Brazil’s Sports Ministry made combating match-fixing a formal government priority at the BiS Brasília 2025 conference this week. Giovanni Rocco, the National Secretary for Sports Betting and Economic Development of Sports, told attendees the ministry’s primary job is protecting result integrity and athletes.
The federal government created an interministerial working group that pulls together four agencies. The group includes the Sports Ministry, Justice Ministry, Finance Ministry and Federal Police. Each brings different expertise to build what officials call the National Policy to Combat Sports Result Manipulation.
Rocco emphasised this isn’t just a sports issue. “We see this as a matter of public policy,” he said during the conference opening.
Why Brazil Formed This Cross-Agency Group
Match-fixing complaints have increased across Brazilian sports, with soccer seeing the most cases. The government decided existing efforts weren’t coordinated enough to handle the problem’s scale.
By combining agencies, Brazil can address both the betting side and criminal enforcement simultaneously. The Finance Ministry brings understanding of money flows. Justice handles prosecutions. Sports Ministry knows the leagues and athletes. Federal Police investigates organised crime connections.
The timing matters too. Brazil’s regulated betting market just launched fixed-odds betting under federal oversight. Several state and municipal lotteries are expanding operations. More legal betting means more potential manipulation targets if integrity systems fail.
What Actions the Government Has Taken
The working group will design an integrated national strategy. Officials plan to study global best practices from other countries that dealt with similar issues. These international approaches will shape Brazil’s directives.
Earlier in 2025, the federal government launched an anonymous online platform. Anyone can report suspected match-fixing or betting-related corruption through the system. The platform reinforces the transparency push.
The BiS Brasília conference brought together senior government officials, regulators and gaming industry executives for two days. Sessions covered market regulation, taxation policies and integrity measures.
How This Shapes Brazil’s Betting Industry
Operators in Brazil now face stricter integrity requirements as the market matures. The federal task force signals enforcement will increase, not decrease, as legal betting grows.
Other countries typically see manipulation attempts rise when betting markets first legalise. Brazil’s proactive approach aims to prevent that pattern. The anonymous reporting platform gives whistleblowers a safe channel.
International operators entering Brazil will need robust integrity monitoring systems. The government’s focus on this issue means penalties for inadequate controls could be severe. Licensed operators that spot suspicious betting patterns will likely face pressure to report quickly.
