CBF Vice President Defends Regulated Betting Sector During Lisbon Forum

According to sources from Poder360, Brazil’s vice president of the CBF (Confederação Brasileira de Futebol), Michelle Ramalho, defended the regulated betting market during a panel on online betting on June 2nd at the 14th Lisbon Forum. The executive believes regulated betting operators cannot be blamed for issues of match manipulation or gambling-related scandals occurring in Brazilian football.

“There is a lot of misinformation on the subject that regulated betting should disappear, but the betting companies are also victims just as the federations are“, she explained at the event. Ramalho additionally highlighted the growing intersection between football and betting, following the regulation of sports betting in Brazil.

“You can’t talk about football today without talking about betting. We need to demystify that name many use, as if betting companies are responsible for match-fixing… What betting company wants a match fixed?” she asked, arguing that while some would believe illegal operations could benefit from match-fixing, legally regulated operators would not. “These regulated operators are often unjustly associated with illegal activity, though they are working in an environment with rules and are subject to controls.”

Demand for Increased Action Against Illegal Operators

During the debate, Ramalho further stated the need to tighten controls over the operations of illegal bookmakers present in Brazil, while congratulating companies such as Betano and Superbet, which were also present at the panel, for helping to promote regulatory standards and compliance within the sector.

“It is extremely important that the non-legalized betting companies are classified and punished. We do not yet have sufficient strict legislation for this, and it’s unfair that legalized companies who are complying fully are now in competition with unregulated entities. The legislature needs to look into this“, the vice president of the CBF stressed.

Her statements came at a time when Brazilian authorities are stepping up the fight against the illegal betting market. In late May, a bill to tighten controls over unregulated operators successfully passed the lower house of the legislature, and over 50,000 illegal betting sites had already been blocked, while new actions against the criminal organizations associated with illegal operations were also announced.

Last week, Brazil’s Federal Court of Accounts (TCU) recommended that the Secretariat of Prizes and Betting of the Ministry of Finance create a permanent operational center of control and repression with assistance from other governmental agencies, so as to fight illegal gambling activities.

Betano and Superbet Executives Show Support for the Industry

Executives of major regulated operators, who were also participants at the panel, reinforced Ramalho’s support of the betting sector and denied that the increasing household debt in Brazil is a result of activity in the legalized market.

“Women and people of lower income are some of the most indebted groups. However, the majority of our consumers are men, with higher levels of income. The main source of debt is via credit card, and we do not accept this. This is however accepted in the unregulated market. Our clients can only pay via Pix,” stated Alexandre Fonseca, the CEO of Superbet.

He also added the common accusation that every problem is attributed to the betting industry: “Every social problem in Brazil falls under betting… Betting itself is not new; it’s regulated in Brazil, and that regulation works.”

The Public Relations Director of Betano in Brazil, Guilherme Figueiredo, also made clear that he sees the country’s regulatory framework as a positive example for the whole of Latin America and pleaded to policy-makers to support the regulated operators.

“We are being attacked from all sectors, as they put everybody in the same basket. But one either fights for regulated betting, or he is fighting for illegal betting.”

This discussion comes within the scope of the current debates over the role of regulation, consumer safety and strict enforcement procedures against unregulated operators in a rapidly growing sports betting market.

Source: SBC Noticias

CBF Vice President Defends Regulated Betting Sector During Lisbon Forum

Demand for Increased Action Against Illegal Operators

Betano and Superbet Executives Show Support for the Industry

Comments