The Superior Electoral Court determined that the practice constitutes economic power abuse and illicit vote capturing.
Brazil.- The Superior Electoral Court (TSE) decided to consider illegal the holding of bets on the outcome of the municipal elections to be held this year in Brazil. According to a new text, approved by the Court's ministers, the practice could constitute economic power abuse and illicit vote capturing.
«The use of a commercial organization, even on online platforms, or through the use of the Internet, for the practice of sales, offers of goods or values, bets, distribution of goods, prizes or raffles, whatever the type of business adopted, name or informality of the company, that contains indications or deviations through indicative links or that lead to websites used for the promise or free offer or through payment of any value, goods, products or announcements linked to the candidates, or to the outcome of the election, is characterized as electoral illicit, which could constitute economic power abuse and illicit vote capturing«, states the new resolution of the TSE.
According to the president of the TSE, minister Cármen Lúcia, the measure is necessary to ensure elections are «safe» and «transparent» for the voters. At least five betting houses were offering bets on who will come out victorious in the October elections.
See also: New rules for online gambling in Brazil: from October 1st, betting sites that have not requested authorization will be banned
A resolution from the Ministry of Finance determined that bets can create markets related only to sports-themed events or online games. «Bets that go beyond these two modalities are not foreseen by the legislation and, therefore, cannot be considered legal», communicated from the portfolio.
