition is significant in terms of regulatory continuity and market stability.
Dudena, speaking at the Bet On – Brasil event, expressed confidence in the SPA’s ongoing progress despite his departure. He emphasized the importance of the sector’s stakeholders understanding their public responsibility. “I leave with the conviction that the Secretariat will continue to fulfill its role and strengthen itself, provided that the agents in the sector understand the public responsibility involved in providing this service,” Dudena remarked.
As for his successor, Fabio Macorin, presently the SPA’s undersecretary of monitoring and inspection, is being considered a potential candidate. Macorin recently represented the SPA at ICE Barcelona, indicating his active involvement in the organization’s operations. However, official confirmation from the SPA regarding the appointment had not been received at the time of publishing.
Reflecting on his tenure, Dudena highlighted the advances made by the SPA since he took charge, particularly in regulating a sector that had been functioning as a grey market for five years before the licensed framework was introduced. Under his leadership, the SPA processed and reviewed over 300 licensing requests within the timelines established for operators in 2024. Dudena explained that the groundwork laid in 2024 was crucial to the effective functioning of the regulated market from January 2025. “It’s the first time in history that the state knows who can provide this service, who the partners and directors are, and can act more effectively in protecting people and combating fraud and money laundering,” he stated.
Dudena credited the SPA’s progress to collaboration with various public agencies, including the ministries of health and justice, as well as the National Telecommunications Agency. Their joint efforts resulted in the shutdown of 25,000 illegal sites in 2025. However, Dudena noted that further efforts are necessary to ensure compliance among licensees and curb the illegal market. He suggested that Brazil should aim for a channelization rate of 60% to 70%, aligning it with global leaders in the sector. “The first challenge is to ensure that everyone understands that the rules must be followed. Those who do not comply will be audited,” he added, stressing the importance of combating illegality for the integrity of the market.
Dudena’s exit occurs amid ongoing concerns about whether the SPA is sufficiently staffed to effectively oversee Brazil’s burgeoning betting industry and tackle illegal operators. Udo Seckelmann, head of gambling and crypto at the Brazilian law firm Bichara e Motta Advogados, highlighted staffing issues in a recent interview. “They lack people working there,” Seckelmann pointed out. “There are not enough people to work in a regulator that oversees this whole market. For some reason, the Ministry of Finance is not hiring more people and, worse, they are actually changing people within the SPA very frequently.” Seckelmann noted frequent personnel changes within the SPA throughout 2025, which contributed to uncertainty in regulatory oversight.
Looking forward, the focus will be on securing a seamless transition for Dudena’s successor and addressing the SPA’s manpower challenges. The effectiveness of the regulatory body in continuing to develop the market and enforcing compliance will be closely monitored. The timeline for appointing a new chief and implementing any structural changes will be critical in shaping Brazil’s regulated betting landscape. Stakeholders will be keenly observing how these developments impact the broader market environment and enforcement strategies in the coming months.