Bucaneros

What is Bucaneros?

In other words, there is no magic “engagement” button. There are tools, expertise and an operator willing to put both to work.

For existing Splash Tech partners, “different” is not supposed to mean disruption. Maintaining the company’s products, expertise and relationships was a central consideration during the transaction.

“For all of our customers, it’s been and will continue to be business as usual,” Wilson says.

How to play Bucaneros

Before joining the Ministry of Finance, Fabio Macorin served in Brazil’s Federal Police for 17 years. For a decade, he focused specifically on the investigation and prevention of banking and financial fraud. This experience helped shape his approach to betting regulation, particularly regarding anti-money laundering, financial monitoring, combatting the illegal market and inter-agency cooperation.

Brazil’s regulated betting market formally launched in 2025 and has since become one of the most closely watched regulatory initiatives in the global gaming and betting sector. Macorin, who also served as the SPA’s undersecretary for monitoring and enforcement, has been directly involved in initiatives to combat illegal operators, strengthen cooperation with financial institutions, telecommunications providers and other government authorities, as well as develop data-driven tools for regulatory oversight and enforcement.

Commenting on his election, Macorin expressed his honour at joining the IAGR board and contributing Brazil’s experience to the association’s international work.

About Bucaneros

In his interview Done framed these closures as part of a broader decline in high street retail venues. He predicted that by 2030, betting shops could disappear entirely. 

“I believe that by 2030 we will have no betting shops. The high street will be dead. We’ve already worked it out that with the increases in taxes and salaries and other wages it won’t be worth operating,” he said.

Betfred currently sponsors Britain’s five classic horse races, including the Epsom Derby. Done said the company had yet to agree on extending those sponsorships amid the tax uncertainty, warning that reduced regulated gambling provision could push problem gamblers towards the black market.