While Brazil confidently stepped into 2025 hoping to claim the headline of “no more unlicensed operations”, the reality has been far more complex. Now, with 2026 approaching,...
Brazilian Senator urges ban on football betting
During a recent Senate session, Senator Eduardo Girão called for a ban on betting in Brazilian football, noting that what started as a regulated industry has transformed into a national crisis, causing a “humanitarian tragedy” in Brazil.
According to Senator Girão, while gambling giants keep earning profits, it is the public who suffers from addiction. He also criticized all those fellow lawmakers who keep pushing for casinos and bingo halls’ legalization, naming their actions a lack of social responsibility.
One of Girão’s biggest concerns is how deeply betting has woven itself into Brazil’s beloved sport, soccer. He believes the reliance on gambling money is eroding the integrity of the game. He’s even pushing for a parliamentary inquiry to investigate the Brazilian Football Federation (CBF), which he accuses of dodging accountability.
Girão stated:
“We need to stop this humanitarian tragedy that is betting. Only a few win: tycoons. And those who lose are millions. For me, it has to end. I have a bill to end it, to ban sports betting again. The damage has already been done, the signs are there. And there are still people with zero responsibility towards the Brazilian population, with zero social commitment, who are thinking of putting casinos and bingo halls to a vote in this House in the coming weeks.”
This isn’t a new fight for Girão. Last year, he proposed legislation to roll back betting laws and recently introduced two new bills: one to ban celebrity endorsements of betting and another to limit betting ads on TV. Both these bills are now under review.
FAQs
Is gambling legal in Brazil?
Many forms of land-based gambling are illegal in Brazil.
What is the legal gambling age in Brazil?
The legal gambling age in Brazil is 18.
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