Brazil's Ministry of Health has launched a nationwide campaign to raise awareness of the risks associated with online betting, coinciding with the return of the Brasileirão – Brazil's top football league.
Running across television, radio and social media, the initiative also directs the public to mental health support available through the country's public healthcare system, the Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS).
Through the campaign, users can access mental health support at the Meu SUS Digital app. After completing a risk assessment questionnaire under the "Problemas com jogos de apostas?" section, users identified as being at moderate or high risk are referred to teleconsultations with mental health professionals.
Those requiring in-person care are directed to Brazil's Rede de Atenção Psicossocial (RAPS), where treatment begins at a local health unit and, if necessary, continues at a specialized Centro de Atenção Psicossocial (CAPS).
The Ministry of Health said betting platforms operate continuously and use features such as push notifications, bonuses, live betting and variable rewards that can encourage repeated use.
The campaign follows months of rising political scrutiny of Brazil's betting sector. Finance Minister Fernando Haddad said in July that betting should be regulated similarly to tobacco and alcohol, and the Finance and Health ministries have been coordinating on a broader regulatory package.
A May legislative hearing heard that demand for gambling-related treatment had risen 137% over five years, while a self-exclusion platform run with the Finance Ministry had reached only a fraction of people estimated to have a gambling disorder.
According to Brazil's Ministry of Health, gambling disorder affects about 1.2% of the world's adult population and is classified as a behavioral addiction by the World Health Organization
