Brazil's Lula da Silva signs an EO banning online betting; app stores and telecom providers must block platforms on Oct. 6; Congress has 120 days to approve it (Reuters)

Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has signed an executive order banning online betting operations in the country. The ban, which comes into effect on October 6, requires app stores and telecom providers to block online betting platforms. According to Lula, the move aims to tackle the problem of families falling into debt due to online gambling.

The president described online betting as a "cancer" that needs to be addressed, and the measure has the support of two-thirds of Brazilians, according to El Pais. The ban was announced just over a week before the first round of the presidential election, in which Lula is competing against Senator Flavio Bolsonaro.

Online betting has grown rapidly in Brazil in recent years, leading to a crisis of debt and addiction. The Congress has 120 days to approve the ban, Reuters reported.

Brief written by urgent.news from Techmeme, El Pais, France 24, Investing.com, IOL — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.