Lula prepares package to ban all betting sites and toughen penalties for illegal sites
Provisional measure should cover sports betting and online casinos, such as 'Jogo do Tigrinho'. The government is also considering charging for SUS reimbursement and expanding the fight against the illicit market.
TL;DR
- President Lula plans to ban sports betting and online casinos in Brazil.
- The government is studying measures to hold betting companies financially responsible for public costs related to gambling addiction.
- Plans include seeking reimbursement from companies for public health expenses related to addiction.
- The government aims to hold platforms responsible for debts incurred by individuals due to gambling.
- A study indicates Brazilian families lost R$62.5 billion to betting sites in 2025, with platforms handling R$350.97 billion in Pix transfers.
- Measures are being discussed to prevent bettors from moving to clandestine platforms, including financial monitoring and account blocking.
- Lula wants to increase penalties and criminalize the exploitation, promotion, or profit from illegal gambling.
- A recent poll shows 75% of Brazilians favor banning betting sites, and 88.5% consider online betting harmful to society.