Brazil’s President Lula Bans Online Gambling Ahead of Election

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has issued a provisional order that prohibits all online sports betting and casino operations, effective immediately. The ban comes just days before the first round of Brazil’s presidential election, in which Lula is competing for a fourth term against Flávio Bolsonaro, the son of former president Jair Bolsonaro.

Lula described the industry as a “cancer” and warned that either we remove the tumour or it kills us. He said the sector has grown unchecked under past administrations and has resulted in widespread household income losses and addiction.

The move will take effect only if Brazil’s congress approves the measure within 120 days; otherwise the prohibition will lapse. Lula also signed a bill to increase penalties for fixed‑odds betting offences.

“We won’t allow betting companies to profit at the expense of Brazilian families’ income and lives,” the president told X, adding that numerous families have already sold homes to cover gambling debts.

Flávio Bolsonaro criticised the crackdown as “populist, hypocritical and politically motivated.” Yet a recent survey from Atlas and Bloomberg shows that 59.9% of Brazilian adults support banning internet betting.

Most other forms of gambling—including physical casinos and slot machines—remain illegal in Brazil, making the online market the primary driver of the industry.