Lula Keeps Brazil Betting Ban Decision Open

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has avoided revealing whether he will support a ban on sports betting, saying he will base his position on feedback gathered from civil society and groups affected by gambling.

Speaking to SBT Brasil in an interview on September 10, Lula said the government had completed the process of collecting, organising and analysing views expressed during consultations. However, he stopped short of indicating whether he would support shutting down betting platforms or maintaining Brazil’s current regulatory framework.

“I listened to society, we recorded everything they said, we have already mapped and systematized everything. Now, I will make a decision based on what I saw.”

Lula Seeks Views From Groups Affected by Betting

Lula said public debate around betting had become highly divided, with opinions ranging from calls to close betting platforms to arguments for keeping them available under regulation or taking action against those responsible for related problems.

Rather than establishing his position before hearing from stakeholders, the president said he wanted to consider views from people directly affected by the issue.

Among those consulted were people opposed to betting platforms, families dealing with gambling-related debt and individuals familiar with cases in which suicide was linked to betting debt. Lula said he had spoken with approximately 10 or 11 people and stressed that their views would be considered before a final decision was reached.

“I called all the entities involved with these bets. People who complained about bets, people who feel that their family is being robbed, people who know someone who took their own life because of betting debt. But I am not going to make a decision on my own. I am not the president of myself, I am the president of 215 million people.”

When asked directly what position he would ultimately take, Lula declined to provide an indication in advance.

“Don’t ask me what the decision is, because I am not going to tell you.”

Lula Previously Called for a More Severe Approach

The latest comments follow a stronger position expressed by Lula during a September 1 meeting with civil society organisations at the Planalto Palace.

At that meeting, the president said he personally favoured banning gambling in Brazil and suggested that a tougher response could be necessary.

“I think we have to make a more drastic decision. Because we don’t even have demand-pull inflation.”

Lula also questioned whether taxation was capable of discouraging betting activity. He argued that taxes only create a meaningful deterrent when they substantially reduce a company’s profits, suggesting that operators could continue operating as long as their financial returns remained high.

“Many times, when we think as a government, we say that we are going to charge taxes, thinking that we are going to make things more difficult. Taxes only make things difficult when they affect profits, but when it is the decision to legalize criminality, they pay without any problem.”

Betting Policy Becomes Part of Election Debate

Lula also raised concerns about the ability of the Brazilian government to identify where many betting companies are headquartered and where they pay taxes. He said this makes taxation a less effective regulatory tool.

The SBT interview also covered Lula’s government programme and his expectations for Brazil’s first-round election on October 4. Lula is seeking re-election under the Workers’ Party (PT).

His approach to the betting issue gathering information, organising the views received and then reaching a decision was also presented as an example of how he intends to govern if re-elected.

As a result, the future of Brazil’s betting sector has become both a regulatory question and part of Lula’s political positioning ahead of the election.