Over-indebtedness: MPES and DPES join forces in Espírito Santo to combat online gambling.
The Public Ministry of Espírito Santo (MPES) held, this Friday (11), the course “Over-indebtedness in Focus: Financial Education, Impacts of Online Betting and Fraud”. With the aim of promoting reflections on the subject and its influence on the financial situation of the population, the meeting addressed, among other topics, the risks of online gambling, payroll loans and bank fraud. The event was attended by Daniele Correa Cardoso, Secretary of Prizes and Betting of the Ministry of Finance – SPA-MF; and Andiara Braga, general coordinator of Responsible Gaming Monitoring of SPA-MF.
During the event, the Public Defender's Office of Espírito Santo (DPES) and the Public Prosecutor's Office of the State of Espírito Santo (MPES) formalized a Technical Cooperation Agreement to expand the protection of consumers in situations of over-indebtedness. The agreement was signed during the event, held in the auditorium of the Attorney General's Office in Vitória.
The partnership connects two services that previously operated separately: the extrajudicial assistance provided by the MPES (Public Prosecutor's Office of Espírito Santo) and the free legal assistance offered by the DPES (Public Defender's Office of Espírito Santo). As a result, those who cannot pay debts without jeopardizing their living expenses will have access to a continuous support network, from direct negotiation with creditors to legal representation, without having to pursue each step on their own.
Two-step service
The service flow operates in two complementary phases. In the first phase, the Over-Indebtedness Assistance Center (NAS/MPES) receives the citizen, collects documents, prepares budget reorganization plans, and conducts direct conciliation hearings with creditors.
If negotiations fail to reach an agreement or if legal action is necessary to review the liabilities, the consumer is referred to the Public Defender's Office. After assessing vulnerability criteria, the Public Defender's Office guarantees comprehensive and free legal assistance. Referrals can be made through the Remote Service Center or the nearest in-person office to the consumer's residence.
The coordinator of Consumer Rights Defense at DPES, Vitor Valdir Ramalho, explains what changes in practice for those who are in debt: “Often, the person first needs guidance to understand their own debts and seek a negotiation. When this solution is not sufficient and legal action is necessary, the Public Defender's Office enters the process. The most important thing is that the consumer has access to this integrated support and does not have to face alone a situation that could compromise their entire income.”
The agreement was signed by the Public Defender-General, Vinícius Chaves de Araújo, and the Attorney General, Francisco Martínez Berdeal. The Consumer Rights Defense Coordination of the DPES will oversee the agreement.
Online gambling and bank fraud at the center of the debate.
The signing of the agreement took place in a deliberately chosen context. The course that served as the setting for the event brought together authorities and experts to discuss precisely the factors that have most driven the over-indebtedness of families in Espírito Santo: bank fraud, payroll loans and, especially, the growth of online gambling.
DPES coordinator Vitor Valdir Ramalho participated as a panelist on the panel “Online gambling and consumer protection”. Alongside him were Paulo Roberto Binicheski, Public Prosecutor of the Federal District and Territories Public Prosecutor's Office (MPDFT); Daniele Correa Cardoso, Secretary of Prizes and Betting of the Ministry of Finance – SPA-MF; and Andiara Braga, General Coordinator of Responsible Gambling Monitoring at SPA-MF.
The panel discussed how algorithms and artificial intelligence are used by betting platforms to identify and profile vulnerable users through so-called " dark patterns" ; mechanisms that, according to the debate, compromise the free will of consumers. The discussion also included strategies from the State Consumer Protection System to mitigate these effects on populations in situations of greater financial vulnerability.
For Vinícius Chaves, tackling over-indebtedness cannot be resolved solely within the judicial sphere: “It is also necessary to act in prevention, in providing information, and in creating pathways for consumers to reorganize their financial lives. The partnership between the Public Defender's Office and the Public Prosecutor's Office strengthens this protection network and allows different experiences and knowledge to be put at the service of those who need it most.”
The presence of Daniele Correa Cardoso and Andiara Braga on the panel reflects the regulatory weight that the betting market has gained on the consumer protection agenda. The Secretariat of Prizes and Betting and the Coordination of Responsible Gaming Monitoring are the federal bodies responsible for establishing rules and monitoring the sector's behavior, and their participation in the debate alongside prosecutors and public defenders signals a convergence between the spheres of regulatory oversight and legal defense of consumers indebted by betting.
