Auditor remembers her brother's death after acquiring million-dollar debt with online betting Lawyer and tax auditor Juliana Prates became an activist against online betting houses after losing her brother to gambling addiction. In an interview with g1, the professional at the Court of Auditors of the State of Bahia (TCE-BA) stated that the decision to talk about the subject on social media arose from the pain of the loss. "I went from grieving to fighting, because I don't want anyone to go through this," he said. Juliana's brother, also auditor Otacílio Prates, started betting on 2023. Over almost two years, he acquired a debt of approximately R$1.5 million. In December last year, he took his own life. ⚠️ Ludopathy is a disorder characterized by the uncontrollable and compulsive desire to gamble. It is a behavioral dependence similar to substance addiction, recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO), and with a high impact on mental health. Juliana and her brother, Otacílio Prates Social networks 📲 Click here and join the g1 Bahia WhatsApp group After her brother's death, Juliana started using social media to warn other families about the dangers of betting. According to her, several people started to get in touch to tell stories similar to her brother's. "Many families came to talk to me, they identified themselves. I realized that it is a silent public health problem", he said. In addition to being sought out by people going through the same situation, something curious happened: the tax auditor started receiving offers to promote betting houses. "I talk about awareness every day and I receive proposals from bookmakers every day," he said. Betting advertisements For Juliana, one of the biggest problems involving online betting houses is their rampant advertising. In Salvador, bets are advertised at free events that bring together children and teenagers, such as Carnival and Lavagem do Bonfim. "Advertising is a very heavy trigger for anyone going through this problem," he said. ⚠️ According to the National Advertising Self-Regulation Council (Conar), this type of advertising must be protected from children, adolescents and other people in vulnerable situations. Additionally, all disclosures must include a standardized warning message, such as “gamble responsibly” or “gambling is an activity with a risk of financial loss.” Online betting games. Fábio Santos/g1 With this in mind, the professional filed a class action against the Government of Bahia. The aim was to stop advertising from betting houses during the São João celebrations, which this year takes place during the same period as the World Cup. "What we would like today is for there to be no advertising of betting at parties where we know there are children, teenagers and people in vulnerable situations present," he explained in an interview with TV Bahia. The action was partially granted by the Court, and the decision by judge Juliana de Castro Madeira, from the 6th Public Finance Court of Salvador, was published on May 26th. She adopted a middle ground to the request, as many cities depend on sponsors to hold the parties. Check the established rules: limited advertising hours, which can only be broadcast after 10pm; Advertising for bets at children's events, such as youth gangs, for example, is prohibited; direct approach is prohibited, that is, it is prohibited to distribute leaflets, give gifts, approach people on the street or use a QR code to bet; artists cannot advertise betting houses during shows; the warning is mandatory, that is, whenever a bet mark appears on the screen, the event is obliged to show a message warning that the game may cause addiction. According to the decision, the state government would have 48 hours to apply the measures. In case of non-compliance, the fine is R$50,000 per day and can reach up to R$1.5 million. g1 contacted the Court of Justice of Bahia, to understand whether the State Government appealed the decision and whether any fines had already been applied, and is awaiting feedback. READ ALSO: Desenrola 2.0 has close to R$1 billion in debts renegotiated Students who join Desenrola Fies will be prohibited from placing bets online Understand the controversy between Virginia Fonseca and Luana Piovani See more state news on g1 Bahia. Watch videos from g1 and TV Bahia 💻