Bill would imprison influencers for promoting illegal gambling in Brazil
Deputy Kim Kataguiri has presented a bill that includes the crime of promoting gambling in the Penal Code, intending to punish those who advertise illegal betting sites or unauthorized pages operating in the country. The proposal advocates for awareness campaigns alongside new gambling legislation in Brazil. The text provides for imprisonment of one to four years and fines for those convicted of the practice, with the penalty doubled if the person promotes gambling or sites aimed at children and adolescents.
The increased penalty also applies to those who use advertising techniques directed at people in vulnerable situations, if the individual promoting gambling is a digital influencer or public figure using their status to promote the games and sites, and if the person has a stake in the profits or receives any form of commission from the advertised company.
In the justification, the deputy stated that the advertising of gambling is often directed at vulnerable groups, such as children, teenagers, and people in financial difficulties, “who are lured by the promise of easy winnings.” A number of influencers he argued “teach emotional control tactics . . . disguising the harmful nature of this practice and making gambling even more appealing.”
The lawmaker also wrote in the preamble to the bill that: “Criminalizing the promotion of illegal gambling also aims to reduce access to this type of content, which is widely available on social networks and digital platforms. The ease with which these games can be found, often accompanied by attractive promotions and promises of large winnings, creates a highly dangerous environment, especially for young people and individuals in economically vulnerable situations.”
The bill would serve another function as well as it would help raise awareness of the dangers of gambling. “By making the promotion of these games a crime, the state clearly signals that such practices are harmful to society and should not be encouraged. This signalling is particularly important to shape public perception regarding the seriousness of gambling’s impacts, leading to greater awareness and a possible decline in social acceptance of these practices,” the deputy argued.
