Match-Fixing in Brazilian Football: 20 Years of History
Introduction
Football is, for Brazil, more than just a sport: it is part of the nation’s identity. However, over the past two decades, match-fixing has threatened the integrity of competitions and the trust of fans. Several scandals have come to light, affecting everything from the elite levels of football to lower divisions and state championships. This article presents an overview of the last 20 years, highlighting the most significant cases, the legal and sporting consequences, statistical data, and the advances made in legislation and preventive mechanisms.
The Spark: “Mafia do Apito” Scandal (2005)
In 2005, the “Mafia do Apito” scandal shook Brazilian football. Following a report published by Veja magazine, it was revealed that referee Edílson Pereira de Carvalho was manipulating match results in collusion with gamblers, altering the outcomes of Série A matches in the Brazilian Championship. The case led to the annulment of 11 matches and the restructuring of the league standings, which directly influenced Corinthians’ title win.
It is important to highlight that the “Mafia do Apito” scheme was still relatively rudimentary compared to the sophistication seen in later years. It was an isolated action, without the involvement of major international criminal groups or complex online betting structures.
The manipulations were orchestrated mainly between a small group of local gamblers and referees, focusing on final match results, unlike later schemes that would exploit specific events within games.
The consequences were swift: Edílson was banned from the sport but was ultimately acquitted in the criminal courts. The scandal exposed the need to specifically classify sports corruption as a crime in Brazil, which eventually happened years later with the inclusion of provisions in the criminal legislation, establishing manipulation of competitions as a criminal offense punishable by 2 to 6 years of imprisonment and a fine.
These same criminal provisions, as of 2023, have been incorporated into the General Sports Law (Lei Geral do Esporte) and remain in force.
The Evolution of the Schemes: Game Over (2016) and Cartola (2018)
With the advent of online betting, the nature of match-fixing changed and worsened. The “Operation Game Over” investigation, revealed in 2016, uncovered a more structured scheme with international connections. Unlike the “Mafia do Apito,” this new model involved players and coaches from lower divisions, who were recruited to fix matches for the benefit of gamblers, particularly targeting Asian betting markets.
Matches from the Série A2 and A3 of the São Paulo State Championship (Campeonato Paulista) and the Potiguar Championship were among those manipulated. The criminal groups operated with greater sophistication, using intermediaries, promises of payments in U.S. dollars, and encrypted communications to lure athletes with offers of large sums in exchange for decisive actions like conceding penalties or orchestrating planned defeats.
In 2018, “Operation Cartola” exposed yet another type of manipulation, driven by local sporting interests rather than betting. Officials from the Paraíba State Football Federation and clubs like Botafogo-PB were caught manipulating referee appointments and influencing decisions on the field to favor certain clubs in the Paraíba State Championship.
The scandal revealed a network of favoritism and fraud that even included document forgery and undue influence over disciplinary bodies. The investigations led to the removal of federation officials and the conviction of those involved, demonstrating how, even in regional tournaments, manipulation can become systemic and jeopardize the credibility of competitions.
These two cases marked an important transition: from the artisanal and localized schemes seen in the “Mafia do Apito” to more organized and sprawling forms of corruption, whether driven by international betting networks or political and institutional interests behind the scenes of Brazilian football.
The Era of Sports Betting and “Operation Penalidade Máxima” (2022–2023)
In recent years, the exponential and unregulated growth of online sports betting in Brazil has created an environment conducive to the proliferation of match-fixing schemes. The most emblematic of these investigations was “Operation Penalidade Máxima,” conducted by the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Goiás (MP-GO), which uncovered a criminal network specializing in recruiting players to manipulate specific events within football matches for profit on betting sites.
The operation unfolded in three distinct phases between February and November 2023. Initially, investigations focused on matches from the 2022 Série B of the Brazilian Championship, later expanding to Série A matches and various state championships.
The modus operandi involved recruiting players to commit specific actions during matches, such as conceding penalties, receiving yellow or red cards, or ensuring a predetermined number of corner kicks. In exchange, players received high financial rewards. These actions were prearranged with bettors, who profited by wagering on these specific in-game occurrences.
“Operation Penalidade Máxima” exposed the vulnerability of Brazilian football to the influence of sports betting. Several players were sanctioned at the sports justice level by the Superior Court of Sports Justice (STJD). However, no criminal penalties have yet been applied by the Brazilian judiciary against the involved athletes.
This case serves as a warning about the risks associated with the lack of oversight and the growing influence of betting in football, highlighting the importance of coordinated actions among authorities, sports entities, and civil society to preserve the essence and credibility of Brazil’s most popular sport.
The Bruno Henrique Case: The New Face of Match-Fixing in Brazilian Football
In November 2024, Brazilian football was once again shaken by a major match-fixing scandal, this time involving Flamengo striker Bruno Henrique. The player was indicted by the Federal Police for allegedly forcing a yellow card during a 2023 Brazilian Championship match against Santos, with the aim of benefiting gamblers, including family members.
The investigation into the case began after betting companies issued alerts regarding an unusual volume of bets specifically related to Bruno Henrique receiving a yellow card in that match. These alerts were forwarded to the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF), which in turn notified public authorities about the incident.
Subsequently, “Operation Spot-Fixing” was launched, with 12 search and seizure warrants executed at addresses linked to the player and other suspects. Messages exchanged between Bruno Henrique and his brother, Wander Nunes Pinto Júnior, indicated that the player had intentionally sought the yellow card to benefit bets placed by relatives and friends.
In April 2025, the Federal Police formally indicted Bruno Henrique for fraud in a sports competition, based on Article 200 of the General Sports Law (Lei Geral do Esporte). In addition, he was also indicted for fraud, under Article 171 of the Brazilian Penal Code, which carries a penalty of one to five years of imprisonment and a fine. Nine other individuals, including family members and friends of the player, were also indicted for involvement in the scheme.
The case now awaits decisions in both the sporting and criminal justice arenas.
Conclusion
Match-fixing in Brazilian football, although not a new practice, has reached alarming levels in recent years due to the explosion of online sports betting, which for a long time was not accompanied by regulatory measures — these only being implemented more recently.
Furthermore, the absence of permanent and structured preventive measures over the years, combined with various systemic vulnerabilities — such as low salaries in lower divisions, weak oversight, and a culture of impunity — allowed the problem to grow and reach its current proportions.
Although punishments are necessary and must be applied rigorously, merely repressing those who manipulate results will not be sufficient. True transformation requires a shift in mindset and the strengthening of serious programs aimed at educating athletes, referees, managers, and other football stakeholders.
In this context, I would like to highlight that Genius Sports has promoted educational and awareness initiatives aimed at strengthening integrity within sports organizations as a central pillar of our operations. Through the development of training and capacity-building programs, we work to prepare athletes, referees, and other stakeholders in the football environment to recognize, prevent, and report illicit practices.
