North Star Network has acquired Um Dois Esportes, a sports coverage and analysis site created from the merger of Gazeta Do Povo and Tribuna do Paraná in 2020.

Julien Josset, co-founder of North Star Network, said: “Thank you to the team at GRPCOM for their faith in us to take the brand forward. Um Dois Esportes is an established and renowned site in Paraná State, and we’re excited about the challenge of developing this asset.

“We’re happy to maintain the collaboration with the existing editorial team, and look forward to working with them, bringing our unique NSN approach, to take UDE forward.”

NSN’s signing of Um Dois Esportes is the media house’s fourth acquisition of 2024, following the recent deals to purchase UK-based SportsMole and MrFixitsTips, as well as Chilean site AlAireLibre, which was announced in March.

The latest addition to the North Star media portfolio joins existing assets including Top Mercato, Afrik-Foot, and Vringe. The Paris-based company already oversees a significant Brazilian operation, delivering over 6 million sessions per month, from the likes of Trivela, Premier League Brasil and Lakers Brasil.

NSN will retain Curitiba-based journalists from the Um Dois Esportes legacy team to maintain the asset’s unique tone and popular coverage of the Paraná sports scene across site and social.

Rafael Mello, Director of GRPCOM, said: “We were surprised by the interest, and initially had no intention of selling Um Dois, but as the conversations evolved, we realised this was a serious group with good intentions. We were very happy to see our project being valued by a large international group and going global, demonstrating the quality of the content we produced.

“We’re also proud that North Star inherited our journalists, who are truly responsible for the success of the product we offer readers every day.”

Regis Dudena, a seasoned lawyer with expertise in Public and Regulatory Law, has been appointed as the new Secretary of Prizes and Betting at the Ministry of Finance in Brazil. Dudena’s appointment ordinance is signed by Rui Costa, Minister of the Civil House.

The new secretary had already been visiting the Ministry of Finance and getting closer to the entire group at the Secretariat of Prizes and Betting, until then led by Simone Vicentini, deputy secretary.

The appointment of the lawyer is attributed to the Executive Secretary of Finance, Dario Durigan. Dario and Dudena worked together at Palácio do Planalto during Dilma Rousseff’s government.

Both worked in the Legal Affairs secretariat of the Civil House. Dudena’s name is linked to other names on the left. He has good relations with Edinho Silva (PT), mayor of Araraquara (SP).

The SPA started operating two months ago. Since then, it had been without a permanent boss. Lawyer José Francisco Manssur, special advisor to the Ministry of Finance who coordinated the regulation of sports betting from the beginning, was the most likely to take on the position. But he was exonerated under pressure from Centrão politicians.

Bets representatives welcomed the name Régis Dudena.

From the beginning, the SPA was under the responsibility of Simone Vicentini, appointed as deputy secretary. Since then, it has edited the ordinances that defined requirements for laboratory accreditation and the sector’s regulatory policy.

Under her supervision, three laboratories have already been approved, GLI, eCogra, and BMM. Last week, the ordinance establishing the rules for payment transactions to be complied with by sports betting and online gaming operators was also published.

Kiron Interactive, a leading provider of virtual sports and numbers games, has announced a new partnership with EstrelaBet, one of Brazil’s most prominent online gaming operators, to deliver its innovative virtual sports portfolio to the operator’s extensive player base.

The agreement sees EstrelaBet, the sponsor for nine football teams in Brazil, integrate Kiron’s popular virtual sports games into its online offering. Players will now have access to an exciting range of virtual sports, including football, horse racing, and motorsports, enabling 24/7 betting opportunities across a wide variety of fixtures and markets.

Kiron’s virtual sports games are designed to replicate the excitement of real sports betting, with a staggered schedule of events providing opportunities for in-play betting every two minutes. The games are fully customisable, allowing EstrelaBet to tailor the content, odds, and frequency of events to meet the preferences of its local audience.

EstrelaBet is a leading online gaming operator in Brazil, offering a wide range of sports betting and casino products to players across the country. Founded in 2019, the company has quickly established itself as one of the top three operators in the market.

The integration of Kiron’s virtual sports content is expected to significantly enhance EstrelaBet’s online offering, providing its players with engaging new betting options and driving revenue.

Steven Spartinos, Kiron Co-CEO, said: “We are delighted to partner with EstrelaBet, one of the biggest names in the rapidly growing Brazilian market. This agreement underlines the appeal of our virtual sports offering and its ability to drive player engagement and growth for operators in markets worldwide.

“We look forward to working with the EstrelaBet team to deliver an exceptional virtual sports betting experience to their players and to supporting the continued expansion of their business in Brazil.”

Fellipe Fraga, Chief Business Officer at EstrelaBet, said: “It is a pleasure to have this partnership with Kiron, allowing us to offer our clients more options for entertainment in iGaming, using new technology and an advanced product.

“We are always looking for ways to enhance our offering and provide our players with the best possible betting experience, and we are confident that Kiron’s virtual sports games will be a valuable addition to our portfolio.”