São Paulo governor joins calls for ban on gambling in Brazil
Tarcísio de Freitas, who is seeking re-election as governor of São Paulo, stated during a debate that Brazil needs to end betting.
Thus, in aiming for conservative votes, another nationally relevant politician has joined the trend of criticising sports betting.
With a strong chance of remaining in the Palácio dos Bandeirantes (São Paulo state government headquarters), Tarcísio stated: “Either Brazil ends betting, or betting ends Brazil. We have to understand that this is a health problem.”
The statement was made during the “Health Dialogues” debate at the Union of Hospitals, Clinics and Laboratories of São Paulo (SindHosp).
The explosion of online betting platforms has transformed Brazil into one of the largest markets in the world. But, according to the governor of São Paulo, the phenomenon is no longer just entertainment: it has become a public health problem that demands an urgent response.
Tarcísio has repeatedly stated that online gambling now presents a situation similar to the fight against smoking decades ago. He asserted that addiction should be treated as an illness, and that the state needs to provide specialised care.
Unverified data
The governor links the rise in gambling to the increase in debt in the country. According to him, “20% of Brazilians’ income is committed to gambling”. Tarcísio did not indicate where he obtained this data.
Tarcísio advocates for the creation of a robust, accessible and digitised national programme focused on treating gambling addiction.
“We were effective in getting people off tobacco,” he said. “And so the question is: will we be able to be effective in freeing people from drugs? The challenges are the same now. Perhaps the challenges now are greater than the challenges of tobacco were in the past.”
Political issue
The growth of online betting is not just an economic phenomenon. It has become a moral, social and electoral debate.
Tarcísio’s statement echoes recent speeches by President Lula, who has also criticised betting.
The entities representing the sector have already indicated that they know they will be the target of criticism during the election campaign.
In a recent conversation with iGaming Business, Plínio Lemos Jorge stated: “The industry will have to remain resilient during this period.”
The president of the National Association of Games and Lotteries (ANJL) believes that “after this turbulent period, the market tends to become less of a target for criticism”.