Betting Houses Implicated in Operation Maximum II Trial
The trial surrounding the match fixing cases from the 2022 Brazilian Championship, Series A is underway. The latest move has been to summon seven sports betting platforms to testify at the trial, which signifies the seriousness of the case. Not only will the betting houses offer insight about how match fixing can occur in Brazil’s current gaming climate, but they must also be part of the solution in preventing future cases like those of Operation Maximum II.
The Operation Maximum II case revolves around several instances of match-fixing at Brazil’s 2022 soccer championship.
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What has happened in the case so far?
Several important agencies in Brazil have come together to find answers regarding the cases of match fixing which occurred in late 2022 during Brazilian championship soccer games. These include the Goiás Public Ministry, Intelligence and Institutional Security of the State and the Special Action Group to Combat Organized Crime.
The case has been taken seriously by the courts and government, as Brazil continues to move towards a more regulated, legalized gaming industry as a whole. Cases of match-fixing could undermine the entire regulation project and are a major concern for those involved in the sports industry, for whom game integrity is essential.
So far, the businessman Bruno López de Moura was identified as the leader of the group that was involved in this series of fixed games. Eight soccer players in total have been suspended from playing for 30 days and will also face significant fines.
They may be liable for further punishment but it depends what is found in the case, and on their future behavior. Two of the players have already agreed to cooperate in the case as official witnesses. If found guilty of match-fixing in the future, players would face life-long expulsion from professional sport in Brazil. They may also receive longer suspensions depending on the results of this investigation.
What is happening next?
The latest development in the high profile case is that representatives from the betting agencies Betsson, Parimach, Betano, Betfair, Bet365, SportingBet and Pixbet have been asked to testify in the case, which is investigated by the Parliamentary Investigation Commission (CPI) of Brazil’s Chamber of Deputies.
CPI’s aim is to investigate the match-fixing cases and report its findings by September 28 this year. Their first move was to summon the various parties involved in the case for their testimonies. It was Deputy Luciano Vieira who requested the involvement of the seven betting companies.
Vieira stated quite directly that he believes the betting scandals of Brazil started only after these companies began operating there. He said, while the CPI is not assuming guilt of any of the companies, it is important that they answer some questions for the case to continue.
Furthermore, Vieira was not fully supported in his request to question the companies. Deputy Felipe Carreras was against it, but ultimately accepted. The CPI also approved members of Goiás Public Ministry to attend the investigation testimonies and follow proceedings.
Deputy André Figueiredo also presented a working plan for the rest of the investigation. To start, the requests for interviews (numbering over 130) would be voted on as a block, rather than individually in order to save time.
From May 30 to July 13, meetings and public hearings would be held. From July 18 to 31 there is a parliamentary recess. From August 1 to September 14, the meetings and hearings would continue. The CPI then has until September 18 to present its draft report. Between September 19 and 21, the report should be discussed internally. Finally, between September 26 and 28, the draft is voted on and the final version is sent to the Chamber of Deputies.
