Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said that online betting in the country should be shut down if the industry cannot justify its benefit to society. He made the statement on August 14 during an interview on the Não Inviabilize and As Cunhãs podcasts.

“If no one shows me a social justification for the continued existence of these betting companies, we must put an end to them,” Lula said. He also added that if the decision depended solely on him, online betting in Brazil would be shut down.

The president explained his position by citing the impact of betting on family budgets. According to him, people spend money on betting that is intended for groceries and other basic family needs.

Lula also acknowledged that a potential ban would face resistance in Congress. According to him, there is a group of lawmakers linked to betting there, but the government will have to fight them.

The president did not present a specific bill, ban mechanism, or timeline for a possible market shutdown. Online betting currently operates under a regulated framework in Brazil, and operators must obtain authorization from the Secretariat of Prizes and Betting (SPA) under the Ministry of Finance to operate legally.