Athletico Paranaense halts Esportes da Sorte sponsorship
Athletico Paranaense, a prominent football club in Brazil’s top division, has made headlines by suspending its sponsorship agreement with Esportes da Sorte amid serious allegations of illegal betting and money laundering activities.
As a result of this decision, Esportes da Sorte’s branding will no longer feature on Athletico Paranaense’s attire or within its stadium facilities. The club issued a statement on its website indicating that it is currently seeking clarification regarding the “recently reported facts” concerning the operator’s legal status.
This action follows Esportes da Sorte’s exclusion from the Secretariat of Prizes and Bets’ list of approved operators, which has significant implications for its continued operations. This list outlines the operators authorized to conduct business from October through January, coinciding with the launch of the regulated market. Entities absent from this list are considered illegal and will face restrictions enforced by the National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel).
The Secretariat published the approved operator list on October 2, and although Esportes da Sorte initially reached out to contest what it suspected might be a clerical error, the subsequent update still listed the company as absent.
According to Article 18 of Normative Ordinance No 1,231, only operators sanctioned by the Secretariat may engage in sponsorship arrangements with national sports teams.
The Illegal Gambling Scandal
Esportes da Sorte is among three companies embroiled in a significant illegal gambling scandal, alongside VaideBet and Zeroumbet, with all three operators excluded from the Secretary’s sanctioned list. This exclusion raises serious questions about their compliance with current regulatory frameworks.
Darwin Henrique da Silva Filho, the owner of Esportes da Sorte, voluntarily surrendered to federal authorities on September 5, amidst an ongoing investigation. Prior to his surrender, Filho proclaimed his innocence in an open letter to the public.
His actions followed grave allegations of illegal betting and money laundering associated with Esportes da Sorte. The investigation, spearheaded by the civil police of Pernambuco, also involves collaboration with the Ministry of Justice and Public Security, Interpol, and police forces from Goiás, Paraíba, Paraná, and São Paulo.
In a related development, José André da Rocha Neto, the owner of VaideBet, was apprehended as part of the ongoing inquiry, accompanied by influencer Deolane Bezerra, who faces accusations of establishing Zeroumbet as a means to launder illicit gambling profits.
Corinthians Takes a Different Stance
While Athletico Paranaense has distanced itself from Esportes da Sorte, rival club Corinthians has chosen to continue its association with the operator, albeit with caution. Corinthians acknowledged its intent to seek clarification from Esportes da Sorte regarding the legitimacy of its operations.
“Sport Club Corinthians Paulista reaffirms its trust in Esportes da Sorte, our sponsorship partner, which has been fully complying with the contract,” the club announced on its website. “The club maintains communication with our partner and has formally requested clarification concerning the current status and forthcoming steps in the regularization process.”
Corinthians emphasized that it remains vigilant about developments in this ongoing situation, prioritizing the institution’s integrity and the interests of its loyal supporters.
As the narrative unfolds, it remains to be seen how other clubs linked to Esportes da Sorte, notably Palmeiras and Grêmio, will respond. Additionally, Stake, the sponsor for Juventude, was also notably absent from the approved operators’ list.
