Temer does not applaud the betting law he signed during his administration
Former Brazilian president Michel Temer distanced himself from one of the most relevant decisions of his administration regarding gambling. In an interview on the program Frente a Frente, the former president stated that he does not approve of the measure that, during his government, paved the way for the legalization of fixed-odds sports betting in the country.
It was Temer who sanctioned, in December 2018, the law that authorized the operation of online betting in Brazil. The effective regulation of the sector, however, was completed in subsequent years, already during the administration of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, with the creation of rules for operation, advertising, supervision, money laundering prevention, and responsible gambling.
When asked if he regretted that signature, the former president avoided the word regret but admitted that the measure had negative consequences. He maintained that he does not disavow the decision because he knew that regulation would come later, although he clarified that he also cannot applaud what he did. In his opinion, that subsequent regulation was a planned step, but it is not enough to erase the difficulties brought by the expansion of betting.
The interview took place at a time when online gambling is under scrutiny by Brazilian public opinion, driven by the proximity of the year-end elections, its link to bettors' indebtedness, and the 2026 World Cup, the first that Brazil will experience with the sector already regulated and with a very intense advertising presence.
Temer explained that, at the end of his term, there was strong pressure to legalize casinos, and that authorizing betting was then presented as an intermediate solution to that resistance. He described it as a lesser evil that led him to sign. He also acknowledged that illegal gambling, with roulette and bingo, already existed before the law, but warned that digital access ended up popularizing the activity, something he considered not beneficial for the country.
Looking to the present, the former president advocated for strict regulation and supervision, which he described as very special. He even raised the possibility of limiting access to betting for certain groups, and mentioned as an example the beneficiaries of the Bolsa Família program, arguing that the State would have legitimacy to guide the use of resources it transfers through social programs.
Tags: Michel Temer, Brazil, gambling regulation, online gambling Brazil