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.

