GMB – How do you evaluate the current moment that Brazil is going through in the middle of a CPI that investigates the manipulation of results?
Wesley Cardia – First of all, it is important to make it clear that this is not a CPI on sports betting. It deals with the manipulation of results and the bookmakers entered in a subsidiary way by summoning or inviting some deputies, when in fact they should be providing information on how they are victimized by this process. What happens in the end is that the people in this gang gamble irregularly and the houses end up paying for an illegal game that was played. We hope that, in the end, the CPI will contribute with information so that new game manipulations do not occur.
The ANJL has been talking since its foundation about the importance of responsible gaming, combating match-fixing and protecting the sport. Is society noticing this movement in favor of sport and integrity?
I don't think so. The subject is so focused on manipulation and what is being done with players, referees, coaches and this mafia who do manipulation that everything else is in the background within the news. Unfortunately, not everyone is giving the correct explanation of everything that is actually happening. It's not like Games Magazine Brasil, which knows the subject in depth. The press in general does not know.
This ends up making it difficult to understand. In any case, are those associated with the ANJL concerned about showing how much they are victims?
Very. We have been trying in every way possible, whether in media articles or in conversations with federal deputies, where I have been going from office to office, trying to show the reality that the big victim is the bookmaker and, secondly, the correct gambler, who made his bet expecting a reasonable result and suddenly sees that it was completely different from what he imagined because he was manipulated. This needs to be clarified as best as possible.
There is talk of regulation of betting by provisional measure and bill. Do you believe it will come like this or will it remain on hold until the CPI is over?
This should have been resolved in the last government. This one came with the impetus to resolve the issue. But due to necessary negotiations with Congress, it was not by PM, as was foreseen in the first moment. Now, we already know that an PM will come to regulate what is allowed and another part through a Bill on an urgent basis. We believe this combination will be great. But it needs to be fast. With each day that passes without regulation in the sector, there is no security, companies that are not correct are working in the market – and there are many – and we want them to be only the licensed ones. And more than that, the government is not collecting taxes and failing to put money into education, health and transportation, which are what matters in the end.
In this hybrid PM and Bill solution with an urgent regime, we cannot forget that a project of this type blocks the agenda, right?
Yes, it locks the agenda. But we have examples, such as the project that dealt with the SAFs of football clubs, which was processed in 34 days. If there are already cases like this, of political will to do it quickly, then in two or three months I believe we will have a solution for that.
Source: Exclusive GMB
