Lula Signals Tougher Restrictions on Online Betting Advertising in Brazil

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said that the regulation of ads from online betting operators will be tightened during his presidency.

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The comments emerged in the context of the Sem Censura program aired on the EBC television channel when the president was asked whether there would be more governmental control over online betting promotions. President Lula responded: “Yes, I intend.” The president added that betting firms should be subjected to the same rules as any other controlled business sector. “All must be treated equally. What is illegal in normal life must also be illegal in other spaces“, he stressed.

Moreover, Lula noted that he personally would want to see all online betting websites banned. “If it were for me, all of them would be banned, too“, the president said, adding that these types of decision-making processes require considering the overall institutional arrangement in Brazil rather than solely the Executive Branch.

Limitations of Governmental Authority Discussed

President Lula highlighted that it is not in the executive powers alone to reshape betting rules without legislative input. “I don’t own Brazil, I am the President of the Republic. I am the tripode of institutions governing the country. I have Congress and I have the judiciary“, he explained.

Lula also mentioned certain political constraints facing the government due to the current make-up of Congress, stressing that the Workers’ Party has only 70 members in the Chamber of Deputies and 9 in the Senate.

“We have only 70 in the Chamber of Deputies and nine in the Senate. We have to negotiate everything we do“, the president said. The president went further by warning that Congress might repeal any executive veto regarding betting issues as well. “They override it“, he stated, pointing to the strong impact that the betting industry wields in Congress.

Government Says it Banned Most of the Illegal Online Bets

The president claimed that the government has managed to ban a vast majority of illegal bets in the country. “We banned more than 90 percent of all the illegal bets“, Lula stated. He also mentioned that the Ministry of Economy created a special secretariat responsible for overseeing the sector.

Moreover, according to Lula, the government does not plan to authorize any betting operator until the end of the year while analyzing the market. The president added that it is necessary to maintain the difference between legal and illegal betting operators. “You have to separate between serious betting companies and predatory ones. We may authorize either of them but what can never happen again are the so-called ‘tiger games‘”, he said.

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The discussion shifted towards the social and educational implications of the growth of the betting market and illegal operators in Brazil. “Gambling is an illness and an addiction. It’s highly addictive, you wouldn’t believe“, the president stated. As he elaborated, it requires strict regulations, restrictions, and educating the population about its dangers. “You need educational policy and prohibitions. There must be more restrictions and stricter operating regulations for betting companies“, Lula added.

Furthermore, he mentioned data provided during the show that stated around 1.3 million youngsters use betting platforms in Brazil. A vast portion of these individuals belongs to poorer populations.

The president drew parallels between today’s reality and previous generations, claiming that Brazil has traditionally resisted gambling. “This country fought against betting. For centuries we did not have any casinos“, he emphasized.

“The casinos have moved into the living room, into the grandmother’s telephone that she lends to the grandson, into the father’s telephone that he lends to the son, and children gamble in secret because people do not know“, he said.

Lula stressed that the expansion of the betting market was associated with rising debt among Brazilian households and cited the government’s Desenrola project aimed at debt restructuring.

The matter will stay on the agenda in Brazil as discussions on potential advertisement restrictions and new legislation are expected to pick up in the run-up to the 2026 general elections.

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Source: BNL Data