Public hearing highlights risks of gambling addiction in Brazil
In a public hearing held by the Parliamentary Inquiry Commission (CPI) on the Manipulation of Games experts warned about the health and financial risks that gambling can pose for individuals. They also called for government attention to combat pathological gambling.
According to the Brazilian senate news agency, the hearing was held at the suggestion of the committee’s vice-president, Senator Eduardo Girão who led the proceedings. According to the senator, Brazilian football has been deteriorating since the entry of online betting operators. He expressed a clear conflict of interest when a club is sponsored by a betting company, warning about the dangers of gambling addiction. Girão noted that less affluent families are struggling financially due to gambling, with many heads of households losing their jobs. He advocated for awareness campaigns to prevent gambling addiction.
“We are here to fulfil our role. We are few, but we have managed to shed light on the shadows surrounding a great asset of Brazilians, which is football,” declared Girão.
Professor Hermano Tavares from the Psychiatry Institute of the University of São Paulo emphasized the urgent need to address gambling issues in the country. He argued that the discussion surrounding the revenue that gambling can bring to the nation is overly narrow, asserting that mental health is the most critical aspect. According to Tavares, gambling addiction is the third most common dependency in the country, following alcohol and tobacco.
He further stated that authorities have a responsibility to alert the population and advocated for treatment of gambling addiction through Brazil’s Unified Health System (SUS). He suggested the creation of an independent national agency or commission dedicated to establishing gambling regulations.
Dr. Salomão Rodrigues Filho, representing the Federal Council of Medicine (CFM), noted that new technologies have become tools that significantly impact the mental health of the population.
“Gambling addiction is not a trivial matter; it is a disease recognized by the World Health Organization. And one more warning: bets will destroy Brazilian football,” he said.
Vinícius Oliveira de Andrade, a representative of the Brazilian Psychiatry Association (ABP) and the Brazilian Medical Association (AMB), argued that gambling is not merely a leisure activity but one that carries a risk of addiction and is therefore detrimental to health. Andrade pointed out that the rise of online gambling has facilitated betting and amplified risks.
Senator Jorge Kajuru president of the CPI celebrated what he termed a series of victories for the committee. He mentioned the arrest of businessman William Rogatto by Interpol in Dubai, who is expected to testify before the CPI upon his return to Brazil. According to Kajuru, Rogatto will testify before the CPI one day after arriving in Brazil. Rogatto already spoke to the commission at the beginning of last month , when he confessed to having been responsible for the relegation of 42 teams in different championships. During his testimony, Rogatto revealed his involvement in match-fixing in several Brazilian leagues. However, he revealed that he had also worked in other countries, revealing a possible international network of corruption in sports.
