Brazilian ministries defend betting transparency and return to sports funding
Sports betting revenue and its role in financing Brazilian sport were central topics in parliamentary hearing.
Key Points
- Ministry of Sport defended a permanent transparency committee with the Ministry of Finance
- Officials said betting companies “owe a social debt” to sport given their reliance on football
- Sports bodies raised concerns over lack of clarity in how funds are allocated
The debate over how fixed-odds betting revenues are channeled into Brazilian sport returned to the spotlight.
Representatives from the Ministry of Sport, Ministry of Finance and the Parliamentary Subcommittee on Sports Betting Regulation discussed challenges surrounding transparency and funding.
Speaking before the Chamber of Deputies, Giovanni Rocco, National Secretary for Sports Betting and Economic Development at the Ministry of Sport, called for the creation of a permanent transparency committee between the Ministries of Sport and Finance to ensure clarity in how funds from betting are distributed.
Rocco acknowledged the heavy reliance of Brazilian football on betting sponsorships commenting that “in the early stages, due to lack of oversight, betting companies carried the entire investment load in Brazilian football.”
“Today football is totally dependent on these resources, inflated by at least five times. That is why this debate must be carried out responsibly, so that advertising discussions are mature and sport is not harmed,” he added.
Good to know: Brazil’s Federal Revenue recently redirected lottery and betting tax revenue towards healthcare initiatives
The Brazilian Confederation of School Sports also voiced concerns as its president, Antônio Hora, said that while high-performance sport inspires idols, grassroots initiatives also need funding.
“We, private entities, manage to receive resources, but we have no guarantees that those values are correct, given the lack of transparency mentioned here,” Hora noted.
Rocco further argued that betting companies carry a “social debt” to Brazilian sport, having leveraged it to gain public visibility. He said resources must be allocated in a way that offsets harms associated with gambling.
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