Regis Dudena moves from Brazil betting regulator to economic reforms role

• Regis Dudena has left his position as secretary of Brazil’s Secretariat of Prizes and Betting to join the Secretariat of Economic Reforms.
• Daniele Correa Cardoso assumes interim leadership of the SPA as the Brazilian betting market completes its first year of full regulation.
• The transition occurs as Brazil’s regulated betting sector processes 68 licensed operators overseeing 153 brands.

Regis Dudena has departed his role as secretary of Brazil’s Secretariat of Prizes and Betting (SPA) to assume a new position within the Ministry of Finance.

The appointment, published in the Official Gazette on 29 January, sees Dudena transition to the Secretariat of Economic Reforms (SRE).

The move comes just over one year after Dudena took charge of the SPA in April 2024, during which time he oversaw the establishment of Brazil’s regulated fixed-odds betting framework that launched on 1 January 2025.

New responsibilities at economic reforms secretariat

Dudena replaces Marcos Barbosa Pinto, who left the SRE position in early January to return to private practice. The SRE holds responsibility for the Ministry of Finance’s microeconomic policy, including fiscal benefit reviews, regulatory framework modernisation, capital income taxation proposals, credit agenda management, financial infrastructure, and capital market reforms.

According to Brazilian state news agency Agencia Brasil, Dudena previously worked closely with Finance Ministry Executive Secretary Dario Durigan as a special adviser in the Special Secretariat for Legal Affairs at the Civil House during the government of Dilma Rousseff.

The lawyer specialises in Public and Regulatory Law and holds a doctorate from the Federal University of Minas Gerais, focusing on the National Financial System and combating illicit activities. His career includes roles at the Civil House of the Presidency, regulatory sectors, and financial institutions.

Interim leadership at SPA

Daniele Correa Cardoso, previously deputy secretary of the SPA, has assumed interim leadership of the betting regulator. A federal public servant, she has led the SPA on previous occasions and is expected to continue ongoing initiatives, including regulation of commercial promotions, lotteries and betting, as well as responsible gambling policies.

Cardoso played a notable role in creating mechanisms to protect the population, including the Centralised Self-Exclusion Platform, and previously served as general coordinator of Responsible Gaming Monitoring, one of the secretariat’s priority areas.

Regulatory accomplishments under Dudena

During his tenure, Dudena led the SPA through a transformative period for Brazilian gambling regulation.

Speaking at the Bet On Brasil event on 29 January, where he presented his farewell address, Dudena emphasised that the regulated market year did not begin on 1 January 2025, noting there was intensive work in 2024 to create the entire regulatory base of the sector and structure the operator authorisation process.

He stated that within approximately six months, a regulation was built for a market that had remained for years without effective state supervision.

Market performance and enforcement

The first year of regulation saw Brazil collect nearly R$10 billion from the newly regulated betting sector, demonstrating the significant revenue potential of the framework Dudena helped establish.

The regulator has taken an aggressive stance against unlicensed operators.

Since October 2024, the National Telecoms Agency has taken 15,463 illegal betting sites offline at the SPA’s request. The SPA itself conducted 66 inspections involving 93 companies during the first half of 2025, with 35 cases resulting in sanctions.

Regulatory challenges addressed

Under Dudena’s leadership, the SPA introduced several controversial measures. In October 2025, the regulator published regulations completely prohibiting social welfare beneficiaries from betting, following a Supreme Federal Court ruling. The ban went beyond the court’s initial decision, which only prohibited using welfare proceeds for gambling.

The SPA also published its regulatory agenda for 2025-26, which includes plans to review commercial promotions, establish a National Betting System, improve inspection procedures, and update operator authorisation processes.

Looking ahead

The transition occurs at a moment when Brazil’s betting market faces ongoing debates about advertising restrictions and potential tax increases.

Senator Humberto Costa has proposed legislation (PL 3,754/2025) seeking to ban under-21s from betting whilst restricting advertising and prohibiting sponsorship of sporting, cultural and educational events.

Speaking about advertising regulations in August 2025, Dudena stated that advertising is very important for distinguishing between authorised and unauthorised bookmakers, adding he would not welcome an absolute restriction on advertising at that time.

The SPA’s ability to maintain regulatory momentum under new leadership will prove important for operators that have invested heavily in the Brazilian market.