Legalization of gambling: debate on CBN contrasts risks and regulation.
On Tuesday (August 11), Jornal da CBN debated the legalization of bingo and casinos in Brazil, contrasting arguments in favor of regulation with warnings about the risks of expanding the supply of gambling to vulnerable populations.
The debate was part of the “50 Debates for Brazil” series on Jornal da CBN, which brings together experts with opposing views to discuss topics relevant to the country's future and the October elections. The program was moderated by anchors Mílton Jung and Cássia Godoy and featured Wesley Cardia, a lawyer and former president of the National Association of Games and Lotteries (ANJL), who favors legalization, and Hermano Tavares, associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of São Paulo (USP) and coordinator of the Ambulatory Gambling Program (PRO-AMJO), who opposes the change.
The operation of casinos and bingo halls remains prohibited in Brazil since Decree-Law 9.215 of 1946, which reinstated the application of Article 50 of the Law of Criminal Offenses, treating the activity as a misdemeanor. Bill 2.234 of 2022, approved by the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate's Constitution and Justice Committee, authorizes casinos, bingo halls, video bingo, and the jogo do bicho (a type of illegal lottery) and awaits a vote in the Senate plenary. In December 2025, senators rejected a request for urgency, and the proposal began its ordinary legislative process.
Arguments for regulation
Cardia stated that the prohibition does not prevent the operation of clandestine establishments. According to the lawyer, legalization would allow for the identification of gamblers, barring access to minors and people subject to official restrictions, collecting taxes, and monitoring operators. "The Brazilian legislation that prohibited casinos dates back to 1946. Simply maintaining a prohibition that fails to prevent the operation of these establishments means leaving the activity in the hands of criminals," he said.
Cardia also acknowledged the risks of over-regulation. According to him, requirements that make legal operation unfeasible or reduce the competitiveness of authorized companies can push players to illegal platforms. “Regulation needs to be firm, but balanced. If we don't combat the illegal market while controlling authorized companies, we will leave players more vulnerable precisely in the spaces where there is no protection,” he said.
Risks of expanding supply
Tavares refuted the argument that regulation automatically reduces harm. The psychiatrist argued that expanding the supply exposes a greater number of vulnerable people to addiction and that the protection of gamblers cannot depend on the initiative of the companies themselves. "Expecting the company to spontaneously limit the clients who generate the most revenue is like inviting the fox to guard the henhouse," he stated.
The professor cited historical data to support his position. “In the 1990s, the expansion of gambling was accompanied by an approximately fourfold increase in the demand for treatment. This doesn't necessarily mean that the entire population will start gambling. It means that vulnerable gamblers will be more exposed and that the demand for treatment will increase rapidly,” stated Tavares.
The psychiatrist also questioned the economic argument in favor of legalization. According to him, there are estimates that show the social and economic costs caused by gambling far outweigh the revenue collected by the government. Tavares also pointed to the volume of betting advertising during sports broadcasts and the influence of those who receive a percentage of the amounts deposited or lost by bettors as problems that require immediate intervention.
The two debaters agreed on the need to combat the illegal market and acknowledged the risks of addiction. The central disagreement revolved around whether opening new regulated physical spaces would reduce existing harm or increase the number of people exposed to gambling. Tavares advocated for measures such as mandatory betting limits, compulsory breaks, periodic reports of wins and losses, and account closure in cases of evident compulsive gambling patterns. Brazilian regulation of fixed-odds betting, established by Law 14.790 of 2023, requires authorization from the Ministry of Finance and includes rules for taxation, advertising, and prevention of pathological gambling; however, Tavares classified the current framework as incipient.
The series “50 Debates for Brazil” continues on Jornal da CBN until the week of the elections, with episodes available on the CBN website and app, on Spotify, and on other digital platforms.
