Supersized

What is Supersized?

“The day after that I won €150,000 – and lost that too.” That was the point at which he decided something had to change. “I thought to myself: This has gone too far.”

Madsen eventually sought help. His parents supported him and, at one point, took control of his finances. “It was embarrassing, but it was necessary,” he says.

The experience led the tech-savvy Dane to create Spilfri.nu, a blocking and support service for people experiencing gambling problems. The service is free for users, while supporters can pay a monthly fee to help monitor their progress. The service also extends to schools and educational institutions that want to ensure their students are not tempted by gambling when they are supposed to be studying.

About Supersized

Some factions within the government, especially the Ministry of Finance, are resisting more drastic measures. The Ministry of Finance, responsible for regulating sports betting and online gaming, understands the sector’s importance to the economy. Finance Minister Dario Durigan’s difficulty lies in convincing Lula that a well-regulated activity is important for public finances. Lula has said, in line with critics of the sector, that if it were up to him, he would end betting in Brazil.

The president’s critical view of betting is on par with other candidates. Studies by the Workers’ Party (PT) indicate that three out of four Brazilians are against betting establishments. This is the president’s justification against the sector.

What the president didn’t address is the tax revenue from betting.

What is Supersized?

Alongside this, the AiA wants to use the lessons from the inaugural week to broaden participation and establish the campaign as a permanent fixture.

“Our ambition is to expand participation each year and make the week an established feature of the African gambling calendar,” Kesitilwe continues.

“Success should not be measured only by whether all countries participate in one year. It should also be measured by whether we have created a credible foundation that more can join.”