Brazilian President Lula issued an executive order immediately banning online betting; Congress must approve it within 120 days for it to remain in force. His government is concerned gambling spending has drained household budgets and contributed to record indebtedness.
Polls showed Lula in a tight race against Senator Flávio Bolsonaro ahead of the October 4 first-round vote. At a Rio campaign rally, Flávio called the ban “populist, hypocritical and politically motivated.”
Finance Minister Dario Durigan described online betting as a serious public-health issue. Recent surveys showed roughly three-quarters of Brazilians supported a complete ban.
