Bap sees Argentina celebrate Brazil bet ban: “How do I pay Paquetá?”

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·29 September 2026

Bap sees Argentina celebrate Brazil bet ban: “How do I pay Paquetá?”

Flamengo president says future commitments are “seriously threatened,” rejects government aid, and says the measure will strengthen Argentine football

Flamengo president Luiz Eduardo Baptista, known as Bap, has once again criticized the Provisional Measure that bans betting companies in Brazil. In an interview released this Monday (28) on FlamengoTV, the executive used the signing of Lucas Paquetá as an example of the commitments the club may struggle to meet.

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In addition, Bap described the measure as “ill-timed and out of place.” The president also criticized the timing of the decision, made just days before the first round of the elections, and said Flamengo does not need government help to pay its debts.

In short, Bap cites long-term contracts and speaks of legal uncertainty

The executive defended the club’s conduct and explained why the PM affects Flamengo’s planning. According to Bap, Flamengo took on obligations based on legal contracts and now sees a real risk of default:

“This issue caught everyone by surprise and brings material impacts to the football ecosystem, not just to Flamengo, as some try to downplay. Throughout this process of change at Flamengo, we developed a sense that it is not enough just to act — there has to be transparency in our actions, explaining relationships of cause and effect. Flamengo is a responsible club that does everything within the law and fulfills all of its obligations. We took on medium- and long-term obligations and commitments as a result of legal contracts we entered into. We have enormous respect for our credibility and reputation. It became very clear that a series of future commitments are seriously threatened. We are going to have enormous difficulty meeting them under the current terms as a result of this ill-timed and misplaced measure that we are facing.”

Then Bap expanded his criticism. He questioned the manner and timing of the ban, cited the payment for Paquetá, and predicted a loss of competitiveness for Brazilian football:

“It causes legal uncertainty, but it also causes astonishment, surprise, and concern for those who are responsible, like Flamengo. This was discussed for years in the National Congress, with society as a whole involved. In 80% of the countries in the world, regulated gambling is allowed. This was widely debated in Brazil. A unilateral ban, in the way it was done and at the moment it was done, is very hard to understand one week before the election. How am I going to pay for Paquetá in January? I took on an important commitment for Flamengo, and everything Flamengo does is within the law. We do not need government help to pay debts. This measure compromises future revenue. It affects the football payroll, signings, payments, and Olympic sports. Regional championships are being decimated. In Argentina they are celebrating this. It will weaken Brazilian football, and Argentine football will become stronger. You do not reduce Brazilians’ indebtedness with this decision.”

Paquetá became a symbol of the impact on the books

The mention of Paquetá did not emerge just now. In an interview with Poder360 last Friday (25), Bap had already included the midfielder’s signing among the commitments made based on projected revenue from the sector. Flamengo signed the player from West Ham (UK) with the payment to be made in installments.

That same day, the president projected losses of up to R$ 430 million for Flamengo in 2027. At the time, he also admitted that the club had no Plan B to replace that revenue in the short term.

The main risk involves the jersey. Betano informally signaled to the club the possibility of ending the main shirt sponsorship. The contract is worth around R$ 268 million per season and runs through the end of 2028.

Flamengo rejects bailout and bets on a collective response

The remark about government help also has context. Behind the scenes, clubs discussed a line of credit with reduced interest rates to cushion the losses. However, BNDES has, for now, ruled out creating this financial relief.

Meanwhile, the dispute has reached the Supreme Federal Court. This Monday (28), Sinafut asked the STF to suspend the Bets PM. As an alternative, the entity proposes a transition lasting at least until the end of the 2026 season.

Before the PM, Flamengo had already joined other clubs in the “End of football” manifesto, published on September 17. The text defended keeping the regulated betting market.

What changes with the bets PM

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva signed the measure on Friday (25), in São Paulo. Published in an extra edition of the Federal Official Gazette, the PM took effect immediately.

Accordingly, under the schedule for suspending betting houses, users can withdraw their balances until 11:59 p.m. on October 5. After that, the platforms will go offline. Therefore, the same deadline applies to the removal of brands tied to sponsorship contracts.

However, the ban is not yet final. The National Congress must vote on the PM within 120 days to turn it into law. In short, by Monday night, Minister Luiz Fux had not yet ruled on the suspension requests submitted to the Supreme Court.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.