G1 Globo: What is the 'little tiger game' and why is it illegal in Brazil?

Despite gaining notoriety on the internet, mainly after heavy promotion by some digital influencers, online gambling has accumulated numerous reports of people who have suffered financial losses.

In Maranhão, the number of people harmed and the profits obtained by these influencers led the Civil Police to carry out an operation investigating a criminal scheme surrounding the game "Fortune Tiger," also known as the "little tiger game."

The online casino game, a type of slot machine, promises cash winnings. However, because it violates the Law of Criminal Offenses – which considers games of chance where winning or losing depends on luck a crime – the game is considered illegal.

Two other people were arrested in São Luís (MA) for involvement in the case.

But what exactly is the 'little tiger game'?

The "Tiger Game" is a famous online casino game that promises fabulous winnings. In practice, the goal is for the player to match three identical symbols from the three rows that appear on the screen.

Since the game is not developed by betting sites, it may appear on more than one website, usually within categories such as "online casino," which is prohibited in Brazil.

In Brazil, "Fortune Tiger" became famous mainly due to the extensive campaign that included many digital influencers and gamers who shared their tactics for winning.

Congress discusses the regulation of betting.

In Brasília, the Senate approved on December 12th the bill that regulates and taxes the sports betting market, or "bets." However, it left out games defined as competitions "whose outcome is unknown at the time of the bet." This resulted in games of chance being removed from the text.

Therefore, the project will only apply to bets on "real events" where the amount the bettor can win if they guess correctly is defined at the time of the bet. Bets, although legal in the country, are not yet taxed by the government.

The proposal, which was amended by the senators, will return to the Chamber for another round of voting. ( g1 Globo Tecnologia )