TLDR Brazil’s 2026 presidential candidates hold very different views on online betting regulation. Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro back tighter restrictions, including bans on using welfare funds for bets. Romeu Zema and Renan Santos want a complete ban on online betting. Ronaldo Caiado favors financial monitoring and advertising limits instead of a ban. Augusto Cury proposes high taxes on betting companies as a deterrent.
Brazil’s 2026 presidential race has turned online betting into a central campaign issue. Candidates are split on how to handle the regulated betting market that operates under federal law.
Their positions range from a full ban to higher taxes, tighter advertising rules, and stronger financial oversight. The debate comes as concerns grow over gambling’s effect on household budgets and the presence of illegal operators.
Polls show a group of national figures competing for the presidency. These include Lula, Flávio Bolsonaro, Ronaldo Caiado, Romeu Zema, Renan Santos, and Augusto Cury.
Lula and Bolsonaro Push for Limits
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has said he is considering measures to limit online sports betting. He told the Não Inviabilize and As Cunhãs podcasts that he would end betting if it were entirely up to him.
Lula has criticized how widely betting platforms reach children through phones and other devices. His administration is discussing options with the Ministries of Finance, Planning, and Justice.
The government has already tightened advertising rules. The Secretariat of Prizes and Betting temporarily banned six betting company websites for breaking regulations.
One idea in Lula’s platform would stop people from using welfare payments to place bets. Flávio Bolsonaro, his main rival, included a similar ban in his own platform.
Bolsonaro’s plan states that money meant for household needs should not go toward betting. This rule already applies to recipients of Bolsa Família and