Brazil’s Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office (MPF) has urged the Government to increase the share of betting tax revenue allocated to the country’s public healthcare system (SUS).
The office argues that the current 1% contribution is insufficient to fund prevention and treatment programs for gambling addiction.
The proposal was presented by Federal Prosecutor Fabiano de Moraes during a public hearing held by the Chamber of Deputies’ Sports Committee, which examined the social, economic and public health impacts of Brazil’s expanding betting market.
According to Moraes, the rapid growth of online betting, combined with easy access through mobile devices, has significantly increased the risks associated with gambling.
He also argued that betting advertising, particularly campaigns linked to football, athletes and influencers popular with young audiences, has transformed sport from a form of entertainment into “a showcase for recruiting bettors.”
As a result, Moraes defended tighter advertising restrictions similar to those introduced for tobacco and alcohol products, saying stronger safeguards are needed to protect consumers, children and adolescents, aligning with the recent rules established by the Government.
“The protection framework still has a long way to go and we need to enforce the rules that already exist, since the current legal framework has not yet been fully implemented and supervision remains weak,” Moraes said.
The MPF has already opened civil investigations into both the socioeconomic impacts of betting and the advertising practices used during broadcasts of the World Cup.
“Our commitment is to protect mental health, family finances, the most vulnerable consumers and children and adolescents who are exposed to betting advertising,” Moraes concluded.
According to figures presented during the hearing, Brazil’s public healthcare system recorded a 140% increase in mental health consultations related to gambling and compulsive betting between 2018 and 2025
