The Senate may review, in the second half of this year, a bill proposed by Senator Humberto Costa, from the Workers’ Party (PT) of Pernambuco, which seeks to limit the activities of companies operating fixed-odds betting. One of the key changes suggested by the senator is to raise the legal betting age from 18 to 21.
According to the proposal, authorized bettors would be allowed to spend a maximum of one minimum wage per month on this type of activity. Additionally, the Ministry of Finance would be permitted to set daily and weekly spending limits at its discretion. The goal, according to Costa, is to prevent over-indebtedness and compulsive gambling.
Senator Humberto Costa argues that, ideally, 'Bets' should not even exist, due to the harm they cause across all levels of society.
“In July, a son killed his own mother in Minas Gerais over debts from 'Bets'. Money meant for groceries, local markets, and small businesses is being drained into 'Bets'. Many young people of university age are either delaying enrollment or dropping out of college because their tuition money is being spent on gambling, even with the support of Fies (Student Financing Fund),” said the senator.
The bill also bans advertising targeting individuals under 21, as well as any form of promotion of this type of activity in media, including online platforms, between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m.
Furthermore, operators of 'Bets' would be prohibited from advertising or sponsoring any cultural, sports, artistic, or festive events held in public spaces, regardless of whether they are publicly funded.
Source: GMB
