A cross-party coalition of Brazilian lawmakers is preparing to file a new bill that would classify betting platforms as “products posing risks to public health”, potentially expanding regulatory powers beyond Brazil’s current gambling oversight framework.
The proposal, nicknamed “Brazil against betting”, is expected to be formally presented in Congress this week with signatures from at least 15 deputies and six senators spanning parties from the left and right of Brazil’s political spectrum, including PT, PSOL, PL and Republicanos.
The unusual alignment reflects how concerns surrounding betting-related harm have increasingly gained traction across different ideological groups in Brazil, particularly ahead of the country’s next electoral cycle.
If approved, the measure would grant Brazil’s Ministry of Health a formal regulatory role in the sector alongside existing financial and betting authorities.
The bill also proposes restrictions on what lawmakers describe as “addictive design” features used by operators, including limits on algorithmic recommendation systems and personalised betting content, especially when targeted at lower-income consumers.
In addition, the proposal seeks a full ban on betting advertising, aligning with legislative efforts already advancing through the national Senate.
Supporters of the bill have cited a study from the Institute for Health Policy Studies, which estimated the annual social and economic cost of problem gambling in Brazil at approximately BR38.8bn ($7.6bn).
According to the research, BR30.6bn of those losses are linked directly to healthcare impacts, including public and private medical expenses, unemployment insurance and broader productivity losses associated with gambling addiction.
The proposal also emerges amid growing political pressure on the betting sector from President Lula da Silva’s Government, which has increasingly linked online gambling to rising household indebtedness.
Recent measures introduced by the Federal Government already include temporary betting restrictions for citizens entering debt renegotiation programs.
Brazil collected BR3.4bn in betting and gambling-related taxes during Q1 2026, according to Federal Revenue data, representing year-on-year growth of 123.7%
