Fiocruz Brasilia Opens 20,000 Places for Betting and Health Course
Brazil.- 28 August 2026 | www.zonadeazar.com Fiocruz Brasília has opened 20,000 places for the second cohort of its free course “Jogos de Aposta: Cuidado na Rede de Atenção Psicossocial (RAPS)”.
The programme is designed to prepare health professionals across Brazil to identify and respond to situations involving problematic gambling and its social, emotional and financial consequences.
Free Distance-Learning Programme
The course is delivered entirely online and carries a total workload of 45 hours.
Training began on 25 August 2026 and will remain available until 15 December.
Applications can be submitted until 10 November 2026.
20,000 Places Available
Fiocruz Brasília has made 20,000 places available for the second cohort.
The programme is specifically aimed at professionals working within:
- Brazil’s Psychosocial Care Network (RAPS).
- Primary Health Care (APS).
The initiative has nationwide reach and is open to healthcare workers from different regions of Brazil.
Gambling’s Impact on Health
One of the programme’s main objectives is to improve professionals’ ability to recognise the effects gambling can have on individuals and their families.
Training examines the issue across several dimensions, including:
- Mental health.
- Emotional impact.
- Social consequences.
- Financial problems.
- Risk behaviours.
Identifying Risk Behaviours
The programme includes tools for detecting behaviours associated with problematic gambling.
Early identification is intended to enable interventions before negative consequences become more severe.
Professionals will be able to incorporate this knowledge into their everyday work across Brazil’s public healthcare networks.
Supporting Individuals and Families
The course also addresses strategies for receiving and supporting people experiencing gambling-related problems.
Training extends to work with family members, recognising that financial and emotional effects can go beyond the individual player.
This approach is intended to strengthen comprehensive care within the public health system.
Psychosocial Interventions
Another component focuses on different forms of psychosocial intervention.
The objective is to provide practical tools that can be used by professionals working across different areas of the care network.
The course also aims to improve coordination between services so responses can be adapted to individual cases.
Individual Therapeutic Projects
The curriculum includes development of Individual Therapeutic Projects, tailored strategies designed around each person’s specific needs.
This approach allows multiple services and professionals to be combined within a personalised care plan.
The tool forms part of the interdisciplinary model promoted by the programme.
Integrated Service Response
Fiocruz also places emphasis on coordination between different levels and services within the health system.
Responding to problematic gambling may require joint involvement from mental-health teams, primary care providers and other support services.
The training seeks to strengthen this integration across the public network.
Second Cohort
The 20,000 new places form part of the programme’s second cohort.
Continuing the initiative reflects growing demand for healthcare professionals capable of responding to gambling-related issues.
The expansion of digital betting platforms has also increased the visibility of the subject within Brazil’s public-policy debate.
Free Digital Certificate
Participants who complete the programme will receive a free digital certificate.
The online format allows professionals from across Brazil to undertake the training without travelling.
The initiative is therefore designed to broaden access to specialist education on gambling and health.
Industry Context
Brazil is placing increasing attention on the social impact associated with the expansion of online betting.
Since the introduction of the federally regulated market, public debate has increasingly focused on prevention, responsible gambling, household finances and mental health.
Training health professionals represents another element of the wider public-policy response to these challenges.
Next Steps or Impact
Applications will remain open until 10 November, while participants will have until 15 December 2026 to complete the programme.
With 20,000 places available, Fiocruz aims to significantly increase the number of professionals equipped to identify risks, provide care and coordinate responses through Brazil’s public health network.
The initiative strengthens the recognition of gambling-related harm as a specific issue within the country’s prevention and psychosocial-care policies.
Editó: @fonta
