Online betting: 7% of voters gamble, and debt indicators decline.
Seven percent of Brazilian voters aged 18 or older currently gamble or play at online casinos. This figure has remained stable since November 2024, according to a Datafolha survey published by Folha de S.Paulo.
The survey indicates a decline in indicators of financial commitment among gamblers compared to 2024, the period before the regulation of sports betting and online gaming, which came into effect in January 2025. The survey was conducted on May 20 and 21, 2026, and interviewed 2.004 voters aged 18 or older in 139 cities across Brazil, with a margin of error of 2,0 percentage points.
One third of gamblers (35%) stated that they had already compromised their personal finances to gamble. The rate fell 9 percentage points compared to November 2024, when 44% of gamblers reported the same behavior.
Resources used for betting
Among those who currently gamble or have gambled in the past, the use of financial resources to fund bets has also decreased in most types of gambling. Datafolha identified the following behaviors:
⇒ 19% have already used money from their savings (it was 22% in 2024);
⇒ 11% stopped buying something to gamble (it was 19%);
⇒ 10% used credit cards for betting (it was 15%);
⇒ 8% borrowed money (it was 15%);
⇒ 6% stopped paying some bills (it was 13%);
⇒ 5% became delinquent (same rate as in 2024);
⇒ 2% sold some asset to gamble (it was 5%).
The margin of error for this segment is 6,0 percentage points.
Sports betting and online casinos
In online sports betting , 6% of voters aged 18 or older currently gamble, a rate that has remained stable since November 2024 and is below the 8% recorded in December 2023. The practice is more frequent among men (9%, compared to 2% of women), among young people aged 18 to 24 (11%, compared to 1% of voters aged 60 or older), and among those who also gamble in online casinos (66%).
Regarding the frequency of sports betting, 36% bet once a week, 21% every day, 19% once a month, 13% every 15 days, and 11% less than once a month. The average monthly spending on online betting is R$ 241, above the R$ 216 recorded in November 2024, but below the R$ 268 of December 2023, according to Datafolha.
In online casinos , such as the "tiger game," 4% of voters currently gamble, the same percentage as in November 2024. The difference between men and women is small: 4% and 3%, respectively. The average monthly spending on casinos fell from R$ 354 in 2024 to R$ 232 in 2026, according to the survey.
How does the population rate the bets?
For 57% of those surveyed, online betting and gaming are an addiction, a percentage higher than the 54% who shared this opinion in 2024. A third classify the practice as a waste of money, a figure close to that of 2024. Only 6% consider it fun and 2% see it as an investment or source of income.
The perception of addiction is more pronounced among women (61%, compared to 54% of men), among young people aged 18 to 24 (64%), and among those with higher levels of education (60%). Among those with less education, 53% rate the practice as an addiction and 36% as a waste of money.
Brazilians' opinions on sports betting and online gambling.
