Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has announced a ban on online gambling, just days before the country's presidential election. President Lula, who is seeking a fourth term, signed a provisional order on Friday that prohibits all sports betting and online casinos.
The online gambling industry was legalised in Brazil in 2018 and has since been blamed for widespread household income losses due to addiction. Lula described the industry as a "cancer" and stated, "either we remove the tumour, or it kills us."
The ban comes over a week before the first round of voting in Brazil's presidential election, where recent polls show the 80-year-old leader in a close race with Flávio Bolsonaro. The new measures must receive congressional approval within 120 days to remain in force.
Lula also signed a separate bill to penalise criminal offences related to fixed-odds betting. Flávio Bolsonaro, however, called the gambling crackdown "populist, hypocritical and politically motivated" during a campaign rally.