President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva signed a provisional order on Friday that prohibits all sports betting and online casino activity in Brazil.
The ban comes just over a week before the first round of voting in the 2026 presidential election, where Lula is vying for a fourth term against the son of former President Jair Bolsonaro.
Online gambling was first legalized in 2018, but critics say it has spiralled into widespread addiction and has cost many households their savings and homes.
Lula called the industry a “cancer” and warned that “either we remove the tumour, or it kills us.” He said the sector had grown unchecked, especially after the Bolsonaro administration lifted restrictions that had initially been imposed.
It will remain in force only if a provisional approval is secured by Congress within 120 days, otherwise the ban will lapse.
During a statement on X, Lula highlighted that the industry operates without restrictions to stop children and adolescents from joining, and that betting companies profit at the expense of families’ income and lives.
Pound for pound, the president praised the voices of families who have been devastated by gambling addiction, sharing stories of homes sold to pay for betting debts.
In a separate move, Lula signed a bill penalizing fixed‑odds betting offences, further tightening legal ramifications for online gambling.
Bolsonaro’s son, Flávio Bolsonaro, dismissed the crackdown as a “populist, hypocritical and politically motivated” attack during a campaign rally in Rio de Janeiro.
While most physical gambling venues remain illegal in Brazil, the 2018 legalization of online platforms has led to a rapid rise in their use. A recent survey by Atlas and Bloomberg found that 59.9% of Brazilian adults support banning internet betting.
