Football, considered the national passion of Brazilians, has always been involved in controversies and controversies throughout its history. However, in recent months, a scandal has deeply shaken the credibility of the Brazilian Championship and brought to light a sensitive issue: the manipulation of results for the benefit of fraudsters.
The revelation that players are purposefully taking cards in pursuit of easy profits is a painful blow to those who have always believed in the passion and honesty of the sport.
This corrupt practice brings with it a host of problems that go beyond the playing field. Firstly, there is a distortion of the results of matches, which compromises competitiveness and sporting fairness. This undermines the essence of football and discourages fan support and engagement.
This type of situation tarnishes the image of bookmakers. Many attribute the fact to the websites and platforms. However, they are extremely disadvantaged in these cases. When something is identified, bookmakers usually contact companies specializing in fraud to report these unusual movements. It is precisely through these notifications that an investigation begins.
When something along these lines is noticed, platforms have a strong interest in resolution. Bets with astronomical values in extremely specific situations hinder the entire operation of the sites. Furthermore, it is a pity that this type of situation happens in major competitions, such as Série A of the Brazilian Championship.
Many of the players involved in the case are part of great teams. They are part of teams with huge fan crowds, who receive salaries that often exceed R$100,000 (US$ 20,000) per month. Risking one's career to participate in this kind of manipulation is an extremely wrong move.
Facts like this undermine public confidence. Fans are the lifeblood of football, and when they discover that their idols are involved in fraudulent schemes, they feel betrayed. This loss of confidence can cause a decrease in stadium attendance, as well as a drop in television ratings.
The recent scandal has reignited the discussion about the regulation of bookmakers in Brazil. A few years ago, there was already a bill that aims to regularize companies in this area so that they operate permanently in the national territory. Today, all the operations that work here have their headquarters in other countries. The proposal points to a payment of R$ 30 million (US$ 6m) for a five-year operating license.
Situations regarding regulation have already happened in other countries, such as Portugal, and unfortunately the result was disastrous. The strict rules removed famous websites from the country, making life difficult for Portuguese gamblers. On the other hand, England has an extremely flexible policy, facilitating the installation of companies in the sector, enabling good turnover in the local economy.
Another important point is the use of the word "gamblers" in connection with these manipulation crimes. It is a big mistake to associate gamblers with fraudsters. The media should be a little more careful about this association, as there are millions of gamblers in Brazil who do serious work and cannot be confused with this mafia.
It is in the interests of bookmakers that cases of game manipulation are resolved and that those responsible are duly punished. All companies in this sector depend on the credibility and integrity of sports competitions to attract bettors and, cases like this, undermine confidence in the system and compromise the fairness of betting.
Ricardo Santos
Data scientist specializing in statistical analysis for football sports betting and founder of Fulltrader Sports
