Bets CPI is Established in the Senate to Investigate Online Gambling Influence and Role of Influencers

The Federal Senate has initiated the Parliamentary Inquiry Commission (CPI) of Bets, focused on investigating the influence of online gambling in Brazil. The commission will seek to examine how this practice affects Brazilian family budgets and assess possible connections between betting companies and organized crime, in addition to the role of digital influencers in popularizing this market.

The CPI will be led by Senator Dr. Hiran (PP-RR), with Alessandro Vieira (MDB-SE) as vice president, and the investigation’s reporting duties will be handled by Senator Soraya Thronicke (Podemos-MS), who proposed the commission's creation. During the opening session, Thronicke highlighted the support of the Executive branch and the involvement of the Federal Police (PF) in the investigations. “The Ministry and Sports Secretariats are extremely concerned. I have already spoken with PF director Andrei Rodrigues, who has made a team available to assist in the investigations. This is a serious matter, involving organized crime and people of significant national and international influence,” stated the senator.

Thronicke emphasized that the sector handles "exorbitant sums" and is "susceptible to money laundering practices," highlighting the need to identify regulatory and oversight gaps. The CPI will have 130 days to conduct the investigations.

This CPI is the Senate's second initiative on gambling. Currently, the Senate is also conducting the CPI on Manipulation in Sports Games and Gambling, which investigates cases of betting platforms influencing match outcomes, as in the recent operation involving Flamengo player Bruno Henrique.

In addition to the CPI, the Supreme Court has been discussing the impact of online gambling in Brazil, having held a public hearing with specialists and representatives from institutions and public agencies.