TLDR
- Brazil’s Senate held a hearing on July 2 about the rise in betting advertising during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
- Senator Eduardo Girão called for the repeal of Brazil’s Betting Law, citing harm to families and public health.
- Brazil’s Ministry of Health reported that gambling disorder treatments through the public health system rose 140% between 2018 and 2025.
- Over 25 million Brazilians gambled in 2025, and 4.4% showed symptoms of gambling disorder.
- Officials discussed new consumer protection rules, including spending limits and better monitoring of betting platforms.
Brazil’s Senate met on July 2 to discuss the rise in betting advertising during the 2026 FIFA World Cup broadcasts. The CAS and CDH committees led the open session.
Lawmakers looked at how betting promotions have grown since the sector was legalized. They also discussed the effect of gambling on families, vulnerable groups, and consumer rights.
Senator Eduardo Girão chaired the first part of the hearing. He called gambling growth a national problem.
Girão said betting activity now reaches people through phones, social media, sports broadcasts, and daily advertising. He renewed his call to repeal Brazil’s Betting Law.
Senator Damares Alves led the second half of the session. She said families have been visiting lawmakers’ offices with concerns about problem gambling.
Public Health Officials Raise Concerns
Roberto Lasserre, from the group Movimento Brasil sem Azar, spoke during the hearing. Lawyer Juliana Prates Coimbra also spoke and shared her family’s experience after losing her brother to gambling disorder.
Gabriella de Andrade Boska, who works in mental health policy at Brazil’s Ministry of Health, said gambling disorder is now treated as a public health issue. She said cases have been recorded since 1982, but numbers have grown since gambling moved online.
Boska said the Unified Health System has seen a 140% rise in gambling disorder treatments between 2018 and 2025. She added that over 25 million Brazilians gambled in 2025, with 4.4% of them showing symptoms of gambling disorder.
She also said gambling problems affect about six other people around each person with the disorder. The risk of suicide is 15 times higher for people with gambling debts, she said.
Regulators Discuss Consumer Protection Steps
Fabio Macorin, from Brazil’s Secretariat of Prizes and Betting, said licensed operators must track user behavior. He said this can include warnings, usage limits, or account exclusion for at-risk users.
Macorin said technology-based monitoring works better than manual checks. Mental health expert Hermano Tavares from the University of São Paulo said constant access to online betting raises addiction risk.
Tavares suggested using Brazil’s CPF taxpayer ID system to track bettors. He also proposed limits on daily and monthly betting spending, capping bets at 1% of daily income or 4% of monthly income.
Luiz Orsatti Filho, from consumer agency Procon-SP, said the betting market grew faster than expected. He pointed to ongoing complaints about blocked accounts, withdrawal delays, and misleading ads.
The hearing did not result in new legislation. Senators said further discussion on regulation will continue.
