TLDR President Lula said he wants to close down betting in Brazil due to “runaway gambling” during an April 8 interview The government has been debating the future of betting platforms for 15 days Lula pushed back on claims that football depends on betting sponsorships, noting the sport survived 150 years without them Brazilian household debt hit a record 80.4% in March according to a long-running consumer survey The government is working on a new debt restructuring program that may allow use of severance funds to repay debts
Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said on April 8 that he would shut down the country’s betting industry if it were up to him. He made the comments during a video interview, calling the current state of gambling in Brazil out of control.
“If it depended on me, we would close the bets,” Lula said. He added that any final decision would need to go through the National Congress.
Lula also suggested that betting companies finance politicians across the country. He said he could not name specific individuals but claimed “everybody knows” which lawmakers and parties are involved.
The comments mark a sharp turn for a sector that was only recently brought under formal regulation in Brazil.
Government Debates Have Been Ongoing for Weeks
According to Lula, internal government discussions about the betting sector have been going on for 15 days. He said officials have been asking whether the damage caused by betting justifies banning it outright or at least limiting the number of operators.
Lula also dismissed the argument that Brazilian football teams cannot survive without betting sponsorships. He pointed out that football existed for a century and a half before betting companies entered the picture.
“We want to start this debate,” Lula said.
His words