The Brazilian Ministry of Finance has signed agreements with Sportradar and the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) to strengthen sports betting integrity throughout the country.
The agreements with both organisations were formalised through the Secretariat of Prizes and Betting, as Brazil aims to strengthen this aspect ahead of its regulated market launch in January 2024.
A recent study, The Availability of Sports Betting Products: An Economic and Integrity Analysis, forecasts that Brazil’s new sports betting regulations could yield $34bn in betting turnover by 2028.
Recognising the economic importance of establishing a healthy market, Sportradar signed a Technical Cooperation Agreement (ACT). This agreement is designed to support the Secretariat of Prizes and Betting’s technical team, responsible for overseeing the national authorisation, inspection and sanctioning of online gaming and sports betting operators.
Ministry of Finance spokesperson responsible for the partnership, Régis Dudena, Secretary of Prizes and Betting, stated: “The partnership with Sportradar will be an important tool to combat a major threat to the fixed-odds betting market, which is the risk of manipulation of sports results.”
Sportradar’s Integrity Services will share its expertise with the Secretariat by reporting any suspicious activity detected during its market monitoring, offering strategic advice for addressing such incidents.
Furthermore, Sportradar will assist in educating and training Secretariat staff on match-fixing risks, enhancing their knowledge of this pressing issue – particularly relevant as two of Brazil’s international football players are currently under investigation for spot-fixing on domestic matches.
Felippe Marchetti, Sportradar’s Manager for Integrity Partnerships in Brazil, said: “The signing of the ACT is a proud occasion for Sportradar and we appreciate the trust shown by the Brazilian Ministry of Finance in the expertise of Sportradar’s Integrity Services division.
“This ACT reflects a mutual commitment to establish a sustainable, regulated sports betting industry in Brazil that is built upon a foundation of integrity.”
The IBIA’s role
Alongside its deal with Sportradar, the Brazilian Ministry of Finance has also signed a sports betting integrity cooperation agreement with the IBIA.
The partnership enables both parties to share information on suspicious betting activity related to Brazilian sports and to work together on related investigations.
This deal follows an important aspect of Brazil’s new regulatory framework, which mandates that operators applying for a licence must become members of an independent sports integrity monitoring organisation.
As a result, the IBIA has said that its ability to oversee, evaluate and safeguard betting transactions within Brazil’s regulated sports betting market is strengthened.
Khalid Ali, CEO of IBIA, commented: “IBIA is delighted to have reached this agreement with the Brazilian Ministry of Finance and welcomes the government’s increased focus on creating a robust sports betting integrity ecosystem to tackle match-fixing.
“Collaboration and information sharing are key to the success of this ecosystem. Under this agreement, IBIA will identify and report suspicious betting on Brazilian sporting events to the Ministry of Finance to support investigatory actions. That will include detailed customer account data that is only available to IBIA and its members.”
Dudena also highlighted the importance of collaboration, stating: “Cooperation with IBIA will add to SPA’s work in combating the manipulation of sporting events. And together we will mitigate this problem on a global scale.”
In preparation for the market’s launch, Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has emphasised safety, recognising the financial risks of gambling and the effects it can have on bettors.
Earlier this month, Silva demanded a federal gambling policy to protect Bolsa Família beneficiaries from addiction and financial strain. The Brazilian government needs to establish a federal policy on gambling addiction to protect citizens and eliminate social harms, such as public debt, if it is to ensure and securely promote responsible gambling.
