Brazil’s gambling addiction

The figures are startling - 2.1 million Brazilians have a clinical addiction to betting and 7.5 million are problem gamblers. Women now comprise 40% of all gamblers, having been 25% just a decade ago. Online sports and casino betting have exploded in Brazil to make it one of the largest gambling markets in the world. The self-help group Gamblers Anonymous says it is receiving thousands of calls each month and millions of Brazilians are estimated be suffering financial, emotional or relationship problems as a result of betting. Camilla Mota talks to football fans in Sao Paulo about why they are gambling on their team’s result. She speaks to a man who gambled away $75, 000 on a corporate credit card, a businesswoman who locked herself in the toilet of her family home in order to bet in secret and meets two psychiatrists offering treatment to addicts at a special clinic. What can be done to protect problem gamblers and avoid driving legal gambling underground? **This edition of Assignment was updated on 25 August to correct the title**