Brazil's Self-Exclusion Requests Surge 588% During World Cup
2026-07-22
Source: Global Gaming Insider
During the World Cup, Brazil saw a 588% surge in daily self-exclusion requests, with nearly 1 million enrolled by July 10, driven by concerns over compulsive gambling and data privacy.
The number of daily self-exclusion requests from Brazilian bettors jumped 588% in the first two weeks of the World Cup compared with a pre-tournament period in May, according to data from the country's Secretariat of Prizes and Bets (SPA) reported by BBC News Brasil.
Between June 15 and 28, Brazil's Centralized Self-Exclusion Platform logged 250,129 requests to block or extend blocks, averaging 17,866 per day. By July 10, total enrollment had reached nearly 1 million people and continued to grow. In contrast, a 15-day stretch in May saw just 38,907 requests, or roughly 2,594 per day.
Authorities and industry observers attribute the spike to a combination of factors: heavy gambling advertising during the tournament, the first World Cup since Brazil's betting market was regulated, and heightened public awareness of the self-exclusion tool itself. Some bettors acted preemptively out of concern about compulsive behaviour, while others sought to protect their finances and mental health.
The SPA pointed to greater exposure to betting during the event, wider knowledge of the self-exclusion system, and growing recognition of the risks tied to gambling. Industry bodies, including the National Association of Games and Lotteries (ANJL) and the Brazilian Institute of Responsible Gambling (IBJR), cautioned that the rise may reflect increased awareness of the tool rather than a surge in compulsive gambling cases.
Interestingly, the leading reason for using the self-exclusion tool during the tournament was not loss of control but fears over misuse of personal data by betting companies, cited by 29.5% of requesters. Loss of control (24.13%) and voluntary decision (18.93%) followed.