The head of the SPA commented on the stance the State will take regarding the use of government social program funds, particularly Bolsa Família, for sports betting.
Brazil.- One of the most debated topics in 2024 was the use of government social program money, such as Bolsa Família, for sports betting and online casino games. Despite initial concerns from sectors of the executive branch, the Secretary of Prizes and Betting (SPA), Regis Dudena, explained during an interview with Rádio Gaúcha that the ministry should not impose restrictions on social program beneficiaries using the funds to gamble.
According to the secretary, the intention is to respect the will of Bolsa Familia users and other programs to use the money as they see fit. "As for social programs, our initial position, as regulators, is that we should not impose restrictions. The idea of a program of this nature is to provide the resource to the citizen, allowing them to decide how to use it,” said Dudena.
On this occasion, the head of the SPA took the opportunity to comment on the operating rules of sports betting companies that came into effect last January 1st. “Any bettor will be protected by the rules. The main change is that, from now on, any company wishing to provide this service must first request authorization from the Ministry of Finance. Only after obtaining this authorization can they operate nationally,” he explained.
In the last months of 2024, the topic of social programs used in betting generated a lot of repercussion. In November, Minister Luiz Fux, of the Supreme Federal Court (STF), ordered the government to take measures to prevent Bolsa Família funds from being used in virtual betting, a decision that was endorsed by the full STF.
See also: Controversy in Brazil: the Central Bank acknowledges possible flaws in the study on Bolsa Família beneficiaries' spending on betting
In December, the minister of the Federal Court of Accounts (TCU), Jhonatan de Jesus, ordered the government to implement urgent measures to prevent Bolsa Família funds from being used by beneficiaries on fixed-odds betting sites.
The minister demanded that the Ministries of Finance, Development and Social Assistance, Sports, and Caixa Econômica implement actions to block the use of Bolsa Família funds in betting, adopting “immediate technical solutions” to ensure the prohibition.
