Brazil's Attorney General's Office has requested 72 hours from the Supreme Court to prepare a response to a lawsuit challenging the temporary betting ban announced by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Friday.
The National Association of Games and Lotteries (ANJL) and the Brazilian Institute of Responsible Gaming (IBJR) filed the suit. They are seeking to suspend the measure and prevent the Finance Ministry, Justice Ministry, telecoms regulator Anatel, the Central Bank and state-owned Caixa Econômica Federal from revoking licences, blocking payments or shutting down sites and apps.
The industry groups argue the temporary measure is unconstitutional. They say it fails to justify the urgency of the ban, lacks technical studies on its impact, and undermines confidence in Brazil's business environment. Eighty-five licensed operators are active in the country, each having paid 30 million reais ($5.7 million) for a concession. The ban creates a risk the government may have to return around 2.5 billion reais.
The AGU stressed the request is procedural and does not signal a position on the merits. The window allows relevant ministries time to prepare arguments in defence of the challenged acts before the court hears the operators' claims.
