ANJL Warns Brazil Betting Ban for Social Welfare Recipients Could Fuel Unlicensed Gambling

Brazil announced a plan to automatically block Bolsa Família and BPC recipients from regulated betting platforms, but the idea has already triggered strong reactions from leading gaming associations.

Good to Know

• ANJL argues the ban could lack solid legal grounds.
• IBJR supports the restriction, calling it a safeguard for welfare funds.
• The measure could redirect players toward unregulated gambling platforms.

The National Association of Games and Lotteries (ANJL) sent a technical note to the Secretary of Prizes and Betting (SPA), arguing that the restriction might not comply with constitutional principles. According to the association, the Supreme Court only prohibited the direct use of social benefit money for gambling—not the participation of beneficiaries who also have income from other sources.

ANJL listed three main concerns. The first was the absence of democratic legality, as the restriction does not appear to rest on explicit law. The second was the risk of fueling illegal gambling by pushing excluded players away from regulated platforms. The third was the technical difficulty of enforcing such a measure while the sector is still adapting to a new regulatory framework in Brazil.

In its view, regulation must both protect vulnerable groups and allow individual freedom of choice.

IBJR Supports the Government’s Plan

The Brazilian Institute for Responsible Gaming (IBJR) took the opposite view, backing the measure. The group argued that Bolsa Família and BPC exist to cover basic needs and that benefit money should not be diverted toward betting of any kind.

While this stance aligns with a consumer protection narrative, critics suggest it could be risky from a public relations perspective. In markets such as the United Kingdom and the United States, many associations avoid publicly supporting hard restrictions tied to welfare programs, wary of the negative reaction it could create.

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