Leading the legal affairs, compliance, and anti-money laundering areas at Entain , Andrea Carvalho closely monitors the regulatory challenges arising from the digitalization of customer identification processes.
At the SBC Summit 2026 , Carvalho will be one of the participants on the panel “ EUDI Wallets & Digital Identity: A New Era for KYC — or Just New Complexity? ” , alongside Yainnis Stavroulas , CTO of Novibet, and Jean-Michel Azzorpadi , Blockchain architect.
The panel will be moderated by Jochen Biewer , Managing Director of Chevron Group, and will discuss whether digital identity cards can effectively simplify KYC processes or simply transfer their complexity to other stages of the operation.
In an interview with SBC Notícias Brasil , Carvalho said that the benefits of this model could extend beyond the European market. Although her work is concentrated in Portugal and the European regulatory environment, the executive noted that Brazil has already made significant progress in digital identity and authentication, and pointed to attribute-based verification as a path that could be explored in the country.
In practice, this would allow, for example, confirming that a bettor is over 18 years old without the operator needing to receive and store all the data present in an identity document. For Carvalho, however, more reliable digital identities do not eliminate other obligations, such as continuous monitoring, risk assessment, and controls against financial crimes, which will remain indispensable.
SBC News Brazil: In your opinion, will EUDI Wallet truly simplify KYC for betting operators, or is there a risk that it will simply transfer the complexity to other steps?
Andrea Carvalho: The EUDI Wallet has the potential to significantly simplify customer identity verification, which is a key component of KYC. By allowing customers to securely share trusted digital credentials issued by public authorities, operators will be able to verify identities faster, more accurately, and with greater confidence.
However, KYC goes far beyond identity verification. Regulated operators still need to assess customer risk, comply with anti-money laundering obligations, conduct enhanced due diligence when appropriate, and continuously monitor customer activity throughout the business relationship.
If implemented successfully, one of the potential benefits is that compliance teams will be able to spend less time validating documents.
SBC News Brazil: One of the principles of EUDI Wallet is the selective disclosure of data. How can this be reconciled with broader requirements for KYC, AML, and responsible gaming?
Andrea Carvalho: From a compliance standpoint, I believe these objectives are largely complementary, not conflicting.
One of the greatest strengths of the EUDI Wallet is that it allows people to verify specific attributes, such as being over 18, without unnecessarily disclosing all their personal information. This is fully aligned with the European principle of data minimization.
At the same time, operators remain responsible for complying with AML, KYC, and responsible gaming requirements. When legislation requires additional information, operators will still need to obtain and verify it.
A good compliance process has never been about collecting as much data as possible. It’s about obtaining the right information for the right regulatory purpose at the right time. Selective disclosure contributes to this goal while simultaneously strengthening both privacy and trust.
SBC News Brazil: Could different implementation methods in each country recreate the fragmentation that the EUDI Wallet aims to solve?
Andrea Carvalho: This is probably one of the most important challenges of implementation.
The ambition behind the EUDI Wallet is to create a reliable and interoperable digital identity framework across Europe. However, differences in implementation timelines, technological maturity levels, or technical standards among Member States can still create operational complexities for companies operating internationally.
That being said, I consider the overall direction very positive. Even if the implementation isn’t perfectly harmonized from day one, establishing common European principles already represents a significant step forward from the current fragmented landscape.
Ultimately, interoperability and consistent implementation will be fundamental for the initiative to reach its full potential.
SBC News Brazil: How can operators avoid losing the benefits of instant onboarding due to additional financial risk checks and document requests?
Andrea Carvalho: The customer journey should be viewed as dynamic, not as a process where all checks are concentrated at the beginning.
Identity verification can become virtually instantaneous, but other compliance obligations naturally arise at different stages, depending on the risk profile and customer behavior.
The most effective approach is to adopt a truly risk-based journey. A risk-based approach remains essential. Customers should be subjected to the appropriate level of scrutiny according to their risk profile, while technology can help make this process as efficient as possible.
Technology can significantly reduce friction, but proportionality remains fundamental. The goal is to protect consumers while ensuring that legitimate customers have an efficient and reliable onboarding experience.
SBC News Brazil: Which elements of the EUDI Wallet could be useful for the Brazilian market?
Andrea Carvalho: Although my day-to-day responsibilities are focused on Portugal and the European regulatory framework, in my assessment there are several concepts behind the EUDI Wallet that could be useful in any regulated market.
Most significantly, it allows for the verification of reliable attributes instead of relying solely on copies of identity documents. This approach can strengthen identity verification while reducing unnecessary data sharing and improving the customer experience. A reliable and efficient identity verification process can also contribute to customer protection and guidance, making the regulated journey smoother while maintaining adequate compliance controls.
Brazil has already made significant progress in digital identity and authentication. As the regulatory framework continues to evolve, trusted digital credentials and attribute-based verifications are concepts worth exploring as the market develops.
Instead of simply replicating the European model, each jurisdiction should start from its own legal and technological foundations, adopting the principles that best contribute to security, privacy, and trust.
SBC News Brazil: Could Brazil’s digital identity infrastructure evolve to allow regulated companies to verify specific user attributes without receiving all of their personal data?
Andrea Carvalho: Conceptually, it’s an interesting direction that many regulated markets are beginning to explore.
Attribute-based verification gives people greater control over their personal information, while allowing regulated companies to receive exactly the information they need to comply with a given legal obligation.
For example, confirming that a customer is over 18 or that their identity has already been verified by a trusted authority can often be more useful than requesting and storing a complete identity document containing irrelevant information for that specific purpose.
Any future development would, of course, require an adequate legal framework, sound governance, and robust security standards. From both a compliance and privacy standpoint, however, this is a very promising direction.
SBC News Brazil: Can reliable digital wallets significantly reduce fraud, or will continuous monitoring still be necessary?
Andrea Carvalho: Trusted digital identities can significantly contribute to reducing fraud involving forged documents, stolen identities, and weaknesses in manual verification processes. They offer a much more solid starting point for establishing trust in a client’s identity. However, identity verification is only the first step.
Financial crimes continue to evolve rapidly, especially through synthetic identities, document fraud, and increasingly sophisticated criminal techniques.
For this reason, continuous monitoring will remain indispensable. An effective compliance process combines trusted digital identity with transaction monitoring, behavioral analysis, fraud detection, and ongoing risk assessment throughout the entire customer relationship.
A reliable digital wallet should therefore be seen as an additional and powerful layer of protection, and not as an isolated solution to combat financial crimes.
The interview with Andrea Carvalho, Head of Legal, Compliance, and AML Affairs at Entain, is part of a series of conversations that SBC Notícias Brasil is conducting with confirmed speakers for the SBC Summit 2026. See also:
Fellipe Fraga , from Stellar Gaming, anticipates discussions about artificial intelligence in iGaming.
Dario Evangelista , from Betsson, explains how operators can protect employees from the risks of gambling.
William Bonalume , from Open Gaming, analyzes technological integration in the betting industry.
Vanessa Arteaga , from Aposta Ganha, explains how to transform data into effective campaigns.
Floris Assies , from Better World Casinos, anticipates the debates at the SBC Summit 2026 and advocates for responsible gaming to be integrated into the product.
Khalid Ali , IBIA, analyzes Brazil’s progress and challenges in combating match-fixing.
Tickets for the SBC Summit 2026 are available here .
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Source: SBC Noticias BR
