Brazil proposes regulating online betting like tobacco
The Brazilian government seeks to deepen the regulation of the online sports betting market and apply a control scheme similar to that used for products like tobacco to the sector. This was stated by the Executive Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, Dario Durigan, during an event organized by XP Investimentos in São Paulo, where he advocated for new measures to limit the social impact of the activity.
According to the official, the objective is for authorized bookmakers to be obliged to share detailed information with the government about operations carried out on their platforms, in order to identify frequent gambling patterns and develop prevention policies. Durigan argued that betting should be treated like cigarettes, with the progressive application of controls, and suggested that companies pay for licenses and report all bets so that the State can coordinate with the Ministry of Health based on the identification of frequent gamblers. The secretary had already raised this idea in June and reiterated his intention to establish greater controls.
In addition to controlling operators, Durigan advocated for an increase in the tax burden applied to the regulated sector, with an objective that, in his opinion, would not only be revenue-generating but also a mechanism to discourage consumption. The official affirmed that the increase in the betting tax is fair and acts as a disincentive against an activity that harms people's lives, in line with the Brazilian economic team's stance on the role of taxation within market regulation.
Another key point raised was the use of data generated by platforms to detect users with behaviors considered problematic. As explained, access to this information would allow the government to identify frequent gamblers and coordinate preventive actions with agencies such as the Ministry of Health, in order to strengthen responsible gambling policies and develop early intervention tools. In this context, he emphasized that authorized companies must maintain transparency obligations and continue to be subject to paying licenses to operate in the country.
During his presentation, the official recalled that certain groups are already prohibited from accessing betting platforms in Brazil, including beneficiaries of the Bolsa Família program, the Benefício de Prestação Continuada, and individuals who entered the Desenrola program to renegotiate debts. According to the government, these restrictions seek to prevent people in situations of economic vulnerability from using resources intended for their subsistence in gambling activities. Durigan also noted that the Executive is evaluating new restrictions on online gaming advertising, as part of a broader strategy to reduce the population's exposure to sportsbook advertisements, especially in segments considered vulnerable.
Tags: Dario Durigan, Brazilian Ministry of Finance, tax burden on betting, responsible gaming