Committee of the Chamber of Deputies debates the impacts of betting on the economy and public health.

The public hearing of the Economic Development Committee of the Chamber of Deputies, held this Thursday (28), brought together representatives of the government, the productive sector and consumer protection to discuss the effects of fixed-odds betting (bets) in Brazil. The meeting revealed a profound disagreement: while the Ministry of Finance defends the improvement of regulation, parliamentarians and bodies such as Health and Procon point to serious social damage and call for more restrictive measures, including a total ban.

The hearing was held at the request of Representative Vander Loubet (PT-MS) and was based on Bill 180/2026, authored by Representative Pedro Quizai (PT-PR), which proposes prohibiting the exploitation, offering, promotion, and facilitation of fixed-odds betting throughout the national territory.

The hearing reinforced the need for a balance between consumer protection measures and actions to migrate the illegal market to the regulated environment, ensuring oversight, accountability, and public health measures.

The size of the problem

Data presented during the hearing shows the scale of the phenomenon. According to the Ministry of Finance, there are 31 million CPF numbers (Brazilian taxpayer ID numbers) registered on legal platforms – about 18% of the adult population. The actual expenditure (loss) of gamblers in 2025 was R$ 36,8 billion, which represents 0,5% of the Brazilian family budget.

Flávio Werneck, vice-president of the Central Union of Brazilian Workers (CSB) and federal police officer, presented a clipping with all the data published in the media from dubious studies that helped build the narrative to demonize betting, such as the annual economic and social loss and that 40% of platforms operate irregularly, with 51% of bets showing signs of illegality. "The game is statistically designed for you to lose. This is not clear to the Brazilian population," he stated.

The typical profile of a gambler, according to research by Procon-SP, is predominantly male (61,8%), under 44 years old (82,5%) and with an income of up to two minimum wages (38,6%).

Public health under pressure

Marcelo Kimati Dias, director of the Mental Health Department at the Ministry of Health, revealed that the demand for treatment for gambling-related problems has grown by 137% in the last five years. The self-exclusion platform created in partnership with the Ministry of Finance already registers 500 people, which represents only 10% of the potential number of individuals with gambling disorder.

“People who have problems with gaming rarely seek in-person services. That's why we created a digital gateway in Meu SUS Digital, with self-testing and referrals,” explained Dias. He also highlighted that the risk of suicide among problematic gamers is 15 times higher than in the general population.

The director stated that the resources allocated to healthcare from betting taxes (R$ 34 million in 2025 and R$ 56 million in 2026) are insufficient, and that actions focused on treatment alone should exceed R$ 70 million this year.

Consumer Protection Agency (Procon): Deceptive advertising and the hyper-vulnerable consumer.

Johnatan Faraj, director-general of Procon-DF (the consumer protection agency of the Federal District), classified gamblers as "hyper-vulnerable consumers" and harshly criticized marketing strategies. "The advertisements show easy winnings, but 90% of people lose. That's misleading advertising," he said. He proposed that betting companies be required to disclose the actual percentage of losses, similar to the warnings on cigarette packs.

Faraj also denounced the practice of blocking the accounts of bettors who consistently win, while those who lose do not suffer any restrictions. "What kind of consumer relationship is this? The company blocks those who win. This doesn't exist."

Government: regulation is the way forward, not prohibition.

Leandro Lucchesi, general coordinator of Regulation at the Secretariat of Prizes and Betting of the Ministry of Finance – SPA-MF, refuted the idea that taxation is low. According to him, the 12% rate on revenue is only a part; adding PIS/Cofins (future CBS/IBS), income tax and the future selective tax, the total burden reaches 80%.

Lucchesi argued that regulation brought visibility to the problem. “Before 2018, gambling already existed, but it was invisible. Now we know who gambles, how much they spend, and we can target public policies.” He stated that if there is a ban, consumption will decrease, but the quality of the supply will be terrible, comparing the illegal market to the “methanol of gambling.”

The representative from the Treasury listed tools already in operation: self-applied spending limits for bettors, centralized self-exclusion (500 sign-ups), risk classification of games, and combating "manipulative designs" such as "near-win" and "negative win." Partnerships with IPEA will allow cross-referencing betting data with debt indicators.

Lawmakers: Is banning the solution?

Congressman Pedro Quizai of the Workers' Party, author of Bill 180/2026, made a vehement speech in defense of a total ban. "Who profits from betting? Football teams, companies, and the government. Who loses? Poor families. 62% of bettors earn up to three minimum wages. This money is taken away from food, medicine, and their children's schooling," he argued.

Quizai used Skinner's conditioning theory to explain addiction: "Punishment is more addictive than reward. The more you lose, the more you gamble." He recounted real cases – a girl who lost her classmates' graduation money, a man who lost half a million reais from his mother, and the wife of a subordinate who lost R$30 in a week.

Congressman Helder Salomão (PT-ES) added: “President Lula’s government began regulating in 2023, but the previous government washed its hands of the matter. We need to address this problem responsibly, including regulating social media, which is the environment where these bets are spread.”

The organized sector: regulation is a global example.

Ana Bárbara Costa Teixeira, director of government relations at AbraJogo, defended the current regulations. She highlighted that, in one year, more than 48 illegal websites were taken down and 600 accounts linked to money laundering were blocked. According to her, Brazil was the first non-European country admitted to the Macolin Convention (combating gambling manipulation), and its regulations are praised from a technical standpoint.

"Most gamblers play recreationally. The problem isn't the legal activity itself, but the operators who don't comply with the rules and the illegal market," he stated.

The leader also emphasized the regulatory advances and Brazilian pioneering spirit in integrity and accountability standards for payment methods, and reinforced the obligation of operators and banks to "know their customers"; she called for action from the consumer protection agency (Procon) and compliance with the rules.

Next Steps

Representative Vander Loubet, who chaired the hearing, acknowledged the complexity of the issue. “No one has a definitive answer. Prohibiting, regulating, or monitoring in isolation doesn't solve the problem. We need to combine all three and protect the most vulnerable segment of the population,” he said.

The deputies highlighted the need for consolidated official data (revenue, total expenditure, estimates of the illegal market) and pointed out discrepancies that need clarification. The Committee will formally request detailed data and methodologies from the Ministry of Finance, SPA-MF, and the Central Bank; it intends to hold a new session with supplementary information.

Bill 180/2026 is still under consideration and will be discussed in further hearings, with the participation of other sectors of society.