Formed to investigate suspicions of manipulation of results in Brazilian football games, the sports betting CPI in the Chamber of Deputies is trying to hear representatives of bookmakers.
According to an article by O Globo, 67 requests from the commission are destined to bets, reaching a third of requests made by deputies. Of the 33 members of the sports betting CPI, two stand out for the number of requests referring to bookmakers: the deputies Yury do Paredão (PL-CE) and Luciano Vieira (PL-RJ).
An article published by O Globo this Thursday, the 6th, goes deeper into this issue. The report was signed by Bruno Góes and Dimitrius Dantas. Check out the full text below:
Betting companies become the main target of requirements in the CPI of Manipulation in Football
Created to investigate suspected fraud in Brazilian football games, the CPI da Manipulação no Futebol da Câmara has been the scene of an offensive against companies that promote sports betting online. The so-called “bets” are the subject of 67 requests in the committee, which represents a third of all requests made by the deputies, surpassing those related to top hats (54), players (41), referees (11) and requests for information to organs public (13).
Messages exchanged by athletes with punters were the starting point for the discovery of the game manipulation scheme investigated by the CPI. The request for the creation of the collegiate does not mention suspicions involving companies, but only the need for regulation in the sector.
Of the 33 members of the CPI, two stand out in the number of requests related to bookmakers: the deputies Yury do Paredão (PL-CE) and Luciano Vieira (PL-RJ). Together, they were responsible for submitting two out of three business-related applications. The list ranges from requesting financial data to summoning its representatives to provide explanations in the Chamber. When contacted by GLOBO, they declined to comment on the emphasis given to companies.
In collegiate meetings, however, the two are not the only ones to target the “bets”. In addition to them, three other parliamentarians have insisted that the CPI take action on bookmakers, which has already led to discussions with the committee’s leadership, accused of trying to protect them.
— Although there are (approved calls from bet owners), for now we will not individualize. I can’t tarnish the image of these companies like that – said CPI president Julio Arcoverde (PP-PI) to GLOBO, noting that there was no evidence of participation by companies in the game manipulation scheme.
Despite the reservation, the majority of the collegiate approved the summoning of representatives of 15 sports betting houses in a CPI meeting at the beginning of last month. At the time, Arcoverde reacted with irritation to statements that he was trying to shield the companies.
— You can be sure, we will not work to shield companies, citizens, confederations. I am vehemently against any kind of action in this regard – said the parliamentarian during the vote on the requirements.
To GLOBO, Arcoverde stated that he will work to transform all summons – when there is an obligation to attend – into an invitation. In this case, the companies decide whether or not to send someone to speak with the deputies. It is up to the president of the CPI to define the date on which they will be heard, which has not yet occurred.
Deputy Wellington Roberto (PL-PB), a member of the shock troops that target companies, justifies the offensive at the CPI so that they explain how remuneration works for those who agree on the results of matches.
— What we want is to hear the owners of the “bets” who are being summoned or invited to find out how the payments of the bets are, and also why they are headquartered abroad, and not here (in the country) — said Wellington Roberto , setting the tone for internal debates.
When contacted, representatives of some of the biggest bookmakers operating in the country declined to comment. There is fear among them that they will become the target of parliamentarians.
A recent move by Deputy Marcelo Álvaro Antônio (PL-MG), another who has focused on companies, caused strangeness among CPI parliamentarians. Two days after submitting a request to summon representatives of three bookmakers, the parliamentarian, who was Jair Bolsonaro’s Minister of Tourism, gave up and withdrew the requests.
As the column by Lauro Jardim, from GLOBO, revealed, the justification is the same in all cases: “for prior and in-depth investigation of accusations of manipulation of games and fraud in betting”. According to Antônio, new invitations will be renewed at “an opportune moment”.
The installation of the CPI in the Chamber was based on accusations of involvement of athletes in the manipulation of match results. A criminal investigation carried out by the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Goiás found players from Serie A and B of the Brazilian Championship to be defendants.
One of the objectives of the CPI is to create a model for regulating the sports betting sector which, according to data from the Central Bank, earned US$ 8 billion this year alone.
The exploration of the modality was legalized in 2018, in a law approved in the Michel Temer government. The legislation provided for the regulation of the activity until last year, which did not occur during the government of Jair Bolsonaro due to pressure from evangelical allies.
Failure to comply with the law by the previous government yields, per day, a waiver of R$ 10 million in tax payments, according to data from the Ministry of Finance, which recognizes the problem.
Now, the administration of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is discussing which way this regulation will go: through a Provisional Measure or based on a proposal prepared by parliament
Purpose of the requirements presented at the CPI:
Online betting companies – 67
Football officials and federations – 54
Players – 45
Authorities and experts – 31
Information and procedures – 13
Referees – 11
Enticers and punters investigated – 8
Trainers – 2
Source: GLOBO survey based on 231 requests filed in the Chamber of Deputies
