Lula’s government banned online gambling through a Provisional Measure issued on September 25. Lawmakers have 120 days from its publication to approve or reject it.
Lula took 51.76% of the vote to Bolsonaro’s 48.24%, with 99.81% of ballots counted. He trailed in the first round, where Bolsonaro’s Liberal Party took around 47% against 45.2% for Lula’s Workers’ Party. The win gives Lula a fourth term, a first for a Brazilian president. He is also the first president since 1988 to come back from behind after the opening round.
The president will face a legislature controlled by the right. Right-wing parties are set to hold 303 of the 513 seats in the Chamber of Deputies, with 124 going to the left and 86 to the center. The right will also hold two-thirds of the Senate.
After his win, Lula pledged to work with his opponents, saying:
“I didn’t choose Congress. The people did.”
Operators hit by the ban are weighing their response. Flutter Entertainment and Betano are reportedly considering legal action, as the measure ended five-year licenses they bought before the regulated market launched. The Brazilian Institute of Responsible Gaming (IBJR) has commissioned a study on how the ban will affect jobs.
