“These complaints we are seeing will be investigated and I guarantee that the Ministry of Sports will use all the necessary rigor to ensure that we have the maximum transparency regarding sports betting,” said André Fufuca, during an interview with radio stations during the program 'Bom Dia, Ministro', produced by Empresa Brasil de Comunicação (EBC).
The minister also commented on the recently created National Secretariat for Sports Betting and Economic Development of Sports, linked to the ministry and which will be headed by lawyer Giovanni Rocco Neto. The appointment was published on the 2nd in the Official Gazette of the Union.
“One of the demands I made of the new secretary was that he act as strictly as possible and investigate whatever needs to be investigated, do whatever needs to be done. We have to be transparent. Especially because we are talking about hundreds of thousands of fathers and mothers of families who often place their bets, exercise their faith.”
“If there is one thing that cannot happen, it is any type of illegality. Regarding this, we are fully vigilant to ensure that this does not happen. And, if it does, that those responsible are punished,” added Fufuca.
Data from an opinion poll by the Locomotiva Institute show that, between January and July of this year, 25 million Brazilians started to place sports bets on electronic platforms – an average of 3.5 million per month.
The survey shows that, in five years, the number of Brazilians who have placed bets has reached 52 million. Of this total, 48% are considered new players (they started betting during the first seven months of 2024).
The habit of trying their luck on electronic platforms in the country currently affects a group the same size as the total population of Colombia and larger than that of countries such as South Korea, Spain and Argentina.
Source: EBC
