Lula bans fixed-odds sports betting a week before Brazilian elections

President’s ‘hard, drastic and necessary measure’, likely to attract widespread public support, polls suggest

The Brazilian president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, has signed an order banning fixed-odds sports betting just over a week before the first round of the presidential election, in a move he said was designed to tackle the pervasive problem of families falling into debt.

The decision ends the operation, offering, intermediation and advertising of betting.

The provisional executive order comes into force immediately but will need congressional approval within 120 days to remain in effect. It prohibits new deposits into accounts and gives users of betting platforms until 5 October to withdraw their funds.

Lula’s government has also drafted a bill to establish criminal offences related to fixed-odds betting – the most common and dominant type of online sports betting – such as promoting them and using personal data to solicit punters.