Brazil sector slams Haddad ‘attack’ after finance minister calls for betting ban
Summary
Finance Minister Fernando Haddad said in a 21 July interview that he would vote to ban betting if a bill reached the Chamber of Deputies, calling the situation a “disaster” and describing harrowing personal anecdotes about families harmed by gambling. His comments have provoked strong backlash from Brazil’s regulated gambling sector, which says the remarks unfairly target licensed operators while ignoring the larger problem of illegal sites.
Trade bodies including the ANJL and the Brazilian Institute of Responsible Gaming (IBJR) condemned Haddad’s stance as damaging and misleading. They argued that illegal operators — not the regulated market — drive addiction, predatory advertising and tax evasion, claiming illegal activity accounts for around 51% of the market and BRL10 billion in annual losses. The industry also highlighted the irony of the finance minister attacking a sector overseen by the Secretariat of Prizes and Bets (SPA), part of his own ministry.
The dispute comes against a backdrop of legal uncertainty: a pending Supreme Federal Court hearing on the constitutionality of betting laws remains unresolved, and a provisional measure to raise the gambling tax from 12% to 18% GGR is under review in Congress until 8 October. Haddad has framed gambling as a public health issue and said the government is working with the Central Bank to target fintech use linked to organised crime and money laundering.
Source
Article Date: Thu, 24 Jul 2025 15:27:30 +0000
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Key Points
- • Finance Minister Fernando Haddad said he’d press to stop betting if a bill reached the Chamber of Deputies, calling current effects “a disaster.”
- • Industry bodies (ANJL, IBJR) condemned his comments as defamatory and misleading, arguing licensed operators comply with regulation and fund responsible-gambling programmes.
- • The trade groups say the illegal market is the bigger problem—estimated at 51% of activity and causing BRL10 billion in tax losses annually.
- • SPA, the regulator, sits within the finance ministry — prompting industry concern over the minister publicly attacking a sector his department oversees.
- • Legal uncertainty persists: a Supreme Federal Court hearing on betting laws is still pending, and a proposed tax hike (12% to 18% GGR) is under congressional review until 8 October.
- • Haddad frames gambling as a public health issue and says the government is working with the Central Bank to tackle fintechs allegedly used in gambling-related organised crime and money laundering.
Why should I read this?
Short answer: because this could reshuffle Brazil’s betting landscape fast. If you operate, invest or supply into the Brazilian market, Haddad’s words — backed by his ministry — signal real policy risk: tax hikes, regulatory pressure or even a push to ban licensed betting. The industry reaction shows the fight isn’t just political theatre; it affects investment, compliance and the battle against illegal operators. We’ve done the reading so you know where the pressure points are.
Author note
Punchy takeaway: legal uncertainty plus a hostile finance minister = a risky moment for Brazil’s regulated market. Read the full piece at the source for quotes, context and the industry’s response in full.