One day after announcing a provisional measure banning fixed-odd betting in the country, the so-called bets, and the so-called "Tigrinho Game", President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) said this Saturday (26) that he took "very drastic action" because betting has become a 'disgrace in the lives of poor people'.
Lula participated in a campaign walk in São Miguel, in the East Zone of São Paulo, and justified the measure by telling stories of people who took their lives because of debts generated by gambling.
"Yesterday I took a very drastic action. I know that here in the middle there are people in debt with bets. Because bets have become a disgrace in the lives of poor people. People get into debt. Sons gamble hidden from their mother. Father sometimes spends money on the children's food to try to earn more and loses. And he keeps borrowing money, going into debt and owing. I met 26-year-old people who hanged themselves. Woman who killed herself", he stated.
"That's why I took a provisional measure putting an end to betting in Brazil. Whoever wants to make money, find an honest way to win. Not killing poor people and putting poor people in debt. Nobody gets rich betting on bets. Whoever gets rich is the owner of the bet, the people get poorer and poorer", said the PT member.
The government of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) announced this Friday (25), in São Paulo, the total ban on fixed-odd betting in the country, known as bets. The ban also includes online games and virtual casinos in the country, such as "Jogo do Tigrinho".
The ban, made nine days before the elections, was formalized in a Provisional Measure (MP) signed by President Lula. The measure was published in an extra edition of the Official Gazette of the Union (DOU) this Friday.
Lula also sent a bill to Congress that establishes penalties for those who explore, operate or publicize so-called bets.
"I made the decision to take the necessary hard and drastic measure. It's like cancer, either remove the tumor, or the tumor will kill us. [...] It was a lot of fighting, it was a lot of discussion, it was a lot of let's do this, do everything, do nothing, do it halfway, no. Since we have to do it, let's do what has to be done. End the bets", said Lula.
The Minister of Finance, Dario Durigan, stated that as of this Friday, "no more money can be placed on the country's betting sites. The sites will be available for people, for bettors, to redeem the remaining balance until 11:59 pm on October 5th."
"So after the publication of this provisional measure, the accounts where betting platforms receive contributions from bettors will no longer accept any new contributions after the publication of the provisional measure", he continued.
Bettors will have until 11:59 pm on October 5th to voluntarily withdraw the money available on the platforms. If you are unable to withdraw by the 5th, the banks that operate for bets will make the refund between the 9th and 14th of October.
Sanctions for those who fail to comply with the determinations range from warnings to fines that can reach R$2 billion, in addition to partial or total suspension of activities, in the case of legal entities.
The provisional measure also provides for the withdrawal of all advertising, advertising and marketing activities for bets, both in physical and digital media, until 11:59 pm on October 5th.
Furthermore, the government announced that there will be a reinforcement in the structure of the Ministry of Justice. A new coordination will be created in the Federal Police dedicated to asset recovery and money laundering and a structure with the same purpose in the Digital Rights Secretariat (Sedigi).
Starting this Friday, new concessions, permissions and authorizations for the operation of fixed-odd betting lotteries will be prohibited. Concessions, permissions and authorizations for the operation of fixed-odd betting lotteries granted based on the previous law will be terminated within 30 days.
According to the draft proposal, exploring or operating so-called "fixed odds bets", by any means, will become a crime punishable by 4 to 6 years in prison, in addition to a fine. The punishment will be applied even if the agent has authorization from a foreign authority.
The proposal foresees extending the same penalties to those who offer, receive, register, mediate, provide or manage betting channels and establishments. The punishment, if the text is approved by Congress, will be increased by one third if the object of the bet is a virtual online gaming event, such as the popular virtual casinos, such as the "tigrinho game".
