Every month, alarmist headlines about online betting in Brazil appear. “R$22 billion (US$4bn) vanished from Brazilians’ pockets into Fortune Tiger.” “The money for barbecue and beer evaporated in gambling platforms.” “The popular economy drained by digital games.”
The problem is not the legitimate concern about the financial impact of a growing sector, but the simplistic way the issue is framed. When the debate is reduced to raw numbers, without context, public opinion is led to believe in half-truths: that the entire volume wagered in bets is lost money, burned, with no return whatsoever. That is not true. And this is exactly where a fundamental concept comes in, one the industry needs to take responsibility for explaining: RTP, Return to Player.
RTP is, in simple terms, the percentage of all money wagered in online casino games that returns in the form of prizes. In other words, it is not correct to say that if R$22 billion (US$4bn) was wagered in a single month, that R$22 billion disappeared. RTP shows how much of that amount circulates back to players.
In Brazilian regulation, the minimum RTP for online casino games is 85%. In practical terms, this means that for every R$100 (US$18) wagered, at least R$85 (US$15,6) goes back to players in prizes. In other words, of the R$22 billion (US$4bn) wagered monthly, a significant portion returned to bettors in the form of winnings. The raw number may look alarming, but it is misleading if not accompanied by the return rate.
The absence of RTP in the public debate creates dangerous noise. It fuels the idea that the betting sector is a drain sucking money out of the popular economy, when in fact the regulated system works differently. The money circulates, returns, redistributes. Of course there are individual losses, as with any form of paid entertainment—whether streaming, concerts, cinema, lottery, or video games. But reducing the entire sector to a caricature of “evaporated money” is as inaccurate as saying the film industry exists only to steal ticket money from its audience.
If RTP were understood and communicated in a simple way, it would be possible to separate two debates that are currently mixed together. The first is the need to protect vulnerable players, ensure financial education and Responsible Gaming tools, and prevent entertainment from becoming compulsion. The second is the discussion about economic impact, tax collection, sponsorships, and job creation. Today, these two debates are confused in noisy headlines that do little to help society understand how the engine really works.
Transparency about RTP also strengthens the argument that the regulated market is preferable to the illegal one. Because only in the regulated environment are there guaranteed returns, ongoing auditing, and limits established by law. This is a fundamental difference that needs to be communicated. Otherwise, we will remain hostage to simplistic narratives that add up all the money wagered and sell the easy headline that Brazilians burned R$22 billion (US$4bn) in a single month on Fortune Tiger.
This is not about denying that there are risks, social impacts, and cases of problem gambling. They exist and must be addressed seriously. But addressing them seriously also means qualifying the debate, introducing concepts like RTP into public discussion, and showing that the industry’s math is not as linear as critics suggest.
And here lies the central point: this narrative will not correct itself. It is the industry’s responsibility to explain what RTP is, how it works, and why it completely changes the reading of the R$22 billion monthly figure. Communicating clearly and transparently is not only a defense of the sector, it is a strategic duty. So next time someone throws the R$22 billion (US$4bn) number on the table, the industry’s response should come quickly and firmly, with three letters that change the conversation: RTP.
Thiago Iusim
Founder | CEO @Betshield Responsible Gaming - www.thebetshield.com
