March 9 (UPI) -- Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva announced in a YouTube video he will push for a ban on digital casinos to curb online gambling addiction and protect families from debt linked to Internet betting.
The announcement came during a message marking International Women's Day, in which Lula linked the growth of digital betting to economic and social impacts that he said affect women in particular.
"Another drama hitting Brazilian households is gambling addiction. Although most addicts are men, the bill falls on women: money for food, rent, school and children disappearing on a cellphone screen," Lula said.
The president questioned how digital betting platforms have expanded rapidly through mobile phones and apps, even though physical casinos have been banned in Brazil for decades.
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