Betting sites sponsor deputy company events – 04/08/2023 – Market

The rapporteur for the CPI on sports betting in the Chamber of Deputies, Felipe Carreras (PSB-PE), is a partner in a production company that organizes and promotes events sponsored by sports betting companies.

Entrepreneur in the entertainment area, Carreras is one of the owners of the companies Festa Cheia Produções e Propagandas and Festa Cheia Eventos Ltda.

As the name implies, Festa Cheia promotes events such as concerts, festivals and boxes on festive dates, such as São João, with ticket sales.

Both CNPJs are headquartered in Recife and have among their economic activities “services for organizing fairs, conferences, exhibitions and parties”.

Sought, the deputy says he is on leave from the company’s management and that it is difficult that, currently, an event is not sponsored by so-called bets.

Events with the presence of famous artists produced by Festa Cheia fit into this situation. For example, PixBet sponsored the parties Quarentinha (with Durval Lelys and Alexandre Pires), Camisa Nova and Belo in Concert, Olinda Beer (with Bell Marques, Ivete Sangalo and Wesley Safadão) and Irmãos – A Live Virou Tour (with Seu Jorge and Alexandre Pires).

Sport da Sorte sponsored Recife Trap and Aposta Ganha o Camarote Exclusive at São João de Caruaru (PE), events with several artists.

Sponsorships, which began before Carreras took over as rapporteur for the CPI, continue until this month.

The CPI on betting —also called the CPI on football manipulation— was proposed by Carreras himself in the wake of investigations into the gang that defrauded betting on Brazilian football, which led to players being banned from the sport by the STJD (Superior Court of Sports Justice). .

“Concern about the integrity of matches has been growing in recent years, in particular due to the growth of online betting,” said Carreras in the application for the creation of the CPI.

“Sports betting these days goes beyond trying to guess the outcome of a match. It allows you to bet on, for example, which football team will get the most corners in a game or even which team will receive a specific number of yellow or red cards, and then what the gangs act,” he added.

“The sector’s lack of regulation still leaves loopholes that allow criminals acting in bad faith to tarnish the sporting result.”

The installation of the commission was authorized in April by the mayor, Arthur Lira (PP-AL). It is chaired by Deputy Júlio Arcoverde (PP-PI).

The discussion in the commission evolved from the investigated irregularities to the taxation and regulation of sports betting, and the CPI even invited the president of the Central Bank, Roberto Campos Neto, to attend one of the sessions.

Carreras is also quoted to be the rapporteur for the regulation of betting in the Chamber, which establishes rules on the subject – which is called “fixed odds betting” or “bet market”. On the 25th, the government of President Lula (PT) published a provisional measure on the subject.

Interest in the theme of games is not new in Carreras’ mandates. He was also rapporteur for the bill that would legalize gambling in Brazil, which provided for the granting of permanent or temporary licenses to exploit the activity.

The project was approved by the Chamber last year, although then-president Jair Bolsonaro (PL) said he would veto it if the matter passed through Congress. The text foresees the legalization of casinos, bingos, jogo do bicho and online games in Brazil.

Carreras proposed a tax rate lower than that of the entertainment sector, under the justification of attracting investment. The bill has been sent to the Senate, and has not yet been voted on.

In addition to being a deputy and businessman, Carreras was Secretary of Tourism, Sport and Leisure of Pernambuco, in the government of Paulo Câmara (PSB), between 2015 and 2018.

Asked about the sponsorship of bookmakers for Festa Cheia events, Carreras says that “it is difficult for an event in the Northeast and even in Brazil not to be sponsored by companies in this segment”.

“I do not deal with this matter, because, following our legislation, I am on leave from the company’s management”, says the parliamentarian.

“[Mas] this is something inherent to the moment and strategy of the advertising market, as well as sponsorships in various segments, such as in the area of ​​beverages, etc.”

According to him, the project approved by the Chamber of Gambling, which he reported, did not deal with fixed-quota bets, a subject addressed in the government measure.

“I imagine that several of these companies advertise in communication vehicles, some have parliamentarians [que] are owners, and I am not aware of any of them with contact with companies in the area.”

Carreras says he sees no problem reporting a text on the subject.

“I am President of the Parliamentary Front in Defense of Sport, Tourism and Culture. Important areas that should receive resources from the taxes that can be collected with the legalized and regulated activity”, he says.

The government’s provisional measure provides that companies pay a rate of 18% on revenue obtained from games (called GGR, or gross gaming revenue), discounting premiums paid to players.

The rule states that a maximum of 82% will be allocated to betting platforms to “cover the cost and maintenance of the fixed-quota lottery operating agent”.

In addition, 3% will go to the Ministry of Sport and 1.63% to sports entities that have explored the brand.

The measure has the immediate force of law, but may lose its effectiveness if it is not approved by the National Congress within 120 days.