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Brazil’s Minister of Health, Alexandre Padilha, has defended the establishment of a special surcharge on Internet betting operators, considering that this emerging industry should directly support society through initiatives in the area of health and security.
In an interview on the program Bastidores CNN, Padilha said that the industry should compensate society for the negative consequences of gambling activities. “This is an industry that generates a lot of revenue, and there is no way to prevent it. It is better to regulate than to try to prohibit it, and this revenue should be used to increase security actions and health areas as well.”
The minister considers the current legislative stagnation on the approval of tax measures “very serious”, although recognizing that the current regulation represents progress compared to the previous year, when there was no regulation at all. However, Padilha believes that the allocation of funds to strategic areas such as mental health and security is non-negotiable.
300,000 Self-Exclusions Signal Growing Concern
In addition to the economic aspect, the minister revealed that almost 300,000 Brazilians have already used the tool of self-exclusion that is offered on betting platforms to prevent their own access to the platforms and to avoid advertising.
This number reflects the level of gambling concerns in Brazil and the number of people who want to avoid the negative consequences of gambling activities.
In response to this need, the Ministry of Health is launching a new telehealth service this month, which will be exclusively devoted to addressing gambling disorders. This new service will offer remote psychological and psychiatric services, especially designed for people struggling with betting addiction.
New Telehealth System to Address Stigma
This new initiative is based on data from 2025, which showed very low rates of people seeking face-to-face treatment. During the whole year, fewer than 10,000 people sought treatment at Brazil’s Psychosocial Care Centers (CAPS).
According to Padilha, shame and stigmatization are still powerful barriers for people who are struggling with gambling disorders. This new channel will allow people to receive treatment while feeling more comfortable and in private.
Through this new system, psychologists and psychiatrists will be able to offer treatment remotely, helping people overcome the psychological threshold required to seek treatment. This way, people can get treatment early on, thus reducing the serious consequences of gambling disorders.
Linking Regulation to Social Responsibility
Padilha’s proposal is also based on the debate on the allocation of funds derived from the betting business in Brazil. While recognizing the benefits of regulation over prohibition, Padilha believes that, on its own, regulation is not sufficient.
For the Ministry of Health, the growth of online betting requires a structured public response, including taxation, mental health services, and public security. While Congress is debating the future of gambling taxation, the debate is increasingly focusing on the allocation of funds derived from the betting business.
Source: iGaming Brasil
