Brazil: Health Ministry reports 140% rise in gambling-related mental health cases

Brazil’s Ministry of Health has reported a nearly 140% increase in demand for mental health services linked to online gambling addiction within the country’s public healthcare system (SUS) over the past five years.

The figures were presented during a public hearing held by the Chamber of Deputies’ Economic Development Committee, where lawmakers, health officials and regulators discussed the social and economic effects of online betting.

The session was requested by Deputy Vander Loubet, one of several lawmakers backing Bill 1808/2026, which seeks to prohibit online betting in Brazil.

Marcelo Dias, representing the Ministry of Health, said the Government had introduced dedicated support services through the SUS Digital platform in response to growing demand. Users can complete a self-assessment before being directed to treatment options.

According to Dias, betting operators expanded rapidly during the COVID-19 pandemic before a regulatory framework was fully established.

“They start by winning, and that encourages them to keep playing. When the losses begin, a mechanism common in gambling-related disorders, not just digital ones, kicks in: the attempt to recover the lost money. As the debt increases, so does the tendency for the person to continue gambling.”

Leandro Lucchesi, representing the Ministry of Finance, said recent regulation has removed numerous illegal operators from the market and curbed practices that presented betting as a source of income. 

“We have already identified some patterns in these design mechanisms. One of them is the ‘almost win’ pattern: when the bettor feels they are close to winning, the tendency is to insist on it.”

Recently, Brazil’s Ministry of Health has launched a free online training program focused on gambling addiction prevention and treatment. The course will offer 20,000 places to healthcare professionals working within the public health system.