‘We believe that there is an urgent need for measures to be taken to avoid this harassment on television and in the media,’ said Finance Minister Fernando Haddad.

‘It's a decision that's not going to be exclusive to the Treasury, it's going to involve the other ministers too, because it's important that they express themselves on this. [...] President [Lula] is inclined not to allow [use of the Bolsa Família card]. But he's going to listen to the ministers,’ he said.

According to Haddad, the meeting with Brazilian President Lula on the regulation of the bets should take place next Thursday (3) and will be attended by the Ministries of Social Development, Health and Sport.

Last Thursday (26), Minister Wellington Dias (Social Development) told a local media outlet that Lula had asked his government to urgently issue measures to reverse the situation regarding betting.

‘The regulation of betting, coordinated by the Ministry of Finance and the Civil House, should contain a rule with a zero limit for the social benefits card for games and control based on the CPF of those who play,’ he said.

The chief executive became aware of the situation after the publication of a technical note by the Central Bank, which indicated transfers via Pix worth R$3 billion to sports betting companies by Bolsa Família beneficiaries in August.

The amount going to the companies corresponds to 20% of the total amount transferred by the Bolsa Família programme in the month. The median amount spent per person was R$100.

Lula expressed his indignation at the news of the impact of the bets on the accounts of the poorest population and the high level of indebtedness.

Almost a third (30 per cent) of Brazilians aged between 16 and 24 said they had already gambled, according to a Datafolha survey published in January this year. The percentage among young people is double the average of 15 per cent for the whole country.

On Tuesday, the Ministry of Finance will release the list of betting sites authorised to operate in Brazil until December. Bets that are not on the list will be banned from offering online betting. These companies, however, must make their platforms available until 10 October, so that punters can withdraw the funds deposited.

‘These 10 days are more for the punter than for the bookmaker, because there are a lot of people who have money deposited with the bookmaker. So the 10 days are for the person to check if they have a balance and ask for a refund,’ said Haddad.

‘Otherwise, we'd take it down immediately, but we're not going to do that in order to protect the eventual punter's savings,’ he added.

The companies that have requested authorisation to operate will be able to remain in business while they await regulations from the Department of Prizes and Betting. ‘If they are not accredited by the end of the year or do not pay the licence fee, they will also go out of business,’ said the minister.

By Nathalia Garcia