The minister who is behind Lula's offensive against the bets
The Lula government's offensive against betting companies originates from the Secretariat of Social Communication (Secom), not from a technical or regulatory decision by the Presidential Palace. This assessment comes from a minister within the government itself, who spoke anonymously to Lauro Jardim's column in O Globo.
The driving force behind the initiative is Sidônio Palmeira, head of Secom (Special Secretariat for Social Communication), who calculates that an attack on online sports betting sites would increase the president's approval ratings in polls. The logic is instrumental; it's not a response to a technical diagnosis of the sector, but a political communication strategy.
The MP that doesn't exist
In the 15 days leading up to this Sunday (September 13th), publications circulated claiming that Lula was about to issue a provisional measure to tighten the rules for the betting sector. The columnist's investigation dismantles this version. "There's nothing like that on the agenda. That's something Sidônio (Palmeira) is planning," said the minister, who preferred not to be identified.
The revelation suggests that the rumors about the provisional measure were the product of expectation or a strategic leak, not a real decision by the Presidential Palace. The origin of the movement in the Special Secretariat for Social Communication (Secom) reverses the causality of the debate; it is not the government reacting to a problem in the sector, but the communications area deciding to attack the bets because it believes this helps presidential approval.
Risks of a ban
The debate, even if currently restricted to the sphere of political communication, has relevant practical consequences. A total ban would push demand into illegality, removing any protection for bettors. The government also faces fiscal dependence on the sector and recognizes the difficulty in replacing the revenue generated by betting. Media outlets and football, highly dependent on sponsorship revenue from betting companies, would also be impacted by harsher measures.
