Botafogo and Cruzeiro have requested the Federal Supreme Court (STF) to join as amicus curiae in a case concerning bets. The clubs state that the main sponsorship from fixed-odds betting houses has become indispensable for maintaining the teams' results. Parimatch and Betfair occupy the most prestigious space of the teams.
The clubs want the possibility to participate in the oral arguments during the trial of the Direct Action of Unconstitutionality (ADI) 7.721 and claim they could help to “reduce misinformation” about the case. The action was filed by the National Confederation of Commerce of Goods, Services, and Tourism (CNC). The organization requests the precautionary suspension and the declaration of unconstitutionality of Law 14.790, known as the Bets Law.
The teams associate the good performance of Brazilian clubs with the investments made by the bets in the sector. They say that, since 2019, out of six Copa Libertadores finals, five were monopolized by two Brazilian teams.
For Botafogo and Cruzeiro, the fact is not a coincidence, but a consequence of the “capital injection brought with the law”. The clubs mention a memorial sent by 30 teams to the Supreme Court, in November, which informs that the sponsorship of betting companies already reaches 70% of the elite clubs of Brazilian football. The amount jumped from R$ 333 million to R$ 630 million between 2023 and 2024.
“Cruzeiro and Botafogo are part of the extensive list of teams that currently have fixed-odds betting houses as their main sponsor, an amount that has become indispensable for maintaining the structure and results of the clubs”, state the lawyers from Almeida Castro, Castro and Turbay, who represent the teams.
Currently, Cruzeiro is sponsored by Betfair and Botafogo has Parimatch as master until the end of this year and is already negotiating with other betting houses a new contract.
The clubs also declare that the participation of those affected by the Supreme Court's decision in the case “creates a necessary informational stock about the consequences of the decisions”, which would lead the Court to “more adequately conform the scope of protection of fundamental rights in the process of constitutional interpretation”.
So far, the rapporteur Luiz Fux, has not admitted any of the requests to join the action as amicus curiae. In November, during the public hearing on the subject, the minister stated that the judgment on the merits should occur in the first half of 2025.
Source: GMB / Jota
