Federal deputies Duda Salabert, Camila Jara, Dorinaldo Malafaia, Duarte Jr., Tabata Amaral and Pedro Campos, in addition to senator Alessandro Vieira – presented the new package of legislative initiatives to restrict online sports betting. Betting is the subject of a CPI in the Federal Senate, which received influencer Virgínia Fonseca for clarifications on Tuesday (13) and influencer Rico Melquiades on Wednesday.
According to the parliamentarians, “it is up to the National Congress to adopt a firm and preventive stance to promote responsible regulation of the sector and defend the rights of children and adolescents, in addition to protecting the mental health of the population”.
Among the proposals are:
* Limit on bets for risk groups, such as people with low income, in debt or in a delicate legal situation
* Restriction on advertising by betting houses, mainly aimed at people under 18
* Creation of a mandatory savings account, with 25% of the amounts bet going directly to an account in the name of the bettor
* Prohibition of public servants with management positions from becoming partners in companies in the betting sector, avoiding conflicts of interest and illegal favoritism.
Projects presented
One of the projects, presented in both Houses, prohibits advertising and commercial propaganda of bets, products, services or similar arrangements. The exception is for gaming operators to display the information in their establishments, as long as they consider including warning messages about the risks of gambling, raising awareness among gamblers, and prohibiting advertising for people under 18 years of age.
Another project deals with limiting bets, which may include monthly transfer limits up to a total ban on transactions. The limitations apply to those considered to be at risk, such as people registered with CadÚnico or a credit protection registry, partners in companies undergoing judicial recovery or bankruptcy, players suspended by court order, among others.
The third project establishes that the betting operator agent must transfer 25% of the deposits made by the gambler to a savings account owned by the gambler, creating a type of compulsory savings, as an educational measure to encourage the habit of saving instead of the risk of gambling.
The fourth bill prohibits the participation, as a partner or shareholder in a fixed-odds betting company, of those holding positions in management, leadership and advisory roles in Federal Administration bodies and entities, as well as those holding positions or jobs with the authority to regulate or supervise this type of betting, and administrators of companies whose capital is constituted with public resources. This is a way of ensuring that these people cannot benefit themselves, unduly favor operators or even use privileged information.
The parliamentarians also forwarded a recommendation to the Ministry of Health, suggesting that specific programs be implemented to train SUS teams and partnerships with local governments for the treatment and prevention of diseases related to gambling and betting addiction.
Source: GMB
