Giovanni Rocco Neto: "Without regulation, it is impossible to gather evidence to investigate and tackle match-fixing"

The National Secretary of Sports Betting and Economic Development of Sports, Giovanni Rocco Neto, positively assessed the impact of the regulation implemented in 2024 on the gaming and sports betting sector in Brazil.

Although concrete results will only be visible as of January 2025, for the official, the implementation of the regulation already represents a significant step, especially considering the long wait for a regulatory framework.

In an exclusive interview with Yogonet, the secretary highlighted that the Brazilian state's action to address this issue is an important step forward for the security and growth of the market.

According to Rocco Neto, the main objective of the Sports Betting Secretariat for 2025 is to combat match-fixing, a problem that can only be addressed in a regulated market, where data collection and investigation are feasible. Read the full interview below:

How do you assess the impact of the regulations implemented in 2024 on the gaming and sports betting sector in Brazil? Can you already see significant results in the market?
 
The impact is positive. This regulation should have been approved a long time ago. The results in practice can only be evaluated from January onwards when the regulation comes into force.
 
But the mere fact that the Brazilian state is addressing this issue is already very important.

What are the main objectives of the Sports Betting Secretariat for 2025 in terms of reinforcing the regulated market and fighting illegal platforms?
 
Our main objective is to fight match-fixing. This can only be done in a regulated market.
 
Without regulation, it is not possible to gather evidence to investigate and tackle match-fixing.

The collection of taxes on sports betting is one of the pillars of regulation. What are the economic forecasts for the coming years and how should these funds be directed?
 
It is not yet possible to estimate figures. We won't have that precise information until next year. When that happens, the revenues will enter the ministry's budget and will be applied to the budget planning of the Ministry of Sports.