Cuiabá rejects betting firms as Brazilian giants unite to defend regulated market | OneFootball

Cuiabá has reiterated its opposition to sports betting companies, even as leading Brazilian clubs rally to preserve a regulated market.

According to Globo.com, a group including Flamengo, Palmeiras, São Paulo, Santos, Botafogo, Fluminense, Vasco and Cruzeiro, plus the São Paulo and Rio federations, issued a manifesto last Thursday warning that new curbs could harm football finances.

Club president Cristiano Dresch restated the stance, criticising the industry and saying the club will not change course. He has called the segment criminal and says betting firms exploit people, cause suicides and destroy families.

The document, titled “O fim do futebol brasileiro”, appeared amid the possibility of the Federal Government issuing a provisional measure to change online gaming rules. The clubs argue the regulated market should remain, calling authorised operators a key revenue source at all levels of the game.

They add that banning online games could cut investment and fuel the illegal market, urging tougher oversight and safeguards for bettors instead. The measure under discussion would target virtual betting games, while fixed-odds sports betting would not be directly prohibited.

Cuiabá says it balances its budget through television income, sponsorship and player sales. Dresch said the club expects to finish the year with R$ 30 million from player trading. The club has been close to two years without a front-of-shirt main sponsor, and in the second half of this Série B season the space carried the “Movido a Etanol” brand to promote Mato Grosso biofuel.

Source: Globo.com

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