A survey by the DataSenado Institute shows that men up to 39 years old with high school education dominate the use of online sports betting applications in Brazil.
The study “Political Panorama 2024” reveals that 13% of the population, equivalent to 22 million people, made some type of bet in the last 30 days. The analysis was released last Tuesday (1st).
Profile of those who place bets online
The study points out that:
- 62% of bettors are men
- 38% are women
- From 16 to 39 years old, 56%
- 40 to 49 years old are 17%
- 50 to 59 years old are 13%
- 60 years or more are 14%
In terms of education, 40% of respondents have completed secondary education. Another 23% have incomplete primary education. But only 20% have incomplete higher education or more.
However, from an economic point of view, 68% of gamblers have paid work, while 27% are out of the workforce and 5% consider themselves unemployed. The majority, 52%, receive up to two minimum wages per month. Furthermore, 35% earn between two and six salaries, while 13% earn more than six minimum salaries.
When asked about expenses, most bettors stated that they had invested up to R$500 in betting apps and websites. Only 3% reported having spent larger amounts.
Betting geography
According to the survey, on average, 12% of Brazilians placed sports bets in the last 30 days. This rate is similar in almost all regions. However, Roraima and Pará surpassed the average, with 17% of bettors. On the other hand, Ceará had the lowest rate, with just 8%.
José Henrique Varanda, research coordinator, emphasizes that Panorama Político investigates topics that are being debated by the National Congress. According to him, the impact of sports betting is a current concern among parliamentarians.
“In addition to showing that almost 13% of the population placed sports bets in the last 30 days, the research reveals characteristics of the betting population. In other words, a greater proportion of men, young people betting more and older people less.”
“People with completed secondary education bet more, while the extremes, with less and more education, bet less. Regarding income, low-income people bet less proportionately, but they still represent the majority of bettors.” – explains.
The impact of online betting
The DataSenado survey also indicates that 58% of bettors say they have outstanding debts for more than 90 days. Data was collected between June 5th and 28th, involving 21,808 interviews.
The “Political Panorama” is a study carried out since 2008, which seeks to understand the opinion of Brazilians and indicate priorities for parliamentary action on relevant topics.
Since the approval of MP 846/2018, which became Law 13,756, online sports betting has not been regulated. In December 2023, Law 14,790 established rules for fixed odds bets, allowing the user to know the return rate at the time of the game.
The new legislation requires companies and bettors to pay taxes and defines rules for operating the service. For virtual betting and sporting events, companies retain 88% of gross revenue. Of these, 2% are allocated to the Social Security Contribution, and 10% are allocated to education, health and public security.
The new standards also require companies to have headquarters and administration in Brazil, in addition to measures to combat financial crimes and gaming addiction problems.
Projections for the future of the Brazilian market
But despite progress in regulation, critics warn that the growth in betting, driven by online advertising and sporting events, has contributed to household debt and affected the economy.
So, given this scenario, the federal government announced that it will tighten the rules related to online betting. The objective is to seek to mitigate the social and economic damage caused by this practice.
The Prizes and Betting Secretariat of the Ministry of Finance (SPA-MF) released last Tuesday (1st), a list of betting sites authorized to operate in Brazil until the end of the year.
This list, created by Ordinance No. 1,475, includes companies that requested authorization in the Betting Management System (Sigap). These companies demonstrated an interest in adapting to the new regulatory rules.
With a rapidly expanding sector, it is essential that the debate about online betting continues. It is important to strike a balance between regulation and consumer protection in a dynamic and constantly changing environment.
