Study shows that 75% of domestic violence cases in Brazil are linked to gambling
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Study shows that 75% of domestic violence cases in Brazil are linked to gambling

According to a study published today by the Brazilian government, the number of registered cases of domestic and family violence related to betting and gambling addiction has increased by 75% in the country over the past year.

Senasp (National Secretariat of Public Security), part of the Ministry of Justice and Public Security (MJSP), which is responsible for data collection, reported that from January to September 2026, 573 incidents were recorded, compared to 327 such cases in the same period of 2025.

The analysis examined approximately 99.6 million police reports (complaint and notification acts) across Brazil. This review identified 1,650 cases of domestic or family violence mentioning dependence on games and betting between January 2020 and October of the current year.

The Brazilian government specified that out of a total of 1,101 cases, women's violence was classified. Physical injury appeared in 805 incidents, and threats were mentioned in 803 cases. In 161 cases, there were reports of death threats, and in 218, reports of the use of firearms or cold weapons.

Furthermore, Senasp noted that children and adolescents were involved in 458 cases of family violence. The analyzed reports indicate situations where financial losses from betting are accompanied by threats, aggression, and the appropriation of funds from victims.

In several instances, partners or former partners demand bank transfers via the Pix system, use bank cards without permission, or sell family property to continue gambling, the body added.

The review also recorded a significant presence of online casinos in the police records, mentioned in 248 cases, which is four times higher than the number of sports betting mentions, which totaled 62 cases. In another 812 records, online betting or gaming was mentioned, but the specific platform was not identified, according to Senasp.

According to the Brazilian government, the increase in incidents 'intensified' starting in 2024: in 2023, records amounted to 132, and in 2025, they reached 503. As of October 8, 2026, 588 incidents had already been counted.

The rate of registering cases mentioning betting addiction has increased more than tenfold: from 3.9 per million police reports in 2020 to 41.1 in 2026, as stated by the Brazilian government. Despite the fact that betting platforms widely known as 'bet' in Brazil and online casinos are banned in the country since September 25, the problem remains relevant.

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Domestic violence increases by 20% in Maputo in 2025, with sharp growth in sexual crimes
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noticiasaominuto.com

Domestic violence increases by 20% in Maputo in 2025, with sharp growth in sexual crimes

In 2025, the number of victims of domestic violence in the city of Maputo registered an increase of 20.3%, totaling 2,025 cases. This increase was accompanied by a significant 39% growth in crimes related to sexual freedom, predominantly affecting children and youth.

According to the report issued by the National Institute of Statistics (INE) on domestic violence in the Mozambican capital, the volume of victims in Maputo exceeded the 1,683 cases recorded in the previous year. Of these victims, 72.3% are women.

The compiled data covers incidents of both criminal and civil nature, encompassing physical aggression, psychological violence, patrimonial violence, offenses against sexual freedom, and other manifestations of violence, all monitored by the competent authorities and services of the City of Maputo.

The report also points to a 7.8% increase in criminal records, which rose from 1,344 in 2024 to 1,449 in 2025, with 1,207 of these occurrences involving female victims.

Specifically regarding direct domestic violence, there was a slight increase, rising from 983 to 987 cases, representing a 0.4% rise. Women continued to be the majority of victims, with 837 cases reported, compared to 150 men.

Simple physical violence remained the most common form of domestic violence, despite showing a decrease, falling from 524 to 480 cases. In contrast, an increase was observed in reports of psychological violence, which rose from 300 to 317 cases; patrimonial violence, from 78 to 97 cases; and serious physical violence, from 67 to 81 cases.

Among the municipal districts, KaMavota led the number of domestic violence incidents with 295 cases, an increase from the 216 cases in the previous year, accounting for more than a third of the city's records. On the other hand, KaMaxakeni registered a decrease, dropping from 249 to 185 cases.

One of the most alarming aspects highlighted by the report is the worsening of crimes against sexual freedom, which grew by approximately 39%, reaching 178 cases in 2025. More than 86% of the victims were children, and 98.9% of the cases involved female victims.

The most frequent typologies within this category included 'other sexual acts with minors', responsible for 45.4% of incidents, followed by sexual abuse of a minor under 12 years old, with 25.5%, and rape, which represented 23.2% of cases.

Additionally, civil proceedings showed a reduction of 22.5%, falling from 338 to 262 cases, and the report confirmed that no cases of premature marriage were registered in the City of Maputo during 2025.

In 2025, the estimated population of the city of Maputo was 1,139,476 inhabitants, composed of 584,385 women and 555,091 men.

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