New study shows majority of Brazilian bettors spend modest monthly amounts on online betting

A majority of Brazilians who engage in sports betting and online gaming spend relatively small amounts each month, according to figures released by the Ministry of Finance, based on data obtained through the Access to Information Law.

The information, sourced by Pay4Fun and reported by Tácio Lorran's column in Metrópoles, provides a breakdown of spending behavior and demographic patterns among users.

Men account for 68.2% of bettors, while women represent 31.8%. In terms of age distribution, the largest group of users falls within the 31 to 40 age range, making up 28.63% of the total.

Those aged 25 to 30 represent 22.21%, while individuals aged 24 and under account for 22.06%. Participation declines with age, with 17.20% in the 41 to 50 group, 7.02% between 51 and 60, 2.17% between 61 and 70, and just 0.60% among those above 70.

Spending patterns indicate that more than half of bettors, 53.4%, allocate up to R$ 50 ($9.58) per month to betting and online gaming platforms. A further 11.45% spend between R$ 50.01 ($9.58) and R$ 150 ($28.73) monthly, while 6.4% fall within the R$ 150.01 ($28.73) to R$ 300 ($57.45) range. Another segment, representing 9.4% of users, spends between R$ 300.01 ($57.45) and R$1,000 ($188) per month.

At the higher end of the spectrum, 19.5% of bettors report spending more than R$1,000 each month, a group estimated at approximately 4.3 million individuals.

Leonardo Baptista, CEO and co-founder of Pay4Fun, said the figures suggest that betting activity in Brazil is largely limited to lower spending levels: “We need to understand that Brazilians like to have fun, and the entertainment industry is there."

"Focusing on prohibition will only take away what is currently a regulated market, with rules and support, and push it all into the illegal realm, which has no support, no control, and no guaranteed prizes,” said Baptista.

The survey does not identify which platforms are most commonly used by bettors, nor does it provide details on the types of games or wagers preferred by users.