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Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has announced a ban on online gambling days before the first round of a presidential election in which he is seeking a fourth term, according to Reuters.
Lula signed a provisional order on Friday that prohibits sports betting and online casinos. He described the industry as a “cancer”, saying: “Either we remove the tumour, or it kills us.”
The measure must be approved by Congress within 120 days to remain in force. Lula said online betting had been created during the administration of former President Michel Temer but had “grown without regulation under Bolsonaro’s management”.
Why Brazil is restricting online betting
Online gambling was legalised in Brazil in 2018 and has since grown rapidly. Critics have linked it to widespread household income losses caused by addiction.
Lula said there were no adequate restrictions to prevent children and teenagers from accessing online betting. “We won’t allow betting companies to profit at the expense of Brazilian families’ income and lives,” he said.
The president also said he had heard from families who had sold everything in their homes because of gambling addictions. In a separate measure, he signed a bill introducing penalties for criminal offences connected to fixed-odds betting.
Election dispute over the ban
The announcement came just over a week before the election’s first round. Recent opinion polls show Lula, 80, in a close contest with Flávio Bolsonaro, the son of jailed former President Jair Bolsonaro.
Flávio Bolsonaro called the crackdown “populist, hypocritical and politically motivated” at a campaign rally in Rio de Janeiro on Friday, Reuters reported.
Most forms of gambling, including casinos and slot machines, are illegal in Brazil. However, online betting has become increasingly popular since its legalisation. A survey by Atlas and Bloomberg published this week found that 59.9% of Brazilian adults support banning internet betting.
