CPI of Sports Betting deputies from Paraiba sign application for opening
CPI of Sports Betting deputies from Paraiba sign application for opening Photo: Agência Brasil

Three deputies from Paraíba, Gervásio Maia (PSB), Hugo Motta (Republicans) and Mersinho Lucena (PP), signed the application for the opening of the Sports Betting CPI in the Federal Chamber. The action came from Pernambuco deputy Felipe Carreras (PSB), who obtained the amount of 204 signatures, surpassing the minimum number of 171 support from members of the House.

Carreras took on the task of collecting signatures because he is the president of the Parliamentary Front in Defense of Sport and has prior experience in issues related to sports betting. He acted as rapporteur for the National Gambling System and the update of the Pelé Law.

With the boom of bookmakers across Brazil, the amount of investigations regarding the practice of match fixing in football is growing, according to the ParaibaJá website. The most recent cases are linked to the Amazonense, Cearense Championships and the 2022 Brazilian Series B Championship.

According to the Public Ministry of Goiás (MPGO), professional players would have been involved with the scheme, which moved more than R$ 600 thousand. Called Operation Maximum Penalty, the scheme would have involved the co-option of athletes to commit penalties in the first half of the games.

The investigation is being conducted by Gaeco (Special Action Group to Combat Organized Crime) and by GFUT (Special Action Group in Major Football Events) and began in November last year. Investigations point out that the athletes received an advance of R$ 10,000 to carry out the combined action.

CPI of Sports Betting needs Lira’s support to be established

The President of the Chamber of Deputies, Arthur Lira (PP/AL), still needs to give his opinion for the CPI on sports betting to be officially established. Nonetheless. The expectation is that the project will have the support of the president of the Chamber.

The CPI will have as a priority intention to investigate the betting sites and the possible manipulation of results in Brazilian football. In addition, the initiative also has the support of the Federal Government, which is preparing the regulation of the betting sector via a provisional measure aimed at taxing the activity and inhibiting this type of irregular practice in sports competitions.