Regulatory Perspectives for Gambling in Brazil: are there Lessons that can be Learned from the UK´s Experience?

Following recent enactment of online gambling regulations in Brazil, this commentary aims to compare the country´s policies with those of the UK, where the Gambling Act has been in force since 2005. Brazil followed a trend that falls within the recent global expansion of the gambling industry, although having an internal dynamic of its own The key question for those jurisdictions exploring deregulation or who have already ventured down that path is how a regulatory framework can reconcile the ‘harm’ that accompanies the increased freedom to gamble alongside the economic benefits that choice generates. This is a clear obstacle to framing policy in public health terms as opposed to one based on market freedom. The ongoing experience of Brazil demonstrates that, despite the wealth of evidence relating to gambling harms from the UK, the embracing of a neo-liberal approach still resonates. Regulators in Brazil and beyond need to be critically aware of the resistance to introducing new restrictions, from the gambling companies themselves, and respond accordingly.