The National Association of Games and Lotteries (ANJL) has criticised a study which claimed students aged 18 to 35 in Brazil were delaying their studies due to gambling expenses.
Last week, the Brazilian Association of Higher Education Providers (ABMES) revealed the findings of a study titled “The Impact of Betting on Higher Education”.
One of the headline figures from the study was an estimate that nearly 2.9 million potential entrants to private higher education in H1 2026 are at risk of not enrolling due to financing issues caused by online gambling.
Among those interviewed for the study, 34% of students said they would have needed to halt their gambling in order to begin their studies in the first semester in 2025.
The ANJL has published a clarification note in response to the survey, saying the online betting sector in Brazil “rejects the construction of narratives” that blame the industry for setbacks in the social and economic situation of Brazilians.
Alongside admissions, the ABMES study also claimed 14% of students already enrolled in private institutions had either delayed tuition payments or dropped out of school entirely due to betting expenses.
“There is no direct relationship between gambling two to three times a week and dropping out of or continuing a higher education programme, as the survey and report suggest,” the gambling trade body stated, denouncing the study.
In the note, the ANJL pointed to another question in the study that found 79% of respondents answered “no” when asked whether they had not invested in a university course or any other type of higher education because their income had been compromised by sports betting.
Additionally, the ANJL also claims the report omits information from ABMES’ own study, which said over 70% of respondents recouped the money they had spent on gambling when they played again.
“ANJL also emphasises that gambling is an entertainment industry and, by its nature, competes with other forms of entertainment,” the note read.
What else did the study on students reveal?
According to the survey, 52% of respondents gambled regularly, with total spend varying between social classes.
ABMES defines class A as being those with a monthly household income exceeding BRL27,000 ($4,857), while the income of those in classes D and E would be between BRL1,000 and BRL2,500.
According to the ABMES survey, class A gamblers allocate around BRL1,210 to gambling a month, whereas in classes D and E, the average is BRL421.
“The study shows that online gambling has become an additional obstacle to accessing higher education in Brazil,” said ABMES general director Paulo Chanan.
“We need to take a serious look at this scenario and develop public policies that raise awareness among young people about the responsibilities involved in gambling.”
However, the ANJL believes the issue is being overblown, saying most of those surveyed across all social classes spend less than 5% of their income on gambling.
“Constructing narratives that propagate the misguided behaviour of a minority as if it were widespread only harms the sector and Brazilian society itself,” the ANJL continued.
ANJL and IBJR formalise cooperation agreement
Also last week, the ANJL announced it had formalised its cooperation agreement with the Brazilian Institute of Responsible Gaming (IBJR).
The formalisation with the Secretariat of Prizes and Bets, the regulator of betting in Brazil, brings together the two largest gambling trade bodies in Brazil.
It comes at an important time for collaboration across Brazil’s betting industry as new ad restrictions, including watersheds and a rise in gambling tax rate threaten the market.
The two bodies share the key goal of ensuring the viability of the regulated market, which only launched on 1 January this year.
“The consolidation of this partnership is a concrete response to the challenges that threaten the regulated environment in Brazil,” said Fernando Vieira, IBJR president.
“Joining forces with ANJL is a way to strengthen our efforts against illegal operators, promoting greater security for bettors and sustainability for the sector.”
The study suggests 2.9 million potential entrants to private higher education in H1 2026 are at risk of not enrolling due to financing issues caused by online gambling.