The Minister of Finance, Dario Durigan, said that the commitment of Brazilians’ income to bets, as betting sites are called, is a fact. In Desenrola 2.0, a family debt renegotiation package, whose provisional measure was signed this Monday, 4th, beneficiaries will not be able to play bets for twelve months.
“The fact is that, even in the study that shows the smaller impact of betting, we have a compromise in people’s income. So, in this model of stimulating more sustainable credit, the ideal is that the person who says they are in debt – and who, therefore, needs help to renegotiate their debt – does not compromise their income with gambling”, commented Durigan in an interview with GloboNews.
The minister pointed out that since 2024, bets have been going through a tough regulation process. He noted that there are divergences in studies on how much bets impact consumption and how much they increase debts. What is certain, the minister understands, is that there is an impact on the availability of income.
During the interview, Durigan stressed that Desenrola 2.0 was built, following best practices, together with banks and fintechs, with the aim of improving credit quality. “We are not doing anything in an imposing way, in the sense of not having dialogue.”
Durigan also said that, since the beginning of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s current term, more than 15 million Brazilians have managed to access formal credit instruments. This is good news, but it also reinforces, as the minister highlighted, the need for financial education for families.
High interest
During an interview for GloboNewsDario Durigan refuted the relationship, made by economists, between Brazil’s high interest rates and excessive government spending.
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“It’s very common to hear, and it’s an easy analysis that is made in the economy, that the government spends a lot, that’s why the interest rate is high. It’s not true,” he declared.
The Finance Minister argued that, although the fiscal situation has been improving since 2024, the interest rate has not fallen. He also commented that interest rates are now being pressured by the escalation of conflicts in the Middle East, which caused a spike in oil prices, and not by the fiscal issue. “They are very different discussions.”
Durigan also noted that default increased credit risk, putting pressure on the interest charged to consumers, a situation that the government seeks to resolve with Desenrola 2.0.
“Improving the level of family debt improves the financial system itself”, commented the minister. “By improving the condition of the banking system as a whole, banks will be able to offer a lower interest rate,” added Durigan.
