The regulation of sports betting companies, also known as Bets in Brazil, undoubtedly represented progress. With internet access to sites hosted on servers both inside and outside the country, Brazilians were already moving R$ 100 billion (US$ 19bn) annually in these bets, without paying a cent in taxes, according to the government.
However, the problem with betting has never been solely about revenue collection. More important than the tax issue is the need for oversight to ensure integrity throughout the entire chain of this new industry—from placing bets to paying winners.
The most cited example to illustrate the risks is the allegations of match-fixing in a game between Goiás and Goiânia to benefit bettors, which led to an investigation uncovering fraud even in Série A matches of the Brasileirão.
Another recent case occurred in England, known for its traditional betting houses. Brazilian player Lucas Paquetá, of West Ham in the English Premier League, was formally accused of engaging in behaviors on the field linked to betting. The Football Association accused him of deliberately earning yellow cards in four games played in 2022 and 2023. The investigations began with allegations that a yellow card received by Paquetá in a match against Aston Villa was part of a scheme to benefit bettors.
With bets operating legally, such cases should no longer occur. To maintain not only the credibility of betting but also the image of Brazilian football, there must be guarantees that even bets on minor championships are fraud-proof, as they can also generate significant prize money for bettors.
An additional challenge has been brought by artificial intelligence (AI). As sports statistics are scrutinized by sophisticated AI analyses, betting systems will become more personalized to bettors' tastes and inclinations. Some events can already be predicted with up to 90% accuracy, according to the technology site TCMNet. This can make betting much safer and more attractive, but it also opens the door to an unfair advantage for those with access to such tools.
For all these reasons, it is essential that bets follow technical security requirements and certified infrastructure as established by law, and also affiliate with national and international bodies that monitor the integrity of game results. The best practices in the face of AI will undoubtedly emerge in these global forums.
The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF), federations, and public authorities must safeguard the credibility of the betting system. Monitoring must be permanent, and there must be a robust structure to investigate suspicious cases. Otherwise, bets risk becoming an own goal for Brazilian football.
Source: O Globo
