Gem Heat

What is Gem Heat?

Instead of asking players to select individual titles from a conventional lobby, Swipe Games takes its cues from the social-media feed. Players enter an endless stream of short videos and have three to five seconds to choose between three possible outcomes. For example, in a football penalty shoot-out game that could mean a goal, miss or a save.

The ending of the video reveals the result. If the player does not fancy a particular clip, they simply swipe up to see another.

“We are as quick as crash games, but the pattern and the feel are more like betting”

What is Gem Heat?

Lula said he intends to discuss the matter with his team and analyse potential measures to consider the social impact of online betting.

What the president does not acknowledge is that the government relies on revenue from the sector. In just the first seven months of 2026, BRL8.747 billion generated by sports betting has already flowed into public coffers. The Federal Revenue Service estimates the total could reach BRL16 billion by the end of the year. In 2025, nearly BRL9 billion was collected from sportsbooks.

The burning question is where such funds will come from if Lula shuts down the betting industry. Yet, no one points out to him that players will simply migrate to the illegal market. Betting will continue to exist, but without formal tax revenue, oversight or player protections.

About Gem Heat

Members pushed the government for further action to block illegal websites, in the same way it provides power to quickly address terrorist and child pornography sites.

Members advocated for stronger powers to be given to Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), the regulator of gambling in the Netherlands, with tougher action taken against payment providers, social media sites and affiliates that facilitate illegal gambling.

Van Bruggen revealed the cabinet was in the process of developing legislation to introduce DNS blocking for illegal sites, with a consultation due for early 2027.