@casinorank

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Brazil President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva stated that, if it were up to him, online betting companies would be shut down.

During a livestream on Sunday, he said he had met with “eight victims of online betting”. To reinforce his criticism of the sector and in an attempt to win over conservative voters, he pointed out that one gambler had made 1,400 instant fund transfers (Pix) to a betting site. Lula criticised the Central Bank for failing to detect such a high volume of transactions to a single company.

However, that responsibility does not lie with the Central Bank. It is the role of the Secretariat of Prizes and Bets to monitor and regulate the sector. Betting companies submit detailed daily reports on bettors’ financial transactions with the sites. A specific module within Brazil’s betting management system detects recurring transfers.

About @casinorank

Group income reached R6.58 billion ($411.9 million) across the first half of the year when excluding the Table Bay Hotel (TBH), which the company is running under a management agreement with IHG.

Sun International’s adjusted EBITDA (excluding TBH) edged up 2% to R1.59 billion in H1. Revenue growth was at the “upper end of expectations”.

H1 growth was driven by Sun International’s online division, with revenue from SunBet surging 35.5% year-on-year to R1.18 billion.

What is @casinorank?

The meeting brought together 40 professionals from the clubs’ legal, communications and marketing departments, as well as executives from companies in the betting sector. Club officials are concerned about the financial impact of the measures, which could impact sponsorship contracts signed with betting companies.

One of the main concerns is Bill 560/2025, which is currently making its way through the council. The proposal prohibits advertising by betting companies at events in the city of São Paulo. This applies to events organised by public or private entities, whether for-profit or non-profit.

The bill prohibits signs, banners, or display panels in arenas, gymnasiums, stadiums and other sports event venues. It also bans advertising on public transport, such as the side panel, exterior or the rear window of buses. The bill imposes a fine of BRL50,000 ($10,000) and a ban on hosting events for up to two years.