Rodrigo Pacheco destaca necessidade de regulação para indústria do jogo
Rodrigo Pacheco. (Imagem: Agência Senado / Pedro Gontijo)

In the recent debate on online betting, the president of the Senate, Rodrigo Pacheco (PSD-MG), highlighted the need for strict legislation to tackle what he considers an “addiction industry”.

In an interview, Pacheco emphasized that, given the increase in social problems generated by these platforms, banning betting in Brazil should be considered if current regulations do not produce positive results.

Rodrigo Pacheco supports President Lula’s speech

During his speech at the Lide Brazil Conference, in London, he stated that the situation requires “investigation, regulation, filters and tougher rules”.

According to Pacheco, when vulnerable people use social benefits to place bets, this becomes a social wound that cannot be ignored. He also endorsed President Lula‘s words, agreeing that, if regulation fails, prohibition becomes the only viable alternative.

The president of the Senate believes that the legalization of betting in 2018 was a “national mistake”. Because, for him, the consequences of online betting complicate the future legalization of land-based casinos in Brazil.

“Brazil made a mistake by approving this law on electronic betting, on bets, before approving physical casinos. We placed the casino inside people’s homes and did not approve the casino on the street,” said Pacheco.

“So, the project to legalize ‘physical games’, let’s call it that, can only move forward if there is some type of limitation, a reprimand to the current reality in Brazil in relation to betting,” he added.

Investigation and future actions

So, given this scenario, the Federal Senate decided to install a Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry (CPI) to investigate the current situation of online betting. Pacheco’s stated objective is to “identify the harm done and make suggestions.”

In other words, this includes stricter supervision and the implementation of more efficient filters in the registration of companies operating in this sector. Thus, he highlighted the need for discipline and control.

“The three of us can’t get together here and make a bet via social media selling games and illusion to people. This needs to be disciplined”, he concluded.