Penalty kicks and kickbacks: match-fixing dampens rise of sports betting in Brazil

It is 30 minutes into the first half of Criciúma v. Tombense in the final round of the 2022 Série B, the second tier of Brazilian football. There is little to play for: the two teams started the match 9th and 15th place in the league, respectively, meaning neither has a chance of promotion to the first division nor are they in danger of relegation to the third. Criciúma are 1-0 up thanks to a 19th-minute goal from striker Hygor. The Tombense players, it seems, are thinking about their summer vacations.

On the half-hour mark, Criciúma’s Fellipe Mateus scoops a high, harmless cross into the Tombense penalty area. It’s poorly aimed and over-hit, and ends up in the hands of Tombense goalkeeper Felipe Garcia. But despite the lack of threat, Tombense center-back Joseph inexplicably drags Criciúma’s forward to the ground — the referee has no choice but to award a penalty kick.

However, according to public prosecutors in the Brazilian state of Goiás, what appeared to be a lapse of concentration on Joseph’s part was actually something far more sinister. Instead, they say he deliberately conceded the penalty in exchange for money from criminals who were betting on the match.

Match-fixing is the practice of manipulating the outcome of a sporting event in order to make a profit. This may involve bribing players, coaches, or referees, or using other means to influence the game.

In the case of football, the extensive gambling markets available today mean that match-fixing no longer requires players to manipulate the final score. In the case of Criciúma v. Tombense, it is suspected that the criminals behind...