Brazilian Congress weighs online betting ban after Lula wins election

Vote share for Lula da Silva

51.75%

Cost of a licence

BRL 30m

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva won Brazil's presidential election, reportedly taking 51.75% of the vote against Flavio Bolsonaro. The result leaves the future of the country's online gaming and fixed-odds betting market with Congress, which must decide the fate of Provisional Measure 1,394, signed by Lula in September.

Provisional Measure 1,394 places an immediate nationwide ban on fixed-odds betting and online gaming. It has not been signed into law. The measure does not provide for refunding the licence fees operators paid to launch in Brazil; a licence cost BRL 30 million.

Congress must vote on the measure within 60 days, a period that can be extended by a further 60 days. Possible outcomes include keeping the ban, overturning it, or retaining the ban on iGaming while restoring online betting.

Brazil legalised online gaming and betting less than two years ago, and multiple operators and providers obtained licences. The September measure led some operators to exit the market and others to wait to see whether it would stand. The presidential election was held on 25 October, and industry stakeholders had counted on Bolsonaro to defeat Lula and overturn the measure.

Kambi officials told iGaming Business that Brazil would remain an attractive market if the country changes its mind, and that Kambi would probably continue serving it.