Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva called on civil society to participate in a Supreme Court hearing on the country’s ban on online betting. The issue is before the court, which is holding a public hearing to gather information before ruling on challenges to the measure.
In a video posted on social media on Tuesday, Lula said public involvement was important to ensure a fair decision. He also suggested that more participants in the debate support keeping betting operations open than oppose them. In a message on his WhatsApp channel, he urged people to follow the hearing so the public would not be misled.
The ban was introduced through a provisional measure signed by Lula on October 25. It prohibits online casinos, including games such as “Jogo do Tigrinho,” and sports betting operations. The government also sent Congress a bill proposing tougher rules for the illegal betting market and defining crimes related to fixed-odds betting.
Betting-sector organizations have asked the Supreme Court to overturn the provisional measure. Justice Luiz Fux agreed to hold a public hearing, following a request from the attorney general’s office, before deciding on the cases.
Supporters of the ban include government bodies such as the ministries of Finance, Health and Sport, as well as the attorney general’s office. The National Confederation of Commerce and the National Confederation of Industry are also expected to argue in favor of the measure. Opponents include football clubs such as Flamengo, Corinthians and Cruzeiro, the Brazilian Football Confederation, and associations linked to the betting industry.
The hearing was initially set to include 28 organizations, 20 of which had publicly supported overturning the measure. After a request from the attorney general’s office, Fux added further participants who favor the ban, including the Health Ministry, the Public Security Ministry and the Brazilian Supermarket Association. The hearing is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m., with each participant given 10 minutes to present their arguments.
The provisional measure must be considered by Congress within 120 days to become law permanently. The government says it can reassess public policies and end lottery-related activities when they pose risks to public health, security or families’ well-being. In a submission to the court, the attorney general’s office cited health ministry data indicating a 140% increase in public health system appointments related to gambling disorders between 2018 and 2025.
Football clubs have raised concerns about the loss of betting-company sponsorships and the effect on their finances. The government is considering ways to support clubs affected by the measure.
Sources: CNN Brasil.