São Paulo Governor Tarcísio de Freitas signed into law 18.186/25 on Monday (25). This new legislation provides for the provision of specialized care at the state’s Psychosocial Care Centers (Caps). Thus, people with gambling addiction, whether in land-based or online casinos, will receive support.
Published in the State Official Gazette, the law establishes the “State Program for Raising Awareness and Treating the Harms of Online Gambling and land-based Casinos” in São Paulo.
The program aims to prevent addiction and the negative impacts associated with gambling. It also establishes treatment referrals.
Preparation and support at Caps
The CAPS will be prepared to treat patients with gambling addiction, therefore, the new law provides for the technical training of professionals such as psychologists, psychiatrists and social workers.
They will receive treatment-oriented training to provide ongoing support and promote social reintegration. The law also provides for the creation of therapeutic groups.
The government may establish partnerships with universities, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and specialized entities. This measure aims to expand the program’s reach, and therefore, the costs will be covered by the state budget.
Next steps in regulation
State Representative Rômulo Fernandes, author of the proposal, states that the public system was not yet prepared to deal with gambling addiction. The next step will be to regulate the program with the state government. This will then define how services will be provided.
Rômulo Fernandes is optimistic about the implementation: “I hope that before the end of the year we will have the training, the resources, and all the health units prepared for this,” says the congressman.
Treatment will follow the same flow as for other types of addiction. Referrals will be made via the Basic Health Unit (UBS), or alternatively, patients may seek care directly at the CAPS.
Social and economic impact of the new program
Health law attorney Cátia Vita emphasizes that the law creates an unprecedented awareness and treatment program for those addicted to gambling and land-based casinos.
According to her, many people are already taking time off work or retiring early due to illness. This, in turn, impacts the pension system and the economy.
Vita highlights the law’s main benefit: “The great advance of this law is to guarantee free specialized treatment, prepare the public health system to deal with this growing demand, and treat addiction as a public health issue, not just an individual problem,” says the lawyer.
