From the government portfolio, it was explained that at the moment there is no plan in progress.
Brazil.- The Ministry of Health admitted that it does not have data on the Brazilian population's addiction to gambling and that it has no ongoing actions to address the problem. In response to an information request submitted by congressman Fabio Costa, the department headed by Nísia Trindade stated that it is awaiting the creation of an Interministerial Working Group (GTI) to know how to act in relation to betting.
A letter signed by João Mendes de Lima Júnior, director of the Department of Mental Health, Alcohol and other Drugs, stated that the ordinance project that will establish the GTI is underway, without specifying a deadline for its publication. The promotion of responsible gambling in betting is the responsibility of the Ministry of Finance.
According to Lima Júnior, the GTI will be important for the action of the Ministry of Health because the main challenges in combating gambling addiction are related to the need to integrate intersectoral policies within the government.
The document in question states that, currently, the Ministry of Health does not have awareness campaigns associated with gambling disorders and warning signs. There are also no official surveys on the impact of gambling disorder on youth nor specific educational actions for schools restricted to pathological gambling.
In another letter, the secretary of Primary Health Care (APS), Felipe Proenço de Oliveira, declared that there is “no program or specific care line for the care of people diagnosed with gambling disorders in the APS”.
Oliveira highlighted that the main challenges related to pathological gambling are “the lack of epidemiological data, the qualification of the teams that make up the APS to identify and respond to the demand in question, and the need for coordination among different sectors to address issues related to pathological gambling, screen use, and gambling disorders”.
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According to Oliveira, there is an expectation that by the end of this year a guide to address the risks of screen use will be published, which would involve preventing addiction to games. The document, called Guide for the Conscious Use of Screens and Digital Devices by Children and Adolescents, will be delivered by a Working Group active since March 13, with the participation of seven ministries and 19 representatives from civil society.
