A ministry technical note says Willer Tomaz moved BR5bn ($965m) through betting last year. He says the funds are lawful and the figures don't reflect reality.
Brazil recorded 363 workers receiving temporary incapacity benefits linked to gambling addiction in 2025, up from 67 in 2023.
Minister Guilherme Boulos says the Government is discussing measures to address lost sponsorship revenue with a permanent working group.
Soraya Thronicke, who ran against Lula in 2022, says her work on the betting parliamentary inquiries drove her change of position.
Flamengo, Fluminense and São Paulo have challenged Brazil’s betting advertising ban through new shirt messaging and alternative branding.
The Brazilian Olympic Committee's director-general says part of its planned budget relied on betting revenue, and that the body is open to talks with the public sector on easing the impact.
With many questions left unanswered, the online workshop will focus on discussing the future following the ban.
The São Paulo club and the state-owned bank that runs Brazil's federal lotteries have confirmed negotiations over a BR640m stadium debt.
The Finance Ministry’s betting secretariat will join an interagency committee led by the presidential chief of staff, as the government steps up enforcement against illegal gambling and advertising.
The football confederation is targeting 10 to 12 sponsorship deals for 2027, with television exposure boosting the appeal of commercial packages despite the loss of betting operators.