“A huge relief.” That’s how Kaio*, 42, described his reaction upon hearing the news last Friday (Sep. 25) that online gambling companies, or “bets,” had been banned in Brazil. He says he is trying to rebuild his life after losing his car, his home, and his job because of gambling debts.
Today, Kaio lives alone in a dormitory in a small town in Goiás state. There, he sleeps on the floor every night. Fearing for his safety because of debts he incurred with loan sharks, he chose to distance himself from his family and stay away. He acknowledges that, over the past six years, his gambling addiction has turned his life upside down.
For this reason, he decided to seek help at a Psychosocial Care Center…