Nearly 40% of online gamblers surveyed by Procon-SP said they are in debt because of betting .
Procon-SP is São Paulo’s state consumer protection authority, responsible for enforcing consumer rights and handling complaints under Brazil’s Consumer Defense Code. As the largest state-level consumer body in the country, its surveys are often used to inform oversight and educational actions.
The study gathered 2,724 responses and sought to assess how consumers are interacting with licensed betting platforms following the implementation of Brazil’s regulatory framework.
Of the individuals who reported gambling activity, 39.72% said they currently have debts as a result of betting.
A majority, 68.73%, indicated they had recorded more financial losses than gains. In addition, 52.39% stated they had compromised a significant portion of their income, withdrawn funds from savings or taken loans in order to continue betting.
Spending distribution also shows concentration at both ends.
While 42.82% reported monthly expenditure of up to BR100 ($19), 30.14% declared spending more than BR1,000 per month.
The latter category rose from 18.33% in 2025 to 30% in 2026, according to the comparative data.
Marketing exposure also remains a factor, reflecting the roughly $290m operators invested in advertising in 2025.
56.62% of gamblers reported being influenced by advertising featuring celebrities and influencers, which is a promotion practice being scrutinized by Brazil’s regulator.
Procon-SP stated that the findings will serve as a basis for future consumer guidance, enforcement initiatives and educational actions aimed at preventing over-indebtedness in the sector.
62.25% bettors reported problems with operators, the most cited issue being refusal to pay prizes, reported by 42.99% of affected respondents
