Brazil's President Luis Inácio Lula da Silva has once again voiced his opposition to the online gambling industry during an interview on TV Brasil’s Sem Censura (Uncensored) show. Speaking on the state-run network, Lula emphasized that the decision to ban online gambling is not solely his to make. "If it were up to the president, I would have said this during the campaign. I am in favour of shutting down all those betting sites that are not providing any useful service to this country," he stated.
When discussing the recently signed law that regulates sports betting and permits online gambling, Lula acknowledged that any veto he might issue on the legislation passed by Congress would likely be overridden.
“It’s not up to me; I don’t own Brazil. Just as I say that [Donald] Trump doesn’t own the world, I don’t own Brazil. I am the President of the Republic. I am part of a tripartite system of institutions that governs the country. There is the National Congress and there is the judiciary,” he remarked.
Aligning with more conservative voters, including evangelicals, Lula has used campaign rhetoric against online betting, often attributing growing household debt to the gambling sector, while notably omitting discussions of high interest rates that also contribute to financial issues.
Lula informed viewers that the government has successfully shut down over 90% of illegal betting operations but did not clarify why half of the market continues to operate underground. In his remarks about advertising regulation, he asserted that betting platforms should be held to the same standards as all other sectors. "Everyone must be treated equally. What is illegal in everyday life must also be illegal in any other context," he said.
Acknowledging the challenges in eradicating the online gambling industry, Lula reiterated the need to identify legitimate betting sites, stating, "You can let one or two operate, but you can’t let the small-time operators get away with it." He emphasized the necessity for financial education within society and supported stricter regulations for the online betting sector, declaring that "gambling is a disease, an addiction."
