Brazilian officials push anti‑betting education campaigns

Governor Otaviano Pivetta of Mato Grosso labeled online sports betting and gambling as “the biggest disorder of our time” and called for state‑run anti‑betting propaganda, including school programs modeled after anti‑tobacco campaigns. He referenced the mayor of Cuiabá’s law banning betting ads in public spaces and urged immediate educational action.

In Minas Gerais, councilors are introducing similar measures. Poços de Caldas councilor Lucas Arruda (REDE) presented two bills to create an annual Municipal Week of Awareness and a permanent municipal program for prevention, education, financial‑literacy training and health‑service support. In the neighboring city of Itabira, councilor Leandro Pascoal (PRD) proposed a continuous public‑information campaign across radio, TV, newspapers and municipal online channels, aiming to inform citizens about the mental‑health, social and financial risks of betting addiction and to foster partnerships with health and education services.