Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has renewed his criticism of the country’s online gambling industry, saying he would support banning the sector altogether as part of his reelection platform.
Speaking during an interview on TV Brasil’s “Sem Censura” programme, Lula argued that online betting has become a growing social problem in the country and called for tighter restrictions on operators. The president said illegal platforms remain a major concern and stressed that authorities need stronger oversight of the market.
“You need to know which companies are operating legally and which are not,” Lula said during the interview. He added that only a limited number of operators should be allowed to remain active while smaller unregulated sites should be pushed out of the market.
Lula also described gambling addiction as a serious issue affecting Brazilian families and claimed that society needs greater financial education to deal with the rapid expansion of betting platforms.
The comments come despite Brazil officially launching its regulated online betting market earlier this year. The new framework introduced licensing rules, player protection measures and tax obligations for operators looking to enter one of the world’s fastest-growing gambling markets.
Industry representatives have repeatedly warned that calls for a total ban could strengthen the black market by driving players toward offshore websites that operate outside Brazilian regulation. Several gambling groups have defended regulation as the safer approach, arguing that licensed companies provide consumer protections and contribute tax revenue to the government.
Lula has previously voiced concerns about gambling’s impact on household debt and lower-income communities. His latest remarks suggest the debate around online betting will remain a major political issue ahead of Brazil’s next presidential election campaign.
While the president acknowledged the difficulty of completely shutting down the sector, his comments are expected to intensify discussions between lawmakers, regulators and industry stakeholders over the future of gambling regulation in Brazil.