Online betting banned in Brazil
The head of the Brazilian Ministry of Finance said that the country faced “a serious public health problem”. The websites of the betting companies will be available until October 5. The decision was made on the eve of the presidential election
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on September 25 announced a ban on online betting operators in the country. This was reported by Reuters.
The measure was introduced against the backdrop of the upcoming presidential election, the first round of which is scheduled for October 4. According to polls, Lula da Silva and right-wing Sen. Flavio Bolsonaro are in a tense fight.
“We are facing a serious public health challenge related to online betting. This is a serious problem, Finance Minister Dario Durigan said.
He said that the sites of betting companies will remain available to users until October 5, so that they can withdraw the remaining funds. From October 6, app stores and ISPs will have to block these sites.
Senator Flavio Bolsonaro called the ban "populist, hypocritical and politically motivated" at a campaign rally in Rio de Janeiro.
At the same time, Lula da Silva presented a new program aimed at reducing the debt burden of households. The decision was one of the measures announced by Brazilian authorities ahead of the election.
The first blocking of online betting sites in Brazil began in October 2024. As reported by Reuters, the authorities of the country began to suspend the work of betting companies that did not apply for a work permit.
