Sun Tzu, author of the classic The Art of War, wrote that “to know your enemy and to know yourself is the path to victory.”
The problem is that today, the betting industry is fighting the wrong war.
It believes the enemy is the illegal market, and yes, it is a dangerous opponent.
But in my view, enemies number one, two, and three are all the same: misinformation. In this case, the order of factors truly changes the outcome.
Misinformation is what erodes public trust, distorts debate, and weakens the industry’s legitimacy.
The illegal market thrives precisely because the official narrative is confused and moralistic.
With accurate information, players make conscious choices.
With a unified voice, the regulated market gains strength.
And with Responsible Gaming at the center of the narrative, the industry holds its most powerful weapon: social legitimacy.
Misinformation spreads through shallow headlines, rushed political debates, and moral judgment.
While the public’s focus turns to the new villain, “the Bets,” what truly matters is lost in the noise.
The result is predictable: confusion, hysteria, and hasty decisions such as advertising restrictions and higher taxes.
Brazil has always needed a scapegoat to channel its structural problems.
Until we change the conversation, it will continue to be us.
The battle for narrative is the greatest challenge the sector has faced since regulation.
It is not just an economic dispute but a symbolic war between perception and reality.
The betting industry has yet to earn its most valuable asset: public trust.
And trust cannot be decreed. It must be built over time, through consistency and transparency.
Misinformation is not defeated with noise but with strategy.
It requires coordination, clarity, and a unified voice.
Operators, regulators, payment systems, and technology providers must understand that Responsible Gaming is not a department.
It is a narrative, the real antidote to stigma and the bridge between the industry and society.
Sun Tzu said that “the supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.”
That is exactly what the industry must do.
Not fight public opinion, but win it over.
Invest in information, transparency, and Responsible Gaming. It is the most powerful strategy to neutralize the invisible enemy.
Because the true enemy is not the illegal market.
It is ignorance.
And on the battlefield of public opinion, information is power.
Thiago Iusim
CEO at @Betshield Responsible Gaming - www.thebetshield.com
