Betting: IBJR defends blocking beneficiaries of social programs on online platforms.
The Brazilian Institute for Responsible Gaming (IBJR) expressed its support for blocking access for beneficiaries of Bolsa Família and the Continuous Benefit Payment (BPC) to online betting platforms. The position was released in an official statement this Wednesday (1st), in line with principles of protecting vulnerable groups.
In its statement, IBJR emphasizes that online betting should be treated solely as paid entertainment, not as an alternative source of income.
"Online betting should be considered exclusively as a form of paid entertainment, rejecting any association with alternative sources of income or investment options," the Institute stated in the note.
The organization considers subsistence resources and gambling incompatible, arguing that social programs like Bolsa Família and BPC were created to guarantee the basic needs of the vulnerable population, not to be directed towards leisure activities such as gambling, even if legalized.
The measure is in accordance with recent regulations published by the Secretariat of Prizes and Bets (SPA) of the Ministry of Finance in the Official Gazette of the Union this Wednesday. Normative Instruction No. 22 establishes the obligation for betting operators to block access for beneficiaries of these social programs, while Ordinance SPA/MF No. 2.217 amends the previous regulation to expressly include the prohibition of participation in bets with resources from these programs.
The IBJR highlighted the importance of financial awareness so that bettors understand the risks of the activity, recognizing the possibility of losses and the need to respect personal limits.
According to the Institute, the government measure represents an additional mechanism to protect bettors in situations of economic vulnerability, contributing to a more sustainable betting environment in the country.
According to the new rules, consultations with the Betting Management System (SIGAP) must occur upon registration and during the user's first daily login, verifying the CPF (Brazilian taxpayer ID) against the beneficiary database. When an "Ineligible – Social Program" status is identified, the company must immediately deny the registration request or, for already registered users, close the account within three days of identification.
In addition to supporting restrictions for beneficiaries of social programs, the IBJR also drew attention to the need to intensify the fight against clandestine betting platforms, which operate without offering consumer protection mechanisms.
Operators will have to inform the user of the reason for closing the account within one day, informing them of the possibility of voluntarily withdrawing the funds in the account within two days. If the withdrawal does not occur, the company must return the funds to a bank account registered by the bettor.
This measure complies with precautionary decisions of the Supreme Federal Court in Direct Actions of Unconstitutionality No. 7721 and No. 7723, in addition to considerations made by the Federal Court of Accounts in Process TC 023.126/2024-8.
The Institute stated that, regardless of the restrictive measures implemented in the regulated market, bettors will always be more vulnerable in the illegal environment, which reinforces the importance of strengthening both the regulation and oversight of the betting sector in Brazil.
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Note from IBJR
The IBJR unequivocally maintains that online betting should be viewed as a form of paid entertainment, and never as a source of income or investment. Promoting financial awareness is essential for the public to understand the risks involved, recognizing that there is always the possibility of loss and that gambling responsibly means respecting one's own limits.
We understand that resources intended for subsistence should never be used for gambling. Social programs such as Bolsa Família and the Continuous Benefit Payment (BPC) serve to guarantee basic needs and cannot be confused with resources for leisure. Therefore, IBJR supports measures that prohibit the use of these benefits for gambling, understanding that they represent greater protection for vulnerable gamblers and contribute to the construction of a sustainable and responsible ecosystem.
At the same time, it is crucial to intensify the fight against clandestine platforms, which continue to operate outside the law and without offering any consumer protection mechanisms. Regardless of restrictive measures, in the illegal market the player will always be more exposed and vulnerable, which reinforces the need to strengthen regulation and oversight.
