Student loses Prouni scholarship after mother's betting statements

However, the expectation ended during the analysis of the documentation, when the benefit was denied due to the mother's financial transactions on online betting platforms.

The case had repercussions on social media and raised doubts about the income criteria of the federal program, which offers scholarships for undergraduate courses at private institutions. Eduardo claims that the amounts in his mother's statements were deposits and withdrawals on betting sites, not family income.

A resident of Campinas (SP), Eduardo lives with his mother, retired by the INSS with a minimum wage, and said he presented documents and extracts from the entire family, as required by Prouni.

According to him, proof of income normally took place until a Unip employee asked him to appear on campus.

"She said that my documents were all correct, that I had the profile to receive the scholarship. The problem was those transactions that appeared on my mother's statement and that you could see that they were games", says Eduardo in an interview with the reporter.

When informed of the decision, Eduardo states that he tried to explain that those operations did not represent income. "You can see the dynamics: money flows in and out of the platforms. Even so, the grant was rejected."

The student filed an administrative appeal contesting the decision, but the request was denied. Now, he is preparing a lawsuit to try to reverse the rejection.

"I'm going to file a lawsuit because I believe there was a misinterpretation. Betting is not my family's income. I want the courts to analyze this case so that I can get the grant", says Eduardo.

In addition to the dispute over income criteria, the episode revealed to the family the extent of the mother's dependence on online betting. Although he knew she was placing bets, Eduardo states that he imagined the losses would be small.

"We thought she was losing R$100, R$200 per month. When I had access to her statements and cell phone, I discovered hundreds of transactions on platforms over the course of about two years. That's when I realized she was completely addicted", explains Eduardo.

The student avoids holding his mother responsible for the loss of the scholarship. "She is as much a victim of this situation as I am. I'm not going to demonize her or place all the responsibility on her. She needs help and support."

The family got free psychological care after the repercussions of the case and, according to Eduardo, started deleting apps, blocking content related to betting and changing the pensioner's phone number to reduce the incentives for gambling.

HOW INCOME ANALYSIS WORKS

The guidelines for determining family income and the documentation required by Prouni foresee the use of payslips, Income Tax declarations, work cards, proof of social security benefits and, in certain situations, bank statements.

According to Henrique Silveira, lawyer and partner at Mattos Filho, the regulation allows educational institutions to use bank transactions to verify family income.

In the case of online betting, however, the lawyer states that it is necessary to distinguish occasional winnings from recurring activity.

"If a person receives an isolated prize, it is occasional income, which does not necessarily represent family income. On the other hand, if they bet frequently, with recurring inflows of resources, this activity can be considered in the composition of family income for purposes of eligibility for Prouni", explains Silveira.

Silveira emphasizes that the student can go to court if they understand that there was a misinterpretation of the documentation presented. "If the administrative decision is final, it is possible to file a lawsuit to discuss whether or not these resources should be included in the per capita family income and, if the Judiciary accepts this understanding, guarantee the granting of the scholarship."

In the lawyer's assessment, the case also shows a limitation of the program's regulations. "The legislation predates the popularization of online betting and does not address situations like this. It is likely that there will be other similar cases, which makes it necessary to update the rules by the MEC."

In a statement, Unip stated that it follows the rules established by Prouni and the MEC for granting and maintaining scholarships. According to the university, the legislation determines that the analysis of family income considers income of any nature received by members of the family group, on a regular or occasional basis, and it is up to the participating institutions to comply with the criteria set out in the Prouni law and in the MEC ordinances.

The institution also stated that the analyzes are recorded in the MEC system and that students who disagree with the result can appeal to the ministry. The university recognized that gambling disorder represents a public health problem, but stated that the Prouni regulations do not exclude earnings from betting from the concept of family income for the purposes of granting scholarships.

When contacted, the MEC did not respond to the report's questions until the publication of this text.

While awaiting the next steps of the legal action, Eduardo states that he has not given up on his dream of studying psychology. "I waited almost three years for this opportunity. I'll keep trying because this has always been the course I wanted to take."

WHERE TO SEEK HELP FOR BETS ADDICTION

Telecare through the SUS (Unified Health System) The Ministry of Health launched, in March 2026, a telemedicine program focused exclusively on people who face problems with gambling. The service is provided in partnership with Hospital Sírio-Liban