The president of the court explained that there are tools to prevent beneficiaries from using their money on online gambling sites. However, the government faces technical challenges in implementing this measure.
Brazil.- The president of the Union Court of Accounts (TCU), Vital do Rego, assured in an interview that it is possible to block the use of Bolsa Família funds on sports betting sites. This statement comes after a series of decisions and recommendations issued by the TCU, which demanded that the government take immediate measures to prevent the benefit, aimed at families in social vulnerability, from being used for betting.
Vital do Rego explained that the TCU maintains a partnership with the Central Bank so that transactions related to the program can be monitored and blocked. "We have a partnership with the Central Bank so that this data can be collected and analyzed, both by the Central Bank's system and by our systems here," he stated.
In December 2024, the TCU minister, Jhonatan de Jesus, had ordered the government to take urgent measures to prevent the use of Bolsa Família funds on betting sites. The decision was taken as a precautionary measure, without going through the full court, due to the risk of damage if the adoption of the actions was delayed. The minister demanded that the Ministries of Finance, Development and Social Assistance, Sports, and the Caixa Econômica Federal take immediate measures.
However, the government has faced difficulties in implementing this measure. In an appeal filed by the Attorney General of the Union (AGU), the government argued that there are technical obstacles to preventing beneficiaries from using the program's resources in online betting. The AGU pointed out that the bank accounts linked to Bolsa Família are not exclusive to that benefit and that the government does not have control over all the expenses made by the beneficiaries.
Furthermore, the AGU stated that the public administration is not in a position to "micro-manage" the expenses of each family and that, even if debit cards linked to the program were banned, Bolsa Família funds could be used in transactions made through PIX or prepaid cards, making it difficult to completely block betting.
Despite the technical difficulties, the TCU continues to insist on the implementation of solutions to ensure that public resources are not diverted to sports betting activities, with the goal of protecting the social purpose of Bolsa Família and preventing the misuse of funds intended for the most vulnerable population.
