Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has rolled out a ban on online gambling, just days before the country’s presidential election, in a bid to curb addiction and protect families from financial harm.
The provisional order, signed Friday, prohibits all sports betting and online casinos. Lula has called the sector a "cancer" and warned that without intervention it could "kill us". The ban must receive congressional approval within 120 days to become permanent.
The online gambling industry, legalised in 2018, has been blamed for widespread household income losses. Lula said the lack of age restrictions allowed children and teens to access betting sites, and he cited stories of families selling assets to cover gambling debts.
The decision comes less than a week before the first round of voting, in which Lula faces Flávio Bolsonaro, son of former president Jair Bolsonaro. Polls show the 80-year‑old leader tied closely with his opponent.
In addition to the gambling ban, Lula signed a bill targeting criminal offenses related to fixed‑odds betting. At the United Nations General Assembly earlier this week, he condemned the industry for turning addiction into profit.
Bolsonaro criticised the move as “populist, hypocritical and politically motivated.” He said the ban would unfairly hurt jobs and revenue.
Public opinion is sharply divided, but a recent Atlas–Bloomberg survey found that 59.9% of Brazilian adults favour banning online betting.
© Reuters
