Anti-Betting Stance Fails to Secure Electoral Victory – Despite concerted efforts by some politicians to make online betting a central campaign issue, anti-betting campaigns largely failed to deliver electoral gains in Brazil’s first round of elections, with many proponents of restrictions experiencing significant defeats.
What Happened
Opponents of online betting across Brazil, who prominently featured the issue in their campaigns, did not succeed in making it an electoral priority in the first round of elections. Numerous politicians supporting betting restrictions were either defeated or performed poorly, from Rio de Janeiro to Rio Grande do Sul. This outcome occurred despite President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva signing Provisional Measure No. 1,394/2026, which banned online betting on September 25, just nine days before the election. While the ban briefly became a campaign talking point in the final week across several states, findings indicated no clear correlation between support for restrictions and voter turnout.
Key Details
- In Rio de Janeiro, PSD candidate Eduardo Paes, who vowed to abolish the state lottery company Loterj and criticized the previous administration for a “betting paradise,” saw an initial lead in polls (46% to Douglas Ruas’ 38%) overturned. After a recount due to the invalidation of Anthony Garotinho’s candidacy, Ruas secured 50.88% of valid votes, while Paes received 44.16%. Paes’ ally, federal deputy Pedro Paulo (PSD), also failed to win a Senate seat.
- Across other states, similar patterns emerged. Patrus Ananias (PT) in Minas Gerais, who hailed the ban as a “new beginning” for families, only garnered 26% of votes, while critic Cleitinho Azevedo (Republicanos), who largely avoided the topic, won with approximately 55%. Governor Mateus Simões (PSD), who had restricted stadium betting advertisements, received under 5%.
- In Rio Grande do Sul, Juliana Brizola (PDT), who campaigned for the measure, secured around 32%, whereas Marcelo Maranata (PSDB) finished below 2%. Luciano Zucco (PL), who dismissed the ban as “electoral desperation,” won with about 58%.
- Paraná saw anti-betting candidate Requião Filho (PDT) defeated by Sergio Moro (PL), who took 50.10%. In Ceará, Ciro Gomes (PSDB) received 46.52%.
- Exceptions included Jerônimo Rodrigues (PT) in Bahia, who welcomed Lula’s decision and was re-elected governor with 55.80%, and Raquel Lyra (PSD) in Pernambuco, who praised the president’s stance and offered aid to sports clubs, securing 53.25%. Both were serving their second terms.
- Pre-election polls had already indicated a discrepancy between public support for a betting ban and its actual influence on voting intentions.
Why It Matters
The outcomes of Brazil’s first round elections suggest that, despite a high-profile presidential ban on online betting just before the polls, the issue did not resonate as a primary electoral concern for many voters. This indicates a potential disconnect between public sentiment on certain social issues and their weight in political decision-making at the ballot box. The results also highlight the complex interplay of local factors, candidate popularity, and broader political narratives that ultimately influence election outcomes, rather than singular policy stances, even those with significant public discourse.