São Paulo Governor Tarcísio de Freitas Calls for Brazil to End Betting

^{São Paulo governor Tarcísio de Freitas, pictured at his 2023 inauguration, told a health debate on 17 August 2026 that Brazil should end betting. (Photo: Ciete Silvério / Governo do Estado de São Paulo, Wikimedia Commons)}

São Paulo governor Tarcísio de Freitas told a health-industry debate on 17 August 2026 that Brazil should end betting altogether, calling the growth of online wagering a public health problem rather than an entertainment trend.

Speaking at the 'Diálogos da Saúde' debate, hosted by the São Paulo hospital and clinic association SindHosp and its affiliate Fesaúde, Tarcísio said: 'Either Brazil ends betting, or betting ends Brazil. We have to understand that this is a health problem.'

The governor, who is seeking re-election in October 2026, argued that between 20% and 25% of Brazilians' income is now tied up in betting activity, a figure he did not attribute to any published dataset. He said companies were already spending on therapy for employees to offset lost productivity linked to gambling debt.

Tarcísio's comments come after months of growing political pressure on Brazil's regulated betting industry, which the federal government opened to licensed operators in 2025. The government backed a bill to ban playing at online casinos earlier this year as lawmakers weighed further restrictions on the sector, and the debate over how far to roll back access has continued since.

A Widening Political Front Against Betting

Tarcísio's comments echo recent criticism from President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who has also spoken out against the betting sector's growth. With Brazil's state and federal elections approaching, betting has moved from a regulatory question to a campaign issue. Candidates across the political spectrum are using it to signal a tougher stance on debt and public health.

The governor drew a direct comparison to Brazil's tobacco control campaigns: 'We were effective in getting people off tobacco. And so the question is: will we be able to be effective in freeing people from drugs? The challenges are the same now. Perhaps the challenges now are greater than the challenges of tobacco were in the past.'

No Mental Health Programme Details Yet

Tarcísio said he would make mental health part of his re-election platform, promising a free, publicly funded programme to treat gambling addiction if re-elected. He gave no timeline, budget or implementation plan for the proposal, and did not say whether it would apply only to São Paulo state or seek federal backing.

Brazil's betting industry has had a rough year, and Tarcísio's comments pile on more pressure, including the Senate's decision on online casinos at the federal level. Industry representatives have signalled they expect continued scrutiny through the election cycle.

Plínio Lemos Jorge, president of the National Association of Games and Lotteries, said the sector would need to "remain resilient" during the campaign, and that scrutiny should ease once the election is over.

What to Watch

Tarcísio faces re-election in October 2026, and his comments are likely to keep betting regulation in the political spotlight through the campaign. Whether his call to end betting translates into an actual state or federal legislative proposal, rather than campaign rhetoric, remains to be seen.