Zona de Azar Brazil – Brazil: Gambling Can Be Reason for Dismissal

Brazil.- June 12, 2024 www.zonadeazar.com  Increasingly popular in Brazil, sports betting has grown exponentially in the country, but with it, cases of gambling addiction have also increased, the name given to the medical condition characterized by compulsion of a person to play games of chance, which can lead to serious consequences for the individual: economic, social, physical and emotional.

Recently, several cases have gained attention in the news. Last weekend the story of a chef who claimed to have lost 80,000 reais in two months went viral. According to her, “I got up at dawn to play. I won, but greed quickly took over and I didn’t stop until I lost everything.”

Last May, businessman Rafael Tenório, a businessman who operates in Alagoas, Rio Grande do Norte and Mato Grosso and who has more than 2,000 employees, published a video in which he warned about a problem that had occurred with his employees. According to Tenório, the human resources department of his company noted that there was a large increase in requests from employees to receive financial advances. In 42 years of profession, the businessman stressed that he had never faced a situation like this.

“We noticed that people were asking for advance payments for vacations, 13th salary or even loans. Others even asked that the agreements be terminated and the FGTS withdrawn. There were many employees; Then we started to act and discovered that they were involved in betting and electronic games. This is happening in all the group’s companies,” said Tenório.

CLT points out constant practice in the game as subject to just cause

The Labor Code (CLT) indicates the constant practice of gambling as an attitude that may justify the termination of an employment contract. According to the Criminal Misdemeanors Law, games that have the following terms are considered games of chance:

Art. 50, § 3: Games of chance are considered:
a) the game in which winning and losing depend exclusively or mainly on luck;
b) betting on horse races outside a racecourse or place where they are authorized;
c) bets on any other sports competition.

According to an article by the lawyer specialized in Labor Law, Gabriel Pacheco in JusBrasil, in order for just cause to be established, a frequent practice in the employee’s life is necessary, that is, a habitual practice. Therefore, if the bets are placed in an exaggerated manner, the motive is not enough to constitute a just cause.

What is gambling addiction?

Gambling addiction is the term used to define the medical condition characterized by a person’s compulsion to gamble, which can have serious consequences for the individual: financial, social, physical and emotional.

The disease of addiction can be diagnosed by mental health professionals, who evaluate symptoms such as the inability to control the urge to gamble, lying about the extent of the problem, and using gambling as a way to escape or alleviate problems. There is still no specific policy in the SUS, problem gambling is addressed in the context of mental health. It is not yet possible to calculate the number of people who are being treated for gambling addiction.

🔔  Sports betting has significant addiction risks that can cause financial losses. Care must be taken to ensure that gambling is done responsibly and if it is becoming a problem, it is essential to seek help from professionals who provide full assistance in the fight against gambling disorder.

Edited: @_fonta www.zonadeazar.com