The President of the Chamber of Deputies, Arthur Lira, does not see efficiency in proposals that prohibit Bolsa Família users from using their cards for gambling. According to Poder360, the deputy from Alagoas indicated that he might schedule projects by the end of the year that would impose stricter advertising rules for betting companies.
Lira told allies that such projects do not prevent the user from withdrawing the money with the card and spending it separately on gambling sites, in addition to stigmatizing the beneficiaries of the social program.
The Minister of Development and Social Assistance, Family and Fight Against Hunger, Wellington Dias, said on Thursday (17) that the government of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) has already decided to prevent the use of the Bolsa Família card in payments to betting houses.
According to the minister, the decision has already been adopted by the government and is in the phase of technical implementation. He stated that 52 million Brazilians are gamblers, of which 3 million are from Bolsa Família.
The digital newspaper reported in September that social program beneficiaries spent more than R$ 10 billion on betting houses in 2024, with R$ 3 billion in August alone.
At the time, amid the growing discussion on sports betting, congress members massively introduced projects to curb pathological gambling.
The most advanced project so far is by Senator Eduardo Girão. The text prohibits athletes and influencers from advertising gambling. It was introduced in July 2023, has a report, and has been awaiting a vote in the Senate Sports Committee since April.
Source: Poder360
