World Cup fever grips Brazil, scrutiny mounts over its sports betting industry

World Cup fever in Brazil is being accompanied by growing scrutiny of the country’s sports betting industry as advertising expands during the tournament. Brazil’s health ministry says the number of people seeking care for gambling addiction has more than doubled in the past five years, alongside a surge in gambling-related debt. A Klavi study based on a sample of 1.2 million people found that the share of Brazilians placing bets rose from 11% in May to around 35% by late June after the World Cup began. Politicians across the spectrum have called for tighter controls after ads moved beyond traditional breaks into live endorsements and real-time odds promotions. In response, Finance Minister Dario Durigan said new measures would be announced, and the ministry asked two media outlets and four betting operators for explanations, with any noncompliant ads ordered suspended.