Brazil sports betting: key government advisor steps down

José Francisco Manssur has resigned from his post as an advisor on Brazil’s sport betting legislation.

Brazil.- José Francisco Manssur, a key advisor who has worked on Brazil’s sports betting legislation, has resigned from his position. The reason for the decision was not made public, but some local media have suggested that he was in disagreement with the Brazilian government over the final details for the launch of regulated gambling.

More specifically, it is reported that Manssur was opposed to the Centrão bloc’s influence over the formation of the Secretaria de Prêmios e Apostas (SPA), which will oversee the market. Chamber president Arthur Lira (PP) has previously criticised the Ministry of Finance’s plans for how gambling tax will be distributed.

The Ministry of Finance said in a statement: “Manssur was at the forefront in drafting the rules for regulating the fixed-odds betting sector in Brazil. This process was conducted throughout 2023 and concluded in December after approval of the new legislation by the National Congress and the sanction by the Presidency of the Republic.”

Lira has proposed putting the Ministry of Sport, led by Centrão and PP member Andre Fufuca, the Progressive Party (PP), in charge of distributing funds from gambling tax, while the Senate has approved a fixed distribution model recommended by the Ministry of Finance.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Finance has said that it advancing with plans to recruit 38 staff for the gambling regulator. Finance minister Fernando Haddad has said that his ministry will maintain oversight over the regulator. It had been expected that Manssur may have been appointed to lead the secretariat, but that now appears unlikely. There is still no schedule for the licensing process for sports betting in Brazil.