Brazil’s CCJ approves bill to support families impacted by gambling
Brazil’s Constitution and Justice Committee (CCJ) approves a bill to create a National Policy for Comprehensive Support for Individuals and Families Affected by Gambling and Betting Practices.
The measure establishes nationwide guidelines on prevention, psychological and psychiatric care, social assistance, and reintegration programmes for those struggling with gambling addiction, known locally as ludopatia. It emphasises cross-agency cooperation among health, finance, and regulatory authorities, aligning gambling oversight with public health priorities.
The draft bill has been sent to Congress under a conclusive procedure. If a legislator requests a full floor vote in the Chamber of Deputies, it will advance directly to the Senate. Brazil’s latest reforms highlight a historical shift from prohibition to regulation. It also positions the country as one of the largest emerging gambling markets around the world.
Integration into public services
If enacted, the policy will be embedded into Brazil’s Unified Health System (SUS), the social assistance network, and the Psychosocial Care Network. Key initiatives include public awareness campaigns, prevention programmes for children and adolescents, multidisciplinary treatment for affected individuals, and social support for vulnerable families.
By framing Brazil’s anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorism financing (CTF) rules through a public health lens, the bill underscores that financial safeguards are not only about crime prevention. They also enable addiction treatment, protect vulnerable communities, and strengthen trust in the healthcare system.
Curbing illicit financial flows ensures resources can be redirected toward public health initiatives rather than being used to fuel underground economies.
Cooperation with operators
Under Brazil’s new gambling regulations, licenced betting operators face a strict obligation. For instance, they must implement anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorism and financing (CTF) controls. Additionally, they need to adopt responsible gambling tools like self-exclusion and spending limits, as well as cooperate with health authorities on addiction prevention.
Failure to comply may result in fines, licence suspension, or even revocation, according to the International Comparative Legal Guides (ICLG). In addition, operators must follow Brazil’s data protection laws when providing anonymised data for research.
Since Brazil is monitored by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), its operators must abide by international standards. The bill, for one, further mandates cooperation with regulators and healthcare authorities. It will require operators to participate in risk-detection initiatives, support epidemiological studies, and contribute to public policy development.
Operators must also invest in awareness campaigns that challenge stigma and misinformation surrounding gambling addiction.
Brazil’s regulated gambling market is projected to generate enormous revenues, BRL31 billion ($6.2 billion) in online gross gaming revenue (GGR) in 2025, rising to BRL64 billion by 2030. But it also carries risks, including consumer debt and sectoral strain on retail and healthcare, as reported by iGaming Business.
Rising demand for treatment
Additionally, Brazil is establishing mandatory awareness campaigns led by the Secretariat of Prizes and Bets (SPA). This will require licenced operators to warn players about the risks of addiction and financial harm, focusing on more vulnerable groups, especially children and adolescents, as the regulated betting market expands.
Surveys show that 68 per cent of Brazilians gamble, while 10 per cent have reported having financial problems directly linked to betting. Bill author Ruy Carneiro highlighted the growing demand for treatment within SUS, noting that cases of pathological gambling rose from 108 in 2018 to about 1,200 in 2023.
According to the Ministry of Health, consultations linked to gambling and betting problems increased by 104 per cent between 2018 and 2025, highlighting the urgent need to have a coordinated national response.
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