The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) chose to distance itself from debates related to the regulation of sports betting in the country. Previously, the entity defended a greater transfer to football.
However, the CBF’s intervention in the debate was questioned by the main clubs in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, who also asked to participate in the negotiations together with the Ministry of Finance, which is preparing the provisional measure that should regulate the activity. Recently, the teams met with the ministry to present their demands.
Law 13,756/2018 establishes a remuneration of 1.63% on the value of the GGR (gaming gross revenue, gross revenue minus the premium paid to players). The CBF wanted a 4% quota for football, with 80% given to the clubs and 20% for itself.
Teams will present a study that could impact betting regulation
Bahia, Botafogo, Corinthians, Flamengo, Fluminense, Palmeiras, Santos, São Paulo and Vasco will submit a study to the federal government this coming Wednesday, the 19th, on the percentage of remuneration they advocate for the exploration of their brands on platforms.
Regarding the participation of the CBF, the clubs pointed out that the entity only takes care of the Brazilian national team, therefore, it cannot influence questions about the betting regulation.
In an official note, the CBF criticized the action of the clubs, emphasizing that “all the suggestions requested and presented to the Ministry of Finance, were not to address the interests of certain clubs, but to meet the expectations of its entirety, composed of approximately 800 football clubs present throughout the country”.
Official note released by the CBF:
“Regarding the discussions surrounding the regulation of sports betting in Brazil, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) clarifies:
After meetings held at the headquarters of the CBF, in Rio de Janeiro and at the Ministry of Finance, in Brasília, the CBF, through its General Secretariat, and in response to requests from the agency’s advisory, forwarded some suggestions for improving the Brazilian legislation that deals with of fixed odds bets. Highlighting:
Significant increase in the financial participation of football clubs in the activity of betting sites. The current legislation foresees the transfer of only 1.63% of the net result of the bets, and the CBF proposal is for this value to pass to 4% of the total collection, with the allocation of 80% of this percentage to the clubs and 20% for CBF. Thus, even with the participation of the CBF, justified by the transfer of rights, and the need for increasing investments against the manipulation of results, the participation of clubs, in certain scenarios, may increase to a value 20X greater than that provided for in current legislation;
Creation of initial control and monitoring mechanisms for the activities of this sector in our country. Something completely non-existent in current legislation, but highly necessary. In particular, to guarantee the integrity of our competitions, in the permanent fight against manipulation of results.
The CBF, in a meeting on March 29, convened to deal exclusively with this issue, presented to the clubs in the A and B series, and the respective state federations, in a completely transparent manner, all the discussions held with the federal government, making it clear that the suggestions presented were made at the request of the Ministry of Finance, and on a provisional basis, subject, therefore, to possible revisions; having also undertaken to deal with the matter again, as soon as we have a return from the Ministry of Finance, or when, the promised Provisional Measure, is appreciated by the National Congress, situations that have not occurred until the present moment;
The information that the CBF only takes care of the administration of the Brazilian National Team is not true. Article 5 of its Statute is clear: by virtue of its affiliation to FIFA and CONMEBOL, the CBF is the only Brazilian entity authorized, exclusively, to direct and control football in the Brazilian territory, and it is responsible for exclusively representing football before FIFA, CONMEBOL, COB or any other bodies or entities, in accordance with their statutory and regulatory provisions. Therefore, all the suggestions requested and presented to the Ministry of Finance were not to deal with the interests of certain clubs, but rather to meet the expectations of its entirety, made up of approximately 800 football clubs present throughout the country;
Faced with unproductive positions on the subject, the CBF considered it more convenient and profitable to request, on today’s date, the cancellation of any meeting schedule eventually scheduled with the said ministry, remaining, however, at the disposal of the Hon. Mr. Minister of Finance, at the time he deems most convenient, to return to the subject of fixed-quota bets, always with a view to defending and preserving the highest interests of all Brazilian football.”
