Lula criticizes Bets again and government prepares new rules

THE President Lula (PT) once again criticized betting sites during an event held this Monday (9) in Mauá, in the metropolitan region of São Paulo. Although the ceremony focused on announcing federal government investments in the areas of health and education, the president addressed several topics in his speech and once again demonstrated concern about the advancement of betting platforms in the country.

“I learned to be against gambling. I was against casinos and gambling because the church taught me that I had to be against gambling. What is happening today is that the casino has gone into homes. It is in the living room, in the hands of your children”, said Lula. “We are going to take very serious action against the ‘bets’. They are taking money from the poor people of this country”, added Lula.

In recent months, President Lula and members of the government have been criticizing the advancement of the market in the country, through speeches and marketing campaigns, such as the “BBB (Bilionaires, Banks and Bets) Taxation”, launched in 2025, which has the support of the party’s base.

The concern presented by the government is with the social impact of sports betting and online gaming, especially among young people and low-income people. The topic has been debated internally in the Executive, which is analyzing measures complementary to the sector’s regulations, sanctioned in 2023.

Furthermore, the federal government is preparing new rules to restrict young people’s access to online content considered harmful, including gambling. According to a draft decree obtained by Bloomberg News, the proposal provides for digital platforms and app stores to implement age verification systems to prevent minors from accessing gambling, pornography, escort services, alcoholic beverages, dating apps and weapons.

The text is part of the implementation of a law approved in 2025 that will come into force in March, aimed at protecting children and adolescents on the internet. The decree, according to government sources, should be published by the end of February, although the content is still under discussion.

The document also prohibits platforms from using only self-declared age and requires the government to develop its own age verification system, with privacy safeguards — preventing users from tracking their identity or browsing history.