The Public Prosecutor’s Office at the Federal Court of Accounts in Brazil has filed a formal complaint regarding the licensing of betting establishments. Deputy Prosecutor Lucas Rocha Furtado is demanding the Ministry of Finance disclose the full identities of company partners and beneficiaries.
Minister of Finance Dario Durigan recently announced that licensing data would be released with partner names redacted. He stated this measure complies with data protection legislation. However, Furtado argues that concealing this information lacks support in the Constitution or the Access to Information Law.
Legal Basis for Transparency
The deputy attorney general contends that corporate structure and beneficiary identity are essential for regulatory oversight. He notes that the Constitution does not allow generalized secrecy for private interests. Furtado emphasizes that secrecy must be interpreted restrictively with a specific legal basis.
The complaint requests an audit of the Secretariat of Prizes and Bets to identify guidelines instituting these redactions. As a precautionary measure, the prosecutor asks the court to order the Treasury and the Secretariat to stop redacting names immediately.