The discussion about match-fixing in Brazilian football is at the center of the debate — it’s not hard to understand why. The implementation of regulation in the sports betting sector has increased the visibility of the issue, but the challenges behind it are old, complex and often ignored.
It is important to recognize that the problem did not start with betting. It is prior and structural. It arises from social inequality, institutional fragility and informality that have shaped part of the functioning of Brazilian football for decades. What betting has done is only amplify the visibility of something that was already happening, but that now needs to be addressed with greater seriousness.
This increase in exposure, although uncomfortable, could also be the turning point. According to recent data, around 90% of professional players in Brazil earn up to R$5,000 (US$ 925) per month. We are talking about a huge base, responsible for sustaining football in the lower divisions, in regional championships and in clubs outside the major centers.
For many of these athletes, a proposal for match-fixing represents double or triple their monthly salary. And, in some cases, it can mean an income that exceeds what is earned in an entire season.
It is not about justifying. But about understanding the context. In a country with wide income inequality, low financial security and few alternatives for social advancement, the temptation to accept an irregular “agreement” grows. The risk of individual corruption becomes a symptom of larger problems: lack of structure, low oversight and absence of systemic protection.
The player is not, in isolation, the villain. The problem manifests itself where there is space and the space, in this case, is opened by a model that offers little stability and a lot of vulnerability.
However, this also applies to already established athletes. In 2024, Bruno Henrique (Flamengo) was indicted in the investigation that investigated match-fixing, as were other well-known names such as Lucas Paquetá (West Ham), Kevin Lomónaco (ex-Red Bull Bragantino), Moraes (ex-Juventude) and Paulo Sérgio (ex-Sampaio Corrêa).
Cases that show that the problem is not restricted to a peripheral reality: it also affects the elite of football.
Whenever scandals arise, there is an instinctive reaction: to ban. Prevent betting on certain leagues, suspend suspicious markets, criminalize the activity as a whole. But bans alone do not solve the problem. Most of the time, they displace the problem and push it into informality.
Illegal platforms operate in Brazil with professional structures, customer service channels, their own systems and aggressive campaigns on social media. They operate without any type of supervision and for this very reason they are the most favorable environment for manipulation.
When the regulated market is closed, the user simply changes channels. And the only space where it is possible to monitor, prevent and act based on real data is lost.
What can (and should) be done
No system is immune to attempts at manipulation. But it is possible (and necessary) to reduce vulnerabilities through practical measures coordinated across different actors in the sector.
Some possible steps include banning athletes and technical staff from betting on any competition in which they are involved; establishing betting blackout windows 24 hours before and after matches; creating automatic alert mechanisms for unusual betting activity on regulated platforms; and launching awareness campaigns focused on youth players and lower-division athletes.
Integrity is built through infrastructure, data, education, and accountability. It’s not a simple task — but it’s entirely achievable with coordinated effort and a long-term vision.
Match-fixing is indeed a threat to the sport. But the damage doesn’t stop there. When an entire sector is contaminated by silent illegalities, the collateral impact is profound: loss of credibility, withdrawal of sponsors, reduction of investment, and public skepticism.
The good news is that Brazil is in a position to act before the issue becomes systemic. The sports betting regulation, approved in January, creates a favorable environment for rapid progress in integrity, compliance, and institutional coordination.
Responsibility does not lie with a single actor. It belongs to players, clubs, betting companies, media platforms, influencers, and regulators — all are part of this ecosystem.
And if betting is at the center of the debate today, let the conversation be mature enough to understand that the problem is not the game itself, but what we do (or fail to do) around it.
Protecting the integrity of Brazilian football is, yes, about safeguarding a cultural asset. But it is also about protecting the trust of an entire nation in something that has always meant far more than just a scoreboard.
Roger Amarante
Partner and CFO at S8 Capital
