Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has strongly criticised the country’s fast-growing online betting sector. The president warned that its expanding reach across football, media and daily life is creating social risks. Lula implored the Central Bank to play a stronger role in regulation and tax compliance. His remarks came as Brazil continues to roll out a federal licensing regime for online betting and gaming operators, with dozens of companies already authorised and more applications under review.
Brazil’s President Cautions Online Betting is Taking Over Sports: Quick Summary
- The Brazilian president has intensified his criticism of the online betting sector, warning that its growing presence in football, advertising and everyday life is creating social risks.
- The president compared online betting platforms to traditional casinos, arguing that betting has effectively bypassed Brazil’s long-standing ban on land-based casinos. He also raised concerns about underage access and the saturation of betting brands across mainstream media.
- The president’s comments prompted debates on institutional responsibilities, with political analysts noting that the Secretariat of Prizes and Betting under the Ministry of Finance is responsible for supervising the sector.
President Lula Criticises Online Betting Growth at Rio Ceremony
Addressing a ceremony held at Casa da Moeda in Rio de Janeiro to mark the 90th anniversary of Brazil’s minimum wage, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva showed support for involving the Central Bank in regulating online betting sites. He also criticised the rapid expansion of online betting activities in Brazil and raised concerns about its influence on society.
Central Bank President Gabriel Galípolo and ministers Esther Dweck, Gleisi Hoffmann and Marinho Luiz attended the event. Analysts view Gabriel Galípolo’s participation, which was confirmed just a day before the event, as an informal partnership between the government and the Central Bank to regulate the sector.
During his speech, Lula made a direct comparison between online sports betting platforms and conventional online or offline casinos, which have been outlawed in Brazil. Lula observed that online betting has effectively bypassed the ban. Last year, the national gambling regulator and the Brazilian Institute of Responsible Gaming (IBJR) jointly protested the influence of online betting.
The president stated:
For a long time, I heard the argument that casinos were prohibited. Casino gambling is a game of chance and cannot exist because the poor would spend their money there. Brazil could not even have the ‘jogo do bicho’. Now what happened? The casino entered our homes with this number of betting platforms that were created.
Lula also described betting companies as increasingly present across sports, advertising and social events. He said the scale of this exposure is contributing to wider social concern. The Brazilian Senate approved restrictions on sports betting ads in June 2025, aiming to protect minors and vulnerable individuals from gambling exposure.
The President continued:
The casino entered our homes, and bets are everywhere. A 10-year-old child can take their father’s phone and gamble due to this quantity of betting platforms that are out there, which is taking over football and advertising.
Industry Reaction and Brief Political Background of the Brazilian Betting Debate
The president linked the rapid expansion of the online gambling sector to underage access and a saturation of betting promotions in mainstream media. He also accused operators of lobbying against higher taxes and connected that resistance to wider institutional concerns. While the president did not hint at specific cases during his speech, he indicated that the sector poses systemic risks.
Lula added:
[Online betting] is taking over football, taking over advertising, taking over corruption in this country. Because you can see the work of the Central Bank, trying to make these people pay at least taxes.
Lula’s comments came in the wake of investigations targeting the Central Bank in the unfolding financial scandal surrounding Banco Master. However, the matter was not highlighted throughout the event. Meanwhile, Brazil’s federal government has established regulations for online betting, including guidelines for combating money laundering and other forms of financial fraud.
Political observers, however, have disputed Lula’s statements, criticising him for not understanding the regulatory framework and the economic reality of the sports betting sector. Commentators also highlight the growth of betting sponsorship since December 2018, adding that Brazilian football has registered substantial financial gains and that clubs have won the Copa Libertadores for seven consecutive editions.
These developments have not gone unnoticed, with lawmakers imposing a 15% tax on gambling deposits to dissuade consumers. Brazil’s betting market continues to expand under a formal licensing regime designed to bring online operators under federal oversight and secure tax revenue. Dozens of companies have already secured all necessary clearances, and at least 25 more applications are currently under review by the Secretariat of Prizes and Betting.