Story perspectives

Lula Signs Online Betting Ban, Forcing Withdrawals by Oct. 5

By Drooid · Sep 29, 2026, 2:25 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva signed a provisional measure banning online sports betting and casino games.
The ban stops new deposits, forces withdrawals by October 5 and shuts sites offline on October 6.
Finance Minister Dario Durigan said the measure tackles a public-health problem tied to household debt and gambling harm.
Government estimates Brazilians spend R$60 billion annually on online betting, generating R$10 billion in tax revenue.

History

Historical Context

Congress hurriedly added the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act to the SAFE Port Act in September 2006, and President George W. Bush signed it on 13 October 2006, directing banks to block online-gambling payments—a move that followed a 2008 estimate of $21 billion in global online-gambling revenue. Citing that precedent, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva signed a provisional measure in October 2024 banning online betting in Brazil.

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Story summary

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva signed a provisional measure banning online sports betting and casino games.
The ban stops new deposits, forces withdrawals by October 5 and shuts sites offline on October 6.
Finance Minister Dario Durigan said the measure tackles a public-health problem tied to household debt and gambling harm.
Government estimates Brazilians spend R$60 billion annually on online betting, generating R$10 billion in tax revenue.

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