Brazilian president bans online betting ahead of election

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva signed an executive order Friday banning online betting in Brazil, Courthouse News reports, with the order taking immediate effect but requiring congressional approval within 120 days to remain in force.

“Society was left completely unprotected,” Lula said. “The country brought the casino into people’s homes. It is in the kitchen, it is in the living room. There has to be oversight.”

The order, coming nine days before the first round of Brazil’s presidential election, reverses a regulated betting market implemented in 2025. Gambling-related harm reportedly costs Brazil’s public health system an estimated 38.8 billion reais (about $7.7 billion) annually.

Betting sites will go offline October 6, with bettors’ funds to be returned between October 9 and 14. The National Association of Games and Lotteries said it is preparing a court challenge, with its president, Plínio Lemos Jorge, saying compensation claims would cover licensing costs and “material damages.”