Gambling quietly spreads, and Brazil is facing an unprecedented "digital gambling" crisis. Although President Eurico Dutra issued a decree in 1946 that completely banned casino operations, various online gambling platforms have emerged like bamboo shoots after a rain, moving the former gambling tables into the screens of thousands of households. From sports betting to slot machine games, these platforms are almost undefended, and the younger generation is becoming the biggest victim.
The latest report released by the Central Bank of Brazil shows that young people aged 20 to 30 have become the main force in online gambling. They spend about 100 reais per month on gambling through online transfers, a seemingly small number that often marks the beginning of addiction. As they age and their income increases, the amount of money invested can quickly soar, with users over 30 spending an average of 3000 reais or more per month. Experts point out that gambling behavior has typical progressive characteristics, gradually evolving from an initial "try your luck" to a "financial disaster".
The harm of gambling goes far beyond financial loss. Numerous studies have shown that gambling addiction can severely affect mental health, destroy interpersonal relationships, and even lead to a decline in work ability. A report by the National Bureau of Economic Research in the United States analyzed data from 230,000 American households and found that the rise of online gambling is seriously squeezing family savings. These funds, which should have been used for important expenses such as children's education and retirement savings, are being invested in gambling games that are almost impossible to win.
What is more worrying is that gambling platforms' marketing strategies are targeting minors. A report by the Australian Parliament in 2023 pointed out that gambling advertisements are subtly influencing the cognition and behavioral habits of adolescents. In comparison, Brazil's regulation is clearly lagging behind, with the first bill to ban public figures from endorsing gambling platforms not passing until May 2025. This "closing the stable door after the horse has bolted" type of regulation clearly cannot contain the already spreading gambling wind.
In São Paulo, family tragedies caused by gambling are not uncommon. A citizen revealed that his grandfather once interrupted a vacation claiming "urgent business at the company," only for the family to find out years later that the truth was he had lost all his savings and had to sell his property to pay off debts. Such stories are constantly unfolding across Brazil, and the convenience of online gambling makes similar tragedies more likely to occur.
The chairman of the Brazilian E-commerce Association, Fernando Hidalgo, warns: "Gambling is not only an economic issue but also a serious public health problem." As gambling platforms continue to upgrade their marketing methods, the battle against digital gambling addiction has just begun. As experts say, in Brazil, a country where gambling regulation is still in its infancy, the public urgently needs to realize: you might occasionally win, but ultimately you will lose even more.
