Brazilian Senator Soraya Thronicke, as the head of the investigation into violations in the online gambling industry, is actively seeking more time to complete the collection of testimonies and the writing of the final report. Due to the tight schedule, committee members are seeking to extend the investigation deadline again.
The original 15-day deadline set for November 2024 was extended by 45 days to June 14th earlier this April. However, as the investigation deepens, Soraya Thronicke points out that there is still a severe lack of time, and the party leaders made decisions without consulting her.
Last week, the investigative committee confirmed that it had received support for a 130-day extension, with over one-third of the senators signing the related request. Although the extension request has been submitted, it has not yet been officially recorded in the Senate system and is pending announcement by the Senate President Davi Alcolumbre in a plenary session.
Soraya stated: "I will do my best to complete the task, but it may not be in the way I anticipated. I request the President to give us more time. I could resort to the Supreme Federal Court for an injunction, but I hope to resolve the issue through dialogue, not legal proceedings."
It is noteworthy that Brazil has recently imposed strict restrictions on gambling advertising, prohibiting the use of athletes, internet celebrities, or celebrities for promotions.
In terms of testimony collection, only 19 people (about 10%) have been deposed so far. Many witnesses were unable to appear due to travel arrangements or legal protections, including digital influencer Luan Kovarik (known online as Jon Vlogs), who is seen as a key promoter of gambling advertising.
Additionally, Soraya pointed out that the committee will attend the 11th BRICS Parliamentary Forum from June 3rd to 5th, during which no meetings will be held, meaning the committee actually has only one week of formal working time left. She also criticized this year's committee for delaying the resumption of meetings for more than a month, with the first meeting not held until March 11th.
Senator Eduardo Girão, who supports the extension, said: "The investigation must be completed no matter what. I'm not sure who this will touch among the powerful, or whose interests it will affect, but we will do our utmost to push forward, even if it requires working over the weekend."
