A few days after the Federal Revenue confirmed that the licensed betting market has established itself as an important source of revenue for public coffers, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva once again criticized the regulated sector and announced a measure that will limit Brazilians’ access to authorized platforms.
On Thursday night (30), in a speech on Labor Day, Lula announced that Novo Desenrola Brasil, a debt renegotiation program aimed at the indebted population, will be launched next Monday (30). However, he stated that anyone who joins the program will be prevented from accessing licensed betting sites for one year.
“Therefore, anyone who joins the new Desenrola Brasil will be blocked for one year on all online betting platforms. It was not our government that let bets enter Brazil, but it is our government that will put a limit on the destruction they have been causing ”, stated the president on national radio and TV.
It is worth noting that Novo Desenrola is a reformulation of the previous renegotiation policy and aims to alleviate family budgets, especially those with high-cost debts, such as credit cards and special checks. Furthermore, the initiative provides for the release of resources from the FGTS (Service Time Guarantee Fund) to pay debts.
Lula’s full statement last Thursday (30):
However, this measure of prohibiting Brazilians from accessing betting websites and applications for a year could result in the opposite effect, since the restriction will be limited to regulated companies, potentially directing this portion of the population to irregular platforms without any type of protection.
Federal Revenue announces revenue from the betting sector
As previously mentioned, the Federal Revenue announced, last Tuesday (28), a significant revenue of R$ 3.4 billion from licensed bets in the first quarter of the year. This value is impressive because it represents a jump of 123.7% compared to the same period last year, when the value was R$1.5 billion.
Official data prove that the amount collected from the sector has more than doubled since then. All of this financial result is linked to the entry into force of new rules that organize the regular operation of betting companies and direct these resources to essential sectors, such as security, tourism and sport, among others.
