The Central Bank’s study on sports betting — — was seen by Palácio do Planalto as a way for the monetary authority to politically target the government.
Distrust was raised at a meeting in Planalto, this Thursday (3), which dealt precisely with ways to tighten betting regulations.
Presidential aides raised, without any evidence, the hypothesis that the BC had released the study as a way of damaging the image of social programs.
The institution’s president, Roberto Campos Neto, leaves office on December 31 and has been transformed by the government into one of the main antagonists of Lula and current economic policy.
The BC study on sports betting is only two pages long and was a response to a request from senator Omar Aziz (PSD-AM).
Internally, government ministers question the robustness of the study, for two main reasons. First: there is suspicion that CPFs are being used by third parties to launder money. Second: the amount spent would not take into account the amount that was won from betting.
The bookmakers argue that the expenses were not R$3 billion, but R$210 million — the remaining amount would have been returned in prizes to bettors.
The Ministry of Finance has been much more cautious with criticism of the BC. According to sources within the ministry, only the monetary authority would be able to produce this report, as it has access to taxpayers’ bank details and was provoked into doing so.
The Treasury confirms that the numbers are worrying, but argues that the study brought the issue to light and helped to give traction to the discussion about betting regulation, which had been stalling.
The BC was approached by CNNbut preferred not to speak out.
