The approved text is the substitute version by the rapporteur, Deputy Orlando Silva, for Bill 515/23, authored by Deputy Bandeira de Mello, and three other related bills. The rapporteur drafted a new version, expanding the scope of the original proposal.
Currently, the General Sports Law makes it a crime to defraud, by any means, or contribute to the fraud of the result of an event or competition. The prescribed penalty is imprisonment from two to six years and a fine.
Under the substitute version, the penalty will be increased (by one-third to half) if the person involved takes advantage of their role as an agent, referee, athlete, coach, or bettor, and even more so if they are a manager, director, or representative of a private sports organization.
Recruitment
The approved text also criminalizes the act of recruiting, enticing, or hiring an agent, referee, athlete, coach, bettor, or manager, director, or representative of a private organization to commit fraud. The penalty will be imprisonment from two to six years.
“Unfortunately, match-fixing in sports is an old problem,” said Orlando Silva. “What we must do, therefore, is propose changes, especially by imposing more severe sanctions than the current ones,” he added.
“Betting has increased the number of suspicious matches, not only in Brazil but worldwide,” said Bandeira de Mello, the author of the original version. “In 2022, in Brazilian football, the number of suspicious matches reached a thousand,” he criticized.
Next steps
The project, which has already been approved by the Sports Committee, will still be reviewed by the Plenary of the Chamber. To become law, it must also be approved by the Senate.
Source: Agência Câmara de Notícias
