Hugo Goal

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For all the hoopla surrounding prediction markets and expectations that the industry will eat away at sportsbooks’ NFL handle this season, the old guard industry is expected to control nearly 80% of pro football wagers this year.

Eilers & Krejcik Gaming (EKG) estimates that bettors will plunk down $40.5 billion on the NFL this season through regulated channels. Traditional sportsbooks are projected to capture $31.7 billion of that total, compared to a handle analog of $8.4 billion for prediction markets—a 79% to 21% split in favor of legacy operators.

Handle analog is a metric used as a cleaner comparison between sportsbooks and prediction markets because the latter’s volume doesn’t compare evenly with sportsbook handle.

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Lula said he intends to discuss the matter with his team and analyse potential measures to consider the social impact of online betting.

What the president does not acknowledge is that the government relies on revenue from the sector. In just the first seven months of 2026, BRL8.747 billion generated by sports betting has already flowed into public coffers. The Federal Revenue Service estimates the total could reach BRL16 billion by the end of the year. In 2025, nearly BRL9 billion was collected from sportsbooks.

The burning question is where such funds will come from if Lula shuts down the betting industry. Yet, no one points out to him that players will simply migrate to the illegal market. Betting will continue to exist, but without formal tax revenue, oversight or player protections.

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“Such operations, albeit not purposeful, may impugn the company’s reputation and potentially subject Evolution to heightened regulatory scrutiny and the imposition of sanctions,” the report continues.

In the dossier, Spectrum unpacks Evolution’s review and vetting processes for potential clients. At the time of the report, Evolution required clients to provide certification of the beneficial ownership of 25% or more of the company. But Spectrum says it was not using “a viable process” as some documents provided by companies could be inaccurate.

“If red flags become known to Evolution during this onboarding process, Evolution should either determine not to do business with the company or undertake enhanced due diligence to resolve the red flags before engaging in business with the company,” Spectrum advises.