Parcerias internacionais no combate à manipulação de resultados nas apostas esportivas
Órgãos internacionais ajudarão na fiscalização das apostas esportivas. (Imagem: Régis Dudena (à direita) e Giovanni Rocco (à esquerda) - Ministério da Fazenda / Washington Costa)

Last Tuesday (29), the Ministry of Treasury, through the Prizes and Betting Secretariat (SPA), formalized partnerships with four important organizations focused on the integrity of sports betting.

Thus, these partnerships aim to strengthen the security network and prevent the manipulation of sports results on national territory.

Sports betting under the supervision of international bodies

Technical cooperation agreements (ACTs) were signed with:

  • Genius Sports
  • International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA)
  • Sport Integrity Global Alliance (SIGA and SIGA Latin America)
  • Sportradar

Regis Dudena, Secretary of Prizes and Betting, highlighted that these organizations are recognized worldwide and have experience in combating fraud in countries such as Canada, England and Australia. In other words, the entities are experts in detecting suspicious movements that may indicate attempts to manipulate results.

Thus, with the signing of the ACTs, the organizations will provide valuable information about the betting market to the SPA. Furthermore, these collaborations will enable the training of teams responsible for monitoring.

Dudena stated: “They will train us, so that we can identify possible cases of manipulation and fraud.”

Giovanni Rocco, national secretary of Sports Betting, added that these partnerships are fundamental to preserving the image of Brazilian sport.

Therefore, if there is any case of result manipulation that affects sports betting, the government, with the help of partners, intends to act quickly. Any sport, team or individual, will be taken into consideration, not just football.

Agreements without transfer of resources

But it is important to highlight that this formalization of ACTs does not involve transfers of financial resources. The initiative aims to strengthen the security of the betting system and protect the market, sport and society.

Dudena emphasized that this monitoring network protects bettors, athletes and operators from fraudulent actions. “We can and must share information so that all operators are aware of suspected cases”, says the secretary.

Brazil legalized sports betting in 2018, but the regulatory process did not occur within the stipulated deadline. Dudena commented on the need for regularization and the focus on monitoring and controlling the sector.

“We all know that this activity attracts problems and needs to be regulated,” he said, mentioning the negative externalities associated with this practice.

The signing of the agreements took place in a ceremony in Brasília at the headquarters building of the Ministry of Treasury. The partnerships last five years, and the government may establish new mechanisms in the future.

The Prizes and Betting Secretary expressed openness to talking to other bodies that work on betting integrity, highlighting the importance of involving as many partners as possible.

Genius Sports, represented by João Amaral, emphasized the seriousness of the commitment to the integrity of the sport. “We have 160 partners around the world, including entities, leagues and federations,” he said.

The CEO of Sportradar Brasil, Sérgio Flores, declared that the formalization of the agreements is a crucial step to curb fraud and manipulation.

International bodies will help monitor sports betting. (Image: Ministry of Treasury / Washington Costa)

Sharing Sports Betting Information

Grahan Tidey, representative of IBIA, guaranteed that the entity will offer free insights into the betting market in Brazil. The mission is to share best practices and recommendations.

Emanuel de Medeiros, CEO of SIGA, highlighted that the complexity of monitoring requires a permanent and integrative approach, especially in a market that moves trillions annually.

Frederico Justo, general coordinator of Money Laundering Monitoring at SPA, highlighted the social value of sport. “Sport is, perhaps, the greatest tool for social inclusion in our country,” he stated.

In this way, the objective is to guarantee the integrity of the system to support “the dreams of many children”, providing a better life through sport.

SPA’s Undersecretary of Monitoring and Inspection, Fabio Macorin, and Federal Police delegate Daniel Cola detailed the information sharing process.

Macorin emphasized the importance of qualified data to help combat manipulations. He reinforced: “It is essential to combat illegality in the sports betting sector”.

Cola recalled that the Federal Police has already had a partnership with Sportradar since 2021, in addition to collaborations with Interpol. “The Federal Police has had a partnership with Sportradar since 2021. We are witnesses of how this type of agreement can help in the fight against match-fixing. And we also have a very close partnership with the SPA and, more recently, also with the Ministry of Sports,” said Cola.