Football sector backs government action against illegal betting market

Brazilian football is closely following debates on the future of the betting market in the country and considers it important to reaffirm a position that has already been made clear by the sport's governing bodies: it is necessary to combat illegal gambling rigorously, not to dismantle the legal market, which is regulated and supervised by the State.

Brazil chose to regulate betting. There was an extensive discussion process, followed by deliberation and approval by the National Congress, and the regulations established rules for company operations, supervision mechanisms, and consumer protection measures. Since then, clubs and other football agents have made investments and assumed financial commitments based on the regulatory environment created by the State itself.

It is important to recall that any potential ban or abrupt interruption of this market would mean far more than loss of future revenue. There are sponsorship contracts already in place, many of them long-term, as well as financial commitments and investment and player recruitment decisions made on the basis of the regulatory environment established in the country. Such a change would jeopardise existing commitments and could cause significant financial instability in clubs, with direct impact on the sustainability of Brazilian football.

What football considers inappropriate is to replace the fight against illegal activity with an abrupt restriction of a market that was legalised, regulated, and taxed by the State itself. The black market does not offer the same levels of oversight, transparency, and consumer protections provided by the regulated environment. Therefore, the path forward should be to strengthen supervision, improve protection mechanisms, and prevent illegal operators from functioning, while preserving legal certainty for those operating within established rules.

In football's view, it is not a matter of choosing between protecting the population and maintaining a regulated market. Both things are possible and necessary: combating illegal gambling, enhancing supervision, strengthening prevention mechanisms, expanding consumer information, and providing support and treatment for those who develop problem gambling behaviour. The protection of public health and wellbeing must be approached seriously, through evidence-based public policies capable of addressing the various factors that affect the financial, emotional, and social health of Brazilian families.

However, this protection must not be confused with simply replacing a regulated market with an illegal environment, over which the State has fewer tools for oversight and control. Any policy change must assess its concrete effects on the population, including the risks of activity being displaced to illegal operators, and must consider the full range of policies needed to prevent harm, guide consumers, and support those in need.