A Brazilian legislator has made allegations of bribery in the midst of a push for legalizing betting.
Even with more support from lawmakers in both the Senate and House, Brazil’s efforts to legalize and control sports betting remain highly contentious. A senator against gambling has recently accused a member of the Chamber of Deputies of accepting bribes to endorse the proposed legislation.
Senator Eduardo Girão of Brazil speaking in front of the Senate. He alleged that a colleague in the legislature had received bribes in exchange for advocating for the regulation of sports betting. (Image: Photo from Brazil Senate archives)
Senator Eduardo Girão has consistently voiced strong disapproval of the procedure for regulating sports betting in Brazil. On Wednesday, he took it a step further by stating his intention to submit a formal complaint to the Attorney General’s Office against Deputy Felipe Carreras.
Carreras serves as the spokesperson for the Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry (PCI) on sports betting, which conducted an investigation revealing widespread match-fixing in soccer. Girão is accusing Carreras of receiving millions of dollars in secret payments and bribes to influence the investigation.
Firm Claims With Limited Proof
It is a common tactic for politicians to make allegations against others in order to gain support for their own agendas. Yet, without substantial proof, accusing a lawmaker of bribery can have negative consequences.
According to Girão, Carreras supposedly requested bribes in order to push through legislation that would benefit sports betting companies while the chamber was discussing legalizing sports betting. He also claims that these same companies and Carreras worked together to ease the pressure on operators during the PCI.
According to Girão, Carreras was accused of accepting BRL35 million (US$6.9 million) from the president of the National Association of Games and Lotteries. The organization, which is backed by gaming operators, was established earlier this year with the goal of promoting responsible gambling.
Girão stated that it is the responsibility of the Chamber of Deputies to initiate an inquiry into the allegations, as per the Ethics Commission’s requirements. However, he has not yet presented any evidence to substantiate the claims of bribery.
Even though the Chamber of Deputies, Senate, Brazil’s president, and vice president have expressed more support for the implementation of regulated sports betting, Girão is not in agreement yet. He is currently engaged in a battle with his fellow senators in an attempt to change the direction of the chamber. However, his efforts have been unsuccessful thus far.
The second phase of the Maximum Penalty operation has concluded.
The PCI concluded its investigation on sports betting on Tuesday, one week after releasing its initial report. However, the ongoing investigation from Operation Maximum Penalty II has not yet been completed.
The committee has completed their findings and assembled a report, which was supposed to be voted on by the committee. However, some other members of the group have alternate proposals and are insisting on reviewing the report before any decisions are made.
The inquiry by Parliament commenced on May 18 and was expected to end on September 15. However, it was given an additional 12 days, yet failed to reach an agreement before the ultimate due date. The petition for further examination would entail a thorough evaluation of the report during a session of the Chamber of Deputies.
A number of representatives have expressed worries regarding the potential contents of the report. They are of the opinion that the PCI failed to address certain concerns they had previously raised, resulting in new demands being made.
A Brazilian lawmaker has accused officials of accepting bribes while pushing for the legalization of gambling, according to a report by Casino.org.
