Brazil launches joint Health–Finance action plan to tackle harms from electronic games and ‘bets’

Brazil’s Health and Finance ministries have unveiled a joint package of measures to curb addiction to electronic games and fixed-odds betting, including a national self-exclusion system and new mental-health services aimed at reducing physical, psychological and financial harm.

In Brasília, Brazil’s Ministry of Health and Ministry of Finance have announced a coordinated response to rising gambling-related harm linked to the rapid expansion of online “bets” and electronic games. At a ceremony on Wednesday (3), ministers Alexandre Padilha (Health) and Fernando Haddad (Finance) signed a Technical Cooperation Agreement that formalises joint action against problem gambling and its impacts on public health and household finances.

A central pillar of the package is the creation of the Observatório Saúde Brasil de Apostas Eletrônicas, a new observatory designed to integrate health and regulatory data on betting behaviour. As part of this initiative, from 10 December the public will gain access to a digital tool that allows any individual to exclude and block their CPF (tax ID) across all authorised betting sites, effectively activating a nationwide self-exclusion status. The platform will also provide guidance on where and how to seek help in the public health system.

On the healthcare side, the Ministry of Health is rolling out a “Line of Care for People with Problems Related to Betting Games”, which includes both in-person and online support. The Unified Health System (SUS) will begin offering specialised tele-mental-health consultations focused on gambling and betting from February 2026, under a partnership with Hospital Sírio-Libanês, to reduce access barriers for people experiencing compulsive behaviour.

The agreement also strengthens cooperation between the Ministry of Finance’s Prizes and Betting Secretariat (SPA/MF) and the health authorities. Among the planned measures are the development of educational and training materials on fixed-odds betting from a mental-health perspective, and the creation of a direct communication channel between SPA and the Ministry of Health’s specialised care department to share data and coordinate responses.

According to government statements, the goal is to move beyond a purely fiscal or regulatory approach and treat betting-related addiction as a major public-health challenge. Officials emphasise that the package combines protection, prevention, harm reduction and care — targeting not only the individual bettor, but also families and communities affected by excessive gambling, at a time when Brazil’s newly regulated online betting market is rapidly expanding.