Deco Joker

What is Deco Joker?

Representatives from Corinthians, Palmeiras, São Paulo, Santos and Juventus met last week at the São Paulo Football Federation to discuss measures in response to the ban on betting advertisements in the city.

One of the proposals could be voted on next week by the city council and would directly affect the city’s clubs.

The meeting brought together 40 professionals from the clubs’ legal, communications and marketing departments, as well as executives from companies in the betting sector. Club officials are concerned about the financial impact of the measures, which could impact sponsorship contracts signed with betting companies.

What is Deco Joker?

Examples included phrases like “online casino zonder Cruks” (online casino without CRUKS, the Dutch self-exclusion registry for problem gamblers) and “beste online casino buitenland” (best online casino abroad).

KVA expressed concern over the potential manipulation of Google’s autocomplete function by unauthorised operators and websites primarily set up to redirect Dutch consumers to illegal gambling offers.

While acknowledging Google’s cooperation in removing paid advertisements promoting illegal casinos, the KVA emphasised the need for the company to take more comprehensive measures addressing organic search results.

What is Deco Joker?

The committee concluded that current evidence justified taking “meaningful steps” against the sector, including a comprehensive advertising ban, to reduce exposure especially among children and vulnerable groups, and to curb problem gambling.

The report underscored gambling harm as a significant public health concern. It cited the Gambling Commission’s Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB), which has indicated that between one and 1.5 million adults in Great Britain now score high enough on the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) rangeto indicate problem gambling. 

According to the system used to rank players on the PGSI, a score of 0 or between 1 and 3 is considered low-risk, while scoring between 3 and 7 suggests moderate risk, and a score of 8 or higher represents problem gambling.