The office of Brazil's attorney general has requested a 72-hour period to respond to a legal challenge targeting the country's betting ban. This request was directed to Minister Luiz Fux of the Supreme Federal Court (STF) on Monday, following a lawsuit filed by betting organizations aiming to overturn a provisional measure implemented by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Friday.
The attorney general's office stated that the responsible authorities require time to defend the regulations in dispute. This procedural request is not meant to imply a stance on the substantive issues at hand.
The National Association of Games and Lotteries (ANJL) and the Brazilian Institute for Responsible Gaming (IBJR) are seeking not only to have the provisional measure suspended but also to prevent various government bodies—including the Ministries of Finance and Justice, Anatel, the Central Bank, Caixa Econômica Federal, and the Internet Steering Committee—from revoking licenses, blocking payments, or shutting down websites and applications associated with betting.
These organizations argue that the provisional ban is unconstitutional, claiming it fails to establish the necessary urgency typically required for such measures, lacks sufficient technical assessments of its implications, and jeopardizes confidence in Brazil’s business climate.
The legal complaint outlines that Brazil is home to 85 licensed betting companies, each having paid BRL30 million (approximately $5.7 million) for their licenses. The provisional measure poses a potential risk that the government might be compelled to refund these amounts, which would total around BRL2.5 billion.
The attorney general's office emphasized that their request seeks to provide the government a chance to address the recent submissions before the STF takes action on the sector's claims.
In their statement, they said, "The attorney general’s office requested this Monday (28 September) that the Supreme Federal Court allow a 72-hour period for the presidency of the Republic and the AGU to respond to the submissions made by ANJL and IBJR regarding regulations affecting the fixed-odds betting sector."
They added that both ANJL, representing the gaming and betting entities, and IBJR have raised concerns regarding the measures in their legal filings, necessitating the opportunity for governmental bodies to articulate their defense before the Court reviews the matter.
