GAMBLING IN BRAZIL AND THE POSSIBLE IMPACTS ON MENTAL HEALTH

Abstract

This qualitative study, developed through a bibliographic review, aims to analyze the possible impacts of gambling on the mental health of the Brazilian population. In 2018, the legalization of fixed-odds sports betting was established by Law No. 13,756/2018, resulting in the rapid expansion of online platforms, intensifying access and consumption, especially among young people in socially vulnerable situations. Digital media, through massive advertising and influencers, has promoted the idea of immediate financial gain through betting, ignoring associated risks and generating compulsive use and gambling disorder. Observed consequences include anxiety, depression, indebtedness, social isolation, and suicide attempts. The absence of effective public policies, the weak regulation of platforms, and the insufficiency of the psychosocial care network contribute to the worsening of the problem. Given this scenario, the study concludes that gambling, although often treated as entertainment, constitutes a complex social phenomenon that requires intersectoral actions, such as harm reduction strategies, advertising control, age access restrictions, and the strengthening of mental health care, especially aimed at the most vulnerable populations.