Brazilian clubs are discussing the possibility of suspending the Brasileirão after the government of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva moved to end online gambling and betting in the country.
According to Brazilian media reports, Série A club presidents have been exchanging messages in WhatsApp groups about joining forces to pressure the government into introducing a transition period for the end of betting advertising and sponsorships.
A proposal currently under discussion would give clubs and betting companies between six months and one year to terminate or adapt existing contracts to comply with the new rules.
The Lula administration published the provisional measure on Friday, ordering betting websites and apps to be taken offline from October 6. From that date, advertising for gambling will also be banned.
For the measure to become permanent, however, it will still need to be approved by Congress.
The betting ban is expected to have an impact of more than R$1 billion on the revenues of Série A clubs, which is why they are opposing the measure.
Lula moved to end online betting and gambling, including popular games such as the so-called “Tigrinho” (Little Tiger), as part of an effort to tackle gambling addiction among thousands of Brazilians, amid a significant increase in household debt.
The clubs boycotted a meeting with government officials scheduled for Tuesday, in an attempt to increase political pressure amid the dispute.
The threat of a strike has reportedly led some members of Lula’s administration to call for negotiations with the clubs and the gambling industry to be postponed until after the first round of elections, scheduled for this Sunday, October 4.