The issue of revenue collection and how much Brazil failed to collect due to the lack of timely regulation of sports betting was addressed by the National Secretary of Sports Betting and Economic Development of the Ministry of Sports, Giovanni Rocco, who also defended the creation of a permanent transparency committee between the Ministries of Sports and Finance to guarantee oversight of the funds allocated to entities and allow government monitoring.
“At first, due to the lack of oversight and control, betting companies carried the entire investment in Brazilian football. Today, football is totally dependent on betting company funds, with values inflated at least fivefold. That is why this debate must be carried out responsibly, so that the discussion on advertising is mature, and so that sports are not harmed,” said Giovanni.
“We at the Brazilian Confederation of School Sports (CBDE), who work with school sports—which differ from high-performance sports—recognize that society needs high-performance sports to generate idols who serve as role models. However, we also understand that not all school sports practitioners will become sports idols,” explained CBDE President Antônio Hora.
“They likewise need to be impacted by the values of sports. All initiatives by this House to ensure that these funds reach the grassroots level are commendable. We private entities are able to receive the funds, but we have no guarantees whether those amounts are correct, due to the lack of transparency mentioned here,” he concluded.
“With regard to the application of these funds, it is a major concern for the Ministry of Sports. Betting companies have a social debt to Brazilian sports, since they used sports as a vehicle to enter people’s lives and homes. Therefore, this counterpart contribution needs to be proportional, so that we can address the problems arising from betting as a whole,” said the Secretary, who also called for clear answers to society.
The debate was part of the subcommittee’s work plan, which discussed the prospects and challenges of financing sports in the country, focusing on the entities that make up the National Sports System and receive funds linked to lotteries and betting. Congressman Caio Vianna, from Rio de Janeiro, further explained that the debate seeks to propose solutions to ensure the continuity and strengthening of public sports policies.
Source: gov.br
