Luciano Acosta, a former MLS MVP, is currently under investigation for potential spot-fixing linked to betting irregularities concerning his receipt of a yellow card while playing for Fluminense against Bragantino earlier this month.
Stake, the gambling company involved, reported a remarkable surge in bets placed on Acosta to be booked during the match. Following this, Stake contacted Sportradar, which then notified the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) about the irregularities.
Since the overhaul of Brazil's gambling regulations at the start of last year, Stake has been fully licensed to operate within the country.
Fluminense has acknowledged the ongoing investigation, emphasizing that Acosta denies any involvement in wrongdoing. "Fluminense FC received notification from the CBF about the incident and informs that it is available to cooperate with the competent bodies," the club stated, according to OneFootball. They added, "The player denied participation in any type of irregularity."
Acosta, who joined Fluminense from FC Dallas last year, had an impressive season in 2023, winning the league MVP award while with FC Cincinnati. Over his four-year tenure in the MLS, he became the club's all-time leading goalscorer with 54 goals in 150 matches.
Known for his physical style of play, Acosta has accumulated 23 yellow cards in 93 MLS games, maintaining a similar discipline ratio since joining Fluminense, where he has received four yellow cards in 16 matches.
The yellow card incident in question occurred in the 47th minute of the match against Bragantino, when Acosta shoved Lucas Barbosa, which escalated into a brawl, ultimately leading to three yellow cards and two red cards being issued.
Betting on yellow cards in soccer has been identified as particularly vulnerable to manipulation, given that such bookings can occur with minimal provocation and do not significantly influence the game's outcome. Sportradar has reported that soccer is still the sport most associated with suspicious betting activity, although the number of such cases decreased from 730 in 2024 to 630 in 2025.
Earlier this year, another Brazilian player, Ênio, faced indictment for allegedly acquiring yellow cards for betting gain. Furthermore, Brazilian midfielder Lucas Paquetá came under investigation after it was revealed that family members were betting on him receiving yellow cards during his time in the English Premier League with West Ham, though he was ultimately cleared of any wrongdoing.
In a broader effort to combat corruption in sports, Brazil has ratified the Macolin Convention, an international treaty aimed at maintaining integrity in sports through cooperative efforts. The UK also plans to review this convention, with recent testimonies highlighting its significance in addressing cross-border corruption challenges. As stated by Madolina Diaconu during a House of Lords committee session, "Without an instrument like the Macolin Convention, if hundreds of unusual micro-bets are placed in Brazil on a minor event like a yellow card in a UK match, it is virtually impossible for UK authorities to track it down, and the criminals ultimately walk free."
