Lula cites end of betting operators in letter to evangelicals in final stretch of runoff

President Lula released on October 14, 2026 a letter addressed to evangelicals in which he presents the ban on online betting as a measure that protects families. In the document, he states that betting operators «estão destruindo tantos lares» (are destroying so many homes), according to an excerpt reproduced by Yogonet. The initiative comes eleven days before the runoff, scheduled for October 25, with Lula trailing Flávio Bolsonaro (PL) in the first-round result: 45.16% versus 47.03% of valid votes, according to Gazeta do Povo.

What the letter says about betting operators

According to Yogonet, Lula writes in the letter: «Dentre as várias ações do meu governo que abençoam suas famílias, relembro a vocês, por exemplo, o combate às apostas online, as Bets, que estão destruindo tantos lares». The president also mentions the end of the 6×1 work schedule and argues, according to Gazeta do Povo, that these measures strengthen family bonds and give evangelicals more time to attend church. Bela Megale's column in O Globo broke the content ahead of the official release on Wednesday (14).

Electoral strategy among evangelicals

According to Correio Braziliense, the letter is part of the campaign strategy to reduce rejection of Lula among evangelicals in the final stretch of the runoff. Polls point to a disadvantage of at least twenty percentage points for the Workers' Party candidate compared to Flávio Bolsonaro in this segment, according to O Tempo. The Frente de Evangélicos pelo Estado de Direito, a movement that supports Lula's reelection, is the main bearer of the document and distributes the physical material to communities, according to O Globo and Correio Braziliense.

Status of the Provisional Measure banning betting operators

The letter references Provisional Measure No. 1.394/2026, issued by Lula on September 25. According to Yogonet, the Provisional Measure bans the operation, offering, intermediation, and advertising of fixed-odds betting in the country. The measure is in effect, but its continuity depends on the National Congress, which must review the text within 120 days. Yogonet reports that the Provisional Measure received 97 amendments submitted by 24 lawmakers and still needs to be reviewed by a joint committee that has not been established. It is therefore unknown whether Congress will uphold, amend, or reject the ban.