GMB - How does the FPF see this economic movement driven by local and international gambling sites that sponsor half of Serie A clubs in Brazil? Do you think this is just the beginning of something much bigger?
Reinaldo Carneiro Bastos - With the law that releases sports betting, we understand that proper regulation is necessary for the market to consolidate in the country, attracting investments to the sport, but with a main focus on the protection and integrity of the country's competitions.
For the FPF, which aspects of the sportsbook market are the most attractive and important?
Today, around 500 websites worldwide offer Brazilian games for online gambling. Most are registered abroad, operate in Brazil without any taxation or monitoring, raising more than R$ 4 billion (US$ 1bn) per year in the country, according to FGV institute. Therefore, even without any control, it is already a market that moves a lot of investment.
Did the event organized by FPF with the presence of the Economy Ministry clarify some of the doubts around this topic in order to move forward with more certainty?
Yes. The government published a public regulatory consultation this week. This is the first time the government has spoken after this consultation.
Sao Paulo teams are the most popular and powerful in Brazil. Do you imagine it won't be long before everyone gets sponsorships from major international bookmakers who are already looking at Brazil? Considering that major clubs like Barcelona, Real Madrid and Liverpool, among others have already done so…
The Sao Paulo market has huge potential. We have over 100 clubs in Sao Paulo, 4 clubs in Serie A and 5 more in Serie B. I'm sure that, in terms of fan engagement and exposure, it's the largest market in the country.
Part of society is against gambling because of the fear of manipulation of results. What tools could be used to prevent these possible problems?
Prevention and constant monitoring. This is what we have been doing since 2016, when we hired Sportradar, the world leader in betting pattern monitoring. We have to combat any kind of intention or practice aimed at achieving the integrity of the sport. Control work by all involved is the key.
Source: Exclusive Games Magazine Brasil
