Brazil’s Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office (MPF) has opened an inquiry to investigate how President Lula da Silva’s Government is overseeing and enforcing regulations governing the country’s online betting market.
The investigation stems from an administrative procedure designed to examine the routines adopted by the Ministry of Finance, with the Secretariat of Prizes and Betting, to monitor compliance with Laws No. 14,790/2023 and No. 13,756/2018 by fixed-odds betting operators.
In addition to regulatory oversight, the inquiry, which is expected to run for one year, will assess the effectiveness of Brazil’s public healthcare system in treating and preventing pathological gambling.
The review follows growing attention on the social and economic effects of online betting as authorities continue to refine the country’s regulatory framework.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s Government is preparing a new crackdown on Brazil’s online betting market in an effort to tighten regulation and limit access.
The initiative aims to reduce the financial impact of these platforms and their contribution to household debt while introducing potential restrictions on certain categories of bettors alongside stricter advertising rules.
The planned measures are the result of cooperation among the Ministries of Finance, Planning and Justice, under the coordination of the Civil House.
The inquiry also follows increased scrutiny of gambling advertising in Brazil.
Recently, Juliana Prates, an auditor at Bahia’s State Court of Accounts (TCE) and an anti-gambling advocate, criticized celebrities and influencers for promoting betting platforms to audiences numbering in the millions, adding to the debate over gambling marketing practices as regulators prepare to review advertising rules.
According to the Brazilian Institute of Responsible Gaming (IBJR), betting expenditure represents between 0.2% and 0.5% of household consumption in Brazil
