The ’Bets CPI’ was created with the aim of investigating the possible association between betting companies and criminal organizations for money laundering, the use of influencers in promoting these activities, and the impact of online betting on Brazilian families' budgets.
In the final report, in addition to diagnoses on the extent of the issue and potential indictments, there will also be proposals to address gambling addiction — a problem that has affected mental health and left many people in debt.
This was previewed by the rapporteur of the CPI, Senator Soraya Thronicke. According to her, legislation from other countries is being analyzed in search of practices such as facial biometrics and other technologies that make player registration more rigorous and, for example, make it harder for children and teenagers to gain access.
“There are countries already working on this issue, and we can use Comparative Law. But obviously, facial identification, passwords, banning minors from playing, ensuring registrations are carried out with great rigor and several verifications — because today, people can even register using the CPF (Brazilian tax ID) of deceased individuals. It's extremely problematic.”
The most recent edition of the National Survey on Alcohol and Drugs by the Federal University of São Paulo shows that 55% of bettors aged 14 to 17 are at risk of developing gambling disorder, while this rate among adults is 37.7%.
Another finding from the research reveals that people earning less than the minimum wage are three times more likely to develop problematic gambling behavior. To address the issue, the CPI’s final report may include limits on access to betting platforms and credit card spending, as well as making the unsubscription process easier, since, according to Senator Thronicke, there are reports of users who are unable to leave the platforms.
“There must be a limit on betting. If someone accessed the platforms twice, that’s it — only twice. Spending limits too. And another thing: when someone wants to leave. We have a history of people saying, ‘I want to unsubscribe.’ And they can’t.”
The senator also previewed that the report should address restrictions on betting advertisements: “It’s an addiction. Just like nicotine addiction, alcohol addiction — we can’t have advertising. It must be treated as such.”
The deadline for the conclusion of the Bets CPI is April 30, but some members of the Parliamentary Commission are advocating for an extension of its work.
Source: Rádio Senado
