In an opinion column for Folha, Anderson Almeida, a criminal lawyer specializing in criminal law and procedure, and in criminal law and criminology, ensures that the recent PF operation shows that the work to combat money laundering in the realm of bets has been successfully carried out by the authorities and that it is not an insoluble problem.
The disclosure of the work of criminal prosecution agents has the side effect of exaggerating the crimes fought in the eyes of the public. Thus, if hypothetically the Federal Police arrest a corrupt politician, corruption in politics appears as an insurmountable scourge—not as a problem that is effectively combated.
In the case of money laundering, we experience something similar with the advance of Operation Integration, which arrested influencers and businessmen involved both with illegal games and with sports betting houses—the famous bets, which are legalized.
Following this side effect, the discussion around control mechanisms gains momentum. It happens that Brazil already has a robust set of tools for combating money laundering—including in the context of sports betting and other activities related to gambling.
Initially, the country has law 9.613/1998, which specifically deals with the crime of money laundering and which was updated by law 12.683/2012. Moreover, it has efficient investigation mechanisms, such as the Financial Intelligence Unit (UIF).
Formerly known as Coaf (Council for the Control of Financial Activities), the UIF is responsible for receiving and analyzing financial operations considered suspicious. It is the first trench in the fight against money laundering.
We also have bodies that assist in combating this type of crime, such as the Securities and Exchange Commission (CVM) and the Central Bank, which oversee compliance with money laundering prevention norms.
It is important to remember that betting houses were regulated by law 13.756/2018, which establishes the rules for sports betting and by law 14.790/2024, which defined the taxation of these businesses and introduced compliance rules.
The regulation obliges financial institutions and gaming houses to implement "due diligence" procedures, which include verifying the identity of customers, monitoring transactions, and reporting suspicious activities.
The Brazilian set of tools for combating money laundering also includes international cooperation. The country is a member of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), which operates globally against this type of crime and the financing of terrorism.
It is evident, however, that combating money laundering in the realm of bets presents challenges that need to be overcome. There is always room for detailing the legislation so that the sports betting market operates efficiently and within the law in the country.
It is also necessary to supervise the market to ensure that the current regulations do not become dead letter, require companies to invest in technology to curb the manipulation of sports competitions, and also ensure the integrity of the data of bettors.
And this does not mean, under any aspect, that the country is not prepared to deal with combating money laundering in the realm of bets. The recent PF operation—let's go back to the beginning—shows that the work has been done by competent authorities and that it is not an insoluble problem.
The effectiveness of our mechanisms depends on the combination of strict regulation, efficient supervision, and cooperation between authorities and the private sector. The fight against this type of crime is perennial and should not scare anyone.
Anderson Almeida
Criminal lawyer, specializes in criminal law and procedure and in criminal law and criminology
