São Paulo governor Tarcísio de Freitas joins calls for a ban on betting in Brazil

São Paulo governor Tarcísio de Freitas has added his voice to the political push against betting in Brazil, calling it a “health problem” during a debate in São Paulo. For PSPs, acquirers, and gambling operators, the important part is not the rhetoric itself but the direction of travel: betting is now firmly in the electoral crosshairs.

1. Tarcísio de Freitas, who is seeking re-election as governor of São Paulo, said during the “Health Dialogues” debate at the Union of Hospitals, Clinics and Laboratories of São Paulo (SindHosp) that “Either Brazil ends betting, or betting ends Brazil. We have to understand that this is a health problem.”
2. He framed online gambling as comparable to Brazil’s anti-smoking campaign decades ago, arguing that addiction should be treated as an illness and that the state needs to provide specialised care. He also called for a “robust, accessible and digitised national programme” focused on treating gambling addiction.
3. The governor linked betting growth to household debt and said that “20% of Brazilians’ income is committed to gambling,” but did not say where that figure came from. The text does not verify the number.
4. His comments echo recent criticism of betting by President Lula. The sector’s trade bodies are already preparing for a campaign cycle in which online gambling is a political target, with Plínio Lemos Jorge of the National Association of Games and Lotteries (ANJL) saying to iGaming Business: “The industry will have to remain resilient during this period.”

The broader point for payment companies is straightforward: Brazil has become one of the largest online betting markets in the world, and the debate is no longer just about licensing or tax rates. It is now also about whether the sector can withstand repeated attacks from nationally relevant politicians while remaining bankable.