Athletico Paranaense, a top-flight football club in Brazil, has suspended its sponsorship deal with Esportes da Sorte amid claims it was involved in illegal betting and money laundering activities.
Esportes da Sorte branding will no longer appear on Athletico Paranaense’s kits and stadium. In a statement on its website, the club said it is seeking clarification over “recently reported facts” about the operator’s legality.
The decision comes after Esportes da Sorte was left off the Secretariat of Prizes and Bets’ list of operators approved to continue doing business from October to January, when the licensed market is set to launch. Those that didn’t make the list are now considered illegal and will be blocked by the National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel).
The SPA first published the list of approved operators on Tuesday (2 October) and, after Esportes da Sorte was left off the register, UOL reported the company had contacted the SPA seeking rectification in the belief its exclusion was down to a formal error.
However, after the SPA updated the list, Esportes da Sorte remained a notable absentee.
Article 18 of the Normative Ordinance No 1,231 on responsible gambling clarified that only operators authorised by the SPA can sponsor a national sports team.
Illegal gambling scandal
Esportes da Sorte was one of three companies involved in a recent controversy relating to illegal betting, alongside VaideBet and Zeroumbet. The trio of companies were all left off the SPA’s approved list.
Darwin Henrique da Silva Filho, owner of Esportes da Sorte, voluntarily turned himself in to federal authorities on 5 September amid an ongoing police operation. Prior to his arrest, Filho released an open letter proclaiming his innocence.
Filho’s surrender came in the wake of allegations involving illegal betting and money laundering tied to Esportes da Sorte. The investigation is being led by the civil police of Pernambuco, with the involvement of the ministry of justice and public security, Interpol and police forces from Goiás, Paraíba, Paraná and São Paulo.
Additionally, José André da Rocha Neto, owner of VaideBet, was arrested as part of the investigation, along with influencer Deolane Bezerra, who faced accusations of creating Zeroumbet to launder illegal gambling profits.
Corinthians seemingly sticking by Esportes da Sorte
While Athletico Paranaense has halted its sponsorship deal with Esportes da Sorte, fellow Campeonato Brasileiro Série A side Corinthians has instead come out in support of the operator.
Corinthians did concede however it too was seeking clarification from Esportes da Sorte over the legal standing of its activities.
“Sport Club Corinthians Paulista reaffirms its trust in Esportes da Sorte, our sponsorship partner, which has been fully complying with the contract,” Corinthians said on its website. “The club is in contact with the partner and has sent a request for clarification on the status and next steps of the regularisation process of the operation.
“The club remains attentive to any developments in the case, always prioritising the interests of the institution and our loyal fans.”
It remains to be seen what the response is from other clubs in sponsorship deals with Esportes da Sorte, including Palmeiras and Grêmio.
Stake, the sponsor of Juventude, was also absent from the list of approved operators.
