Unanimous rejection of the online casino ban proposed by Lula da Silva
Recent statements by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva have caused a seismic reaction in the Brazilian iGaming industry, which is currently at a critical stage of regulatory implementation. During an official message on International Women's Day, the president stated that his administration would seek to advance the prohibition of digital casino platforms, arguing that these activities are deteriorating family finances and the mental health of citizens. However, the sector's main organizations have countered these claims, calling them alarmist and pointing out that a measure of such magnitude would only serve to strengthen clandestine networks operating without any state control.
The Association of Women in the Gaming Industry (AMIG) was one of the first to express its deep surprise and concern about the timing and tone of the presidential speech. The entity, which brings together more than 1,400 professionals working in sensitive areas such as regulatory compliance, law, and technology, stressed that attacking the sector on a day dedicated to valuing women is paradoxical. According to the association, the industry is not only a massive source of employment for women in Brazil, but in the last year, authorized operators have transferred approximately 4.5 billion reais (about 900 million dollars) to public coffers, funds that are directly allocated to health and other social policies promoted by the government itself.
The regulated market facing the challenge of illegality
From the National Association of Games and Lotteries (ANJL), the focus was on the fundamental distinction between companies that comply with Law 14.790/2023 and those that operate irregularly. Plínio Lemos Jorge, president of ANJL, emphasized that the real threat to Brazilian families lies in the illegal market, where there are no deposit limits, identity verification systems, or responsible gambling mechanisms. The sector argues that regulated "bets" are the most interested in eradicating clandestine operators, as the latter do not pay taxes and lack any commitment to the commercial ethics that local associations actively promote.
In line with this stance, the Brazilian Association of Compliance, Good Practices, Ethics, and Transparency in Betting (ABC-BET) provided technical data that contradicts the view of a widespread debt crisis linked to legal platforms. According to their records, the average spending of Brazilian bettors is 122 reais per month (approximately 4 reais per day), a figure that fits perfectly with the concept of entertainment and not a massive financial pathology. The entity insists that the way to protect vulnerable individuals is not prohibition, but rather strict state supervision that allows every transaction to be tracked and ensures that the activity remains within ethical and sustainable parameters.
Tags: Brazil, Brazil gambling regulation, Lula da Silva, Brazil gambling ban