IBJR opposed the ban on betting in Brazil
The Brazilian Institute of Responsible Gaming (IBJR) criticized the proposal by Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to ban online betting in the country. According to the organization, shutting down the legal betting market will not eliminate demand but will instead lead to the growth of the illegal sector, where player protection mechanisms are absent.
The IBJR also disagreed with Lula da Silva's statement that many Brazilians accumulate debt due to betting. The institute cited a study by LCA Consultoria, which found that spending on betting accounts for only 0.2-0.5% of the total expenses of Brazilian families, while credit cards remain the primary source of debt. Furthermore, Brazilian betting platforms are prohibited from accepting payments via credit cards and cryptocurrencies to combat this issue.
At the same time, IBJR highlighted the financial importance of the betting market: licensed operators generated approximately 9.95 billion Brazilian reais ($1.98 billion) in tax revenue in 2025. IBJR believes that banning legal betting will lead to the loss of these revenues and weaken market controls.
Recall that Lula da Silva voiced the proposal to ban betting in Brazil during an interview with ICL Notícias last week. During the conversation, he stated that if it were solely up to him, betting shops would already be closed, but the lobbying by some politicians prevents full approval of the idea in the National Congress.