Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva signs an order banning fixed-odds online betting, ahead of the country’s presidential election. Multiple outlets report the measure also targets digital casinos and arrives as online gambling continues to expand in Brazil.
The reports place the timing close to election day, with at least one source saying the order is expected to be signed days before the vote. They also note that Brazil licensed online betting only recently, in January 2025, meaning the sector is still early in its formal rollout. The agreements across outlets focus on the same policy direction—ending fixed-odds products—while differing slightly in emphasis, such as how broadly the ban is described (sports betting alongside other digital gambling) and the economic or social framing cited by each outlet.
One source characterizes Lula’s justification more directly, reporting that he calls gambling a “disease” amid concerns about people falling into debt. Other outlets describe the move in terms of the rapid growth of a multibillion-dollar market, and Lula’s broader political stance, without highlighting the same phrasing.
