President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has firmly stated that Brazil will not lift its ban on betting, declaring that the nation needs to "end this plague." This announcement came just three days ahead of the presidential runoff scheduled for October 25. Lula made these comments during a livestream alongside federal deputy André Janones and financial influencer Nath Finanças.
The president shared that his decision stemmed from conversations with young people burdened by gambling debts ranging from R$ 4,000 to R$ 24,000. He expressed concern over tragic reports of individuals who took their own lives after experiencing significant financial losses due to gambling.
There had been speculation, fueled by a report from Brasil de Fato, suggesting that betting operations might resume on October 26. Lula also mentioned plans to create a secretariat focused on popular finance, proposing Nath Finanças as a candidate for the position.
On the same day, a Datafolha poll indicated a deadlock between Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro, with both candidates receiving 50% of valid votes. While some reports claimed that gambling could resume if Bolsonaro wins, these assertions are unverified and based on anonymous sources.
To reestablish a legal betting framework, either a judicial decision or direct government action is necessary. Currently, Supreme Federal Court Justice Luiz Fux, who oversees legal challenges to the ban, has not issued any verdicts as of October 23.
For the ban to become permanent, congressional approval is essential. As of October 21, the committee responsible for reviewing the ban has yet to convene. Lawmakers have submitted 94 amendments for discussion.
The procedure to consider the ban urgently is set to start on November 9, demanding conclusions by November 23. Meanwhile, a recent report highlighted that the Brazilian Receita Federal collected R$11.12 billion (approximately $2.21 billion) in gambling and betting taxes as of September 2026, surpassing the R$9.95 billion total collected throughout 2025. These figures represent the entire revenue from gambling and betting, not restricted solely to fixed-odds betting.
