ANJL disputes Abras’ claim linking food spending to betting restrictions in Brazil
Regulation2 min read
In brief
- ANJL disputes Abras' claim that legal betting restrictions raised food consumption in Brazil.
- ANJL cites October IPCA-15 at 0.38% and food and drinks at 0.88%, with falls in several items.
- ANJL points to a 15% Bolsa Família increase and two public holidays as consumption factors.
- STF public hearing on the betting market is scheduled for 3 November with 26 entities invited.
The National Association of Games and Lotteries (ANJL) has disputed a claim by the Brazilian Supermarkets Association (Abras) that restrictions on legal betting drove higher food consumption in Brazil, saying official IBGE inflation data do not support the link. The ANJL also drew attention to the timing of Abras' statement, in the week before a public hearing at the Supreme Court (STF) on the future of the betting market.
According to the ANJL, the IBGE reported that the October IPCA-15, covering 16 September to 14 October, stood at 0.38%, down from 0.7% in the previous month. The food and drinks group rose 0.88%, but prices fell for several items, including carrots at -10.67%, fruit at -1.37% and ground coffee, which Abras cited, at -1.16%; beans, milk and meat also recorded price falls, the association said. The ANJL added that a 15% increase in Bolsa Família, announced by the federal government in September and effective from October, is a significant factor in basic food consumption, alongside two public holidays in September and October.
Plínio Lemos Jorge, president of the ANJL, said the macroeconomic data show no basis for linking the end of legal betting in Brazil to higher consumption of certain foods. He said millions of bettors continue to play on more than 30,000 illegal sites available in the country, and that the spread of unverified information appears to be an attempt to mobilise public opinion.
The STF public hearing is scheduled for 3 November, with 26 entities and institutions from various sectors invited, including the ANJL, and football clubs are also expected to take part. The ANJL was launched in March 2023 and represents its members, the sector and responsible and integrity-based gambling, according to the association.