The four major football clubs in Rio de Janeiro – Botafogo, Flamengo, Fluminense and Vasco da Gama – did not respond within the deadline to the request from the Public Defender’s Office of the State of Rio de Janeiro (DPRJ) regarding the request to remove advertising from virtual houses of betting, the so-called bets, printed on official products aimed at children.
The request was sent to the clubs on the 1st, establishing a 15-day deadline for a response, which ended on Wednesday (16). This Thursday morning (17), the Public Defender’s Office informed the Brazil Agency that there was no response and that the institution will reiterate the request.
The request was made by the Childhood and Youth Coordination (CoInfância) and the Consumer Protection Center (Nudecon) of the DPRJ.
Botafogo, Flamengo, Fluminense and Vasco da Gama have bets as master sponsorship (main display on the uniform, on the front of the shirt) a segment that is under great scrutiny in the country, due to the amount of resources that are draining the economy and behavioral impacts on bettors.
The document signed by defenders Rodrigo Azambuja Martins and Thiago Henrique Cunha Basílio cites laws 8.069/90 and 8.078/90 and resolution 163 of the National Council for the Rights of Children and Adolescents (Conanda), which regulate the advertising of articles intended for consumption and use by children and adolescents.
In addition, it presents Ordinance 1,231, of July 31, 2024, from the Secretariat of Prizes and Bets, an entity of the Ministry of Finance. Article 17 states that “in the event of sponsorship by a betting operator, its logo must not be included on articles and goods sold to people under 18 years of age”.
According to the Defender’s Office, the initiative to officiate the clubs came about after the institution received complaints that the names of betting houses sponsoring the clubs were printed on t-shirts and children’s items.
In the letter, the Ombudsman’s Office “requests and recommends” that clubs refrain from selling products with the bookmaker’s name and that there is no such type of advertising in grassroots team competitions that include athletes under 18 years of age.
bets
In recent months, the activities of bets have faced public scrutiny due to the effects on the economy and families.
Survey from Instituto Locomotiva calculated that 25 million people started placing sports bets on electronic platforms in the first seven months of 2024. In five years, the number reached 52 million.
Another study, linked to the auditing and advisory multinational PricewaterhouseCoopers, pointed out that sports betting compromises family budget classes D and E, negatively impacting the consumption of goods and services.
The betting market managed to drain part of resources from social programs. According to the Central Bank (BC), the Bolsa Família beneficiaries spent R$3 billion on bets via Pix in August.
The government has taken steps to regulate the sector, for example by taking illegal betting sites offline. The Ministry of Finance established the ban on credit card use to pay bets.
This Thursday, the President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva stated that it could end the betting market if regulation is not sufficient to ensure the mental and financial health of the population.
Clubs
THE Brazil Agency contacted the clubs regarding the request from the Public Defender’s Office. Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas reported that the issue must be clarified with Sociedade Anônima do Futebol (SAF) Botafogo, the club’s football manager. The other clubs did not send comments.
The Defender’s Office informed the Brazil Agency that the letters were sent to the clubs and that “it is up to them, when appropriate, to get them to the SAF”. Vasco da Gama is another club whose football is managed by a company SAF.
