According to Rapporteur Romário, a copy of the report will be sent to agencies dealing with the issue of sports betting.
The final text proposes a constitutional amendment and three bills to curb match-fixing. The suggested constitutional amendment makes it mandatory, when applicable, for any citizen to appear before Parliamentary Inquiry Commissions (CPIs), including the possibility of using police force. This proposal was introduced after the Supreme Federal Court (STF) ruled that influencer Deolane Bezerra was not required to testify before the Sports Betting CPI.
The first of the three proposed bills increases the penalty for the crime of fraud in sporting events, raising it to four to ten years in prison and a fine. Currently, the penalty ranges from two to six years.
The bill also establishes the crime of fraud in the betting market in legislation; introduces penalties "for athletes who provide relevant non-public information that is used to gain an advantage in this market," and creates the crime of promoting or advertising unrealistic betting gains.
The third bill mandates that betting operators display warnings discouraging gambling and informing about its harmful effects. Additionally, the report proposes a bill to restrict betting on isolated events occurring during sporting matches.
Indictments
The report calls for the indictment of Bruno Tolentino for match-fixing. He is the uncle of player Lucas Paquetá, a former Flamengo athlete who currently plays in English football. Romário also requests the indictment of businessmen William Pereira Rogatto and Thiago Chambó Andrade for match-fixing crimes. The CPI decided not to indict businessman Bruno Lopez, who confessed to participating in match-fixing, due to an agreement reached with the Public Prosecutor’s Office.
According to the rapporteur, the CPI revealed that nearly all recent match-fixing scandals were linked to betting on isolated events, particularly cases involving well-known athletes. The senator added that these specific bets facilitate manipulation by bettors and criminal groups without necessarily affecting the final outcome of a match. He advocated for restricting this type of betting and recommended that sports organizations inform athletes about the applicable laws and potential penalties.
All documentation produced by the CPI will be shared with the Federal Police and the Public Prosecutor’s Office to ensure the investigations continue. The information will also be sent to other institutions, including the Civil House and the Ministries of Finance, Justice, Sports, and Health, so that each can take specific measures within their respective areas.
Recommendations
The report recommended that the Ministry of Finance act as a regulatory body and enforce advertising and publicity rules to ensure minimum requirements are met, particularly to protect minors under 18. Another recommendation to the Ministry of Finance was the creation of a unified self-exclusion system for bettors.
The CPI also recommended that the government improve the flow of information between the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Sports, the Public Prosecutor’s Office, public agencies within the National Consumer Protection System, and the Public Defender’s Office to enhance communication efficiency and the reporting of potential match-fixing cases.
To the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF), Romário suggested clearer and more transparent criteria for video assistant referee (VAR) decisions and improvements in VAR technology to increase the system's reliability.
The CPI was established on April 1, 2024, and concluded this Wednesday (19), with Romário’s report being approved with only one opposing vote from Senator Eduardo Girão.
Source: GMB
