An investigation into Bruno Henrique, Flamengo‘s striker, has shaken Brazilian football in recent hours. The report, released on November 5, 2023, showed profits of R$13,050 on bets placed at three bookmakers.
The focus was on receiving a yellow card during the match against Santos, on November 1st last year. The case was analyzed by IBIA (International Betting Integrity Association), hired by Conmebol.
Conmebol sent the complaints to the CBF (Brazilian Football Confederation) on July 29, 2024, almost a year after the game. IBIA revealed profits of R$6,100, R$4,700 and R$3,050 at three bookmakers. According to the report, the STJD closed the case, considering the values ”insignificant” in relation to the player’s salary.
The study points out that “the bettors involved, across the three betting operators, were a combination of newly registered accounts and established customers who increased their bets significantly.”
In other words, bookmakers impose limits, which makes this strategy necessary to maximize profits. For example, Betano allows a maximum bet of R$631 for Jonathan Calleri to receive a yellow card in his next game. This demonstrates that, to achieve substantial bets, it would be necessary to use multiple accounts.
The authorities’ warning
The warning about the manipulation in question only emerged in an IBIA report, which identified an atypical volume of bets related to Bruno Henrique’s yellow card. The Federal Police, when disclosing the operation, mentioned that the investigations were initiated due to a communication from the CBF, which pointed out possible manipulations in the card market.
In stoppage time of the match, Bruno Henrique received a yellow card and then a red card for insulting the referee. As a result, the player had to serve a suspension for two consecutive games. IBIA sent the report to the STJD prosecutor’s office, which closed the case after Sportradar failed to identify irregularities during the risk analysis.
The CBF, in addition to forwarding the case to the STJD, also notified the Public Ministry of the Federal District and Territories (MPDFT). Together, the authorities launched Operation Spot-fixing, executing 12 search and seizure warrants in locations linked to Bruno Henrique. Investigations showed that the player’s relatives may have made the anomalous bets.
According to Gaeco (Special Action Group to Combat Organized Crime), the practices constitute, theoretically, a crime against the uncertainty of the sporting result, with possible prison sentences ranging from two to six years. Despite the seriousness of the accusations, Bruno Henrique’s team chose not to comment on the case.
Flamengo supports Bruno Henrique
Regarding the situation, Flamengo spoke out through its social networks, reaffirming its support for the athlete and highlighting that it “enjoys the presumption of innocence”. The club emphasizes that it is awaiting the development of the investigations and did not have access to the case files.
In a note published by Folha de São Paulo, Betano stated that “when we detect any suspicious activity, we promptly report it to the competent authorities”.
He added: “Incidents of this nature highlight the critical importance of regulation within the industry, highlighting the need for a national framework to enable rapid investigation and resolution.”
Finally, the player may be called upon to provide clarifications at the Betting CPI. This is because senator Eduardo Girão filed a summons request last Tuesday (5).
