Brazil’s Lula says he wants to end regulated betting as provisional measure is expected this Friday

Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has again signaled that he wants to shut down the country’s regulated betting sector, with a provisional measure expected on Friday. For PSPs, acquirers, and operators, the key point is not the rhetoric; it is the possibility that online betting rules in Brazil could be suspended before Congress gets its say.

1. During a campaign event in Rio de Janeiro this week, Lula attacked regulated betting and said: “If we don’t fight this, the algorithms will win.” He also said: “I will have immense pleasure in putting an end to betting.”
2. Lula is expected to issue a provisional measure on Friday, with suggestions that he could seek to overturn the law that regulates online betting in Brazil. Because betting cannot realistically be banned overnight, the measure would suspend the regulated gambling sector until the National Congress approves or rejects the decision.
3. According to Lula, football clubs would need to find other forms of financing. He framed the move as a government decision rather than a direct dispute with football, after some clubs last week published a manifesto supporting the regulated betting sector.
4. On Wednesday, Lula met with ministers to discuss possible restrictions. Those present were Dario Durigan, minister of finance; Mirian Belchior, chief of staff; Bruno Moretti, minister of planning and budget; Wellington César, minister of justice; and Gabriel Galípolo, president of the Central Bank.
5. The government has not yet officially announced the measures it plans to take. Three options are on the table: tighter advertising restrictions, a ban on the online casino vertical while keeping sports betting with advertising limits, or the most radical route — effectively ending betting altogether. The economic team is also concerned about legal challenges and about the impact on government finances.

Lula repeated the same message at the opening of the UN General Assembly this week. For high-risk operators, the immediate question is whether Brazil is heading toward narrower ad rules, a partial product ban, or a broader suspension that would force a fast reassessment of local payment flows.