The pilot project for mental health support, called the Research and Prevention Program for Gambling Addiction, will be implemented by Somente S.A., a platform that offers online consultations with psychiatrists and therapy with psychologists. The program, which will be conducted in partnership with ANJL, will also take place in person over the next two months in three communities in São Paulo: Paraisópolis, Heliópolis, and Nova Jaguaré.
Under the agreement, up to one thousand in-person appointments will be offered for free in these communities, and up to twenty thousand nationwide, virtually. This initial effort will serve as a foundation for a better understanding of gambling addiction and help define the best model for follow-up and treatment.
"This partnership is just the first step that the market is taking to help us understand the main factors behind cases of compulsive behavior. With this information, Somente will be able to provide us with a more detailed diagnosis, both quantitatively and qualitatively, so that we can define the next steps," explains ANJL president, Plínio Lemos Jorge.
Plínio adds that, although socioeconomic groups D and E are not the target audience of betting houses, the industry understands that compulsive cases affecting this small portion are more sensitive and therefore deserve greater attention.
With over 500,000 people already served, Somente stands out for providing mental health services in partnership with major companies and institutions such as C6 Bank, Porto Seguro, Amil, Bradesco Seguros, Central Nacional UNIMED, PicPay, SulAmerica, Careplus, Caju, Medicina Direta, New Value, among others.
“Our services consist of providing psychological and psychiatric care with top professionals, online, through a simple, safe, and efficient process. We are confident that this partnership with ANJL will help many people who are experiencing or may develop compulsive gambling disorders," said Michel Burmaian, CEO of Somente.
For in-person appointments, services will be provided by psychology and psychiatry graduates who will work directly in the communities under the supervision of tutors specializing in gambling addiction. Virtual consultations can be requested via an exclusive WhatsApp number (11-94066-2425), with no need to download any additional apps.
Somente, in collaboration with ANJL, is developing studies on player behaviors, with the primary goals of identifying demographic characteristics and analyzing risk and protective factors associated with the development of gambling addiction.
Additionally, based on the results, they will promote public awareness about addiction, aiming to implement responsible gambling practices not only on online platforms but also in lottery outlets.
ANJL Compliance Seal
In addition to this initiative, the association launched the ANJL Compliance Seal, a mark that can be used starting this Tuesday, upon request, on the websites of all associated betting companies that have applied for the federal license from the Secretariat of Prizes and Bets (SPA) of the Ministry of Finance.
Since the domain bet.br, established by the Ministry of Finance, will only come into effect nationwide on January 1st, the Seal will help bettors identify whether they are accessing a serious and responsible platform committed to the market's regulatory process.
“Our idea is to provide a visually recognizable element for users of our associated websites. With the proliferation of illegal sites that do not adhere to best practices, this will be a way to ensure that players feel safer while the federal regulations are still pending,” says Plínio.
2025 tax projections
ANJL also conducted an analysis of the tax projections for the sports betting and online gaming market to clarify public opinion on the conflicting information about business volume, bettors' spending using Bolsa Família funds, and betting companies' profits.
Regarding reports that betting sites had a margin of R$450 million (US$ 82.5m), ANJL points out that this figure does not represent the betting companies' profits, as it does not account for expenses such as marketing, events, employee wages, banking fees, sponsorships, TV advertising, payment for betting systems, and risk management and KYC software, among other costs.
ANJL's numbers forecast the following figures for 2025:
- R$ 20 billion (US$ 3.7bn) in bets per month
- R$ 17 billion (US$ 3.1bn) in prizes paid
Taxes collected on winnings:
- Approximately R$ 1.5 billion (US$ 275m) - exemption threshold
- R$ 3 billion (US$ 550m) – house margin
- GGR tax (12%) = R$ 360 million/US$ 66m (projections indicate a GGR tax ranging from 24% to 32%, depending on the credit structure – corporate taxes + 12%. This would be R$ 420 million/US$ 82.5m – 28% as the average projection)
- Estimated normal tax burden: R$ 720 million (US$ 132m)
- Expenses: indirect taxes from service providers
Source: GMB
