Financial Influencers and Aggressive Online Betting Offers: The Conflict Between Ethics and Opportunity

Influencers focusing on personal finance and investment topics are receiving online betting offers with payouts up to ten times higher than their usual sponsorship deals. These offers create discomfort, as they associate betting with the concept of investment, traditionally seen as a means of building stable wealth and financial planning.

According to the "Finfluence" study by Anbima, the number of financial influencers discussing online betting increased by 28% between the second half of 2023 and the first half of 2024. This rise highlights the pressure exerted by the betting market on the financial influencer industry. The research also revealed that within the small group of influencers accepting betting partnerships (5%), 58% are directly compensated by betting companies.

Charlesson Campos, known as "Dr. Balance," stands out as an influencer who rejected offers from betting companies. With a YouTube channel and a significant social media following, Campos recently received offers to promote betting games with high financial returns. These offers included payments of R$ 10 to R$ 20 per follower accepting his recommendations and a percentage of user losses. Campos calculated that he could earn at least R$ 504,000 in just one month from his YouTube followers alone—far exceeding his earnings from other advertising campaigns.

However, Campos turned down the deal. Instead, he created educational content exposing online betting tactics used to attract influencers, warning his followers about the associated risks. "My message is that it takes patience to build wealth with solidity and not to believe in fantasies. Those who chase fantasies end up in misery," he stated.

Another concerning aspect is the potential connection between online betting and money laundering. The proposals received by Campos and other influencers include a business model where the influencer earns a percentage of user losses, implicitly encouraging excessive platform use. These payments rely on continuous betting activity and often fail to disclose the financial risks involved.

Additionally, the ANJL (National Association of Games and Lotteries) stated that certain games, such as the popular "tiger game," are developed by globally recognized companies but do not hire influencers. The association emphasized that betting should be considered entertainment, never a form of investment.

Amanda Brum, Executive Manager of Communication, Marketing, and Member Relations at Anbima, notes that the association does not run active campaigns against online betting, recognizing it as a legitimate form of entertainment. However, Brum emphasizes that Anbima focuses on financial education to clarify that betting is not an investment.

"Betting should be seen as a form of entertainment, while investment is a tool for achieving financial goals, fulfilling dreams, and building a stable future. Online betting, unlike investments, offers neither security nor predictability," Brum explained.

According to the "Brazilian Investor X-ray" study published by Anbima in 2023, approximately 14% of Brazil's population reported making at least one online bet during the year. This figure is significant, representing around 22 million people. The study indicates that the number of online bettors exceeds those investing in stocks or mutual funds.

This trend reveals a worrying reality: more Brazilians are putting money into betting than traditional investments, which, according to Brum, stems from a misunderstanding of betting. The confusion between betting and investment drives the sector to exploit the concept of easy profits, especially on influencer platforms regarded as financial authorities.

In response to the pressure from online betting and the growing allure for their followers, many financial influencers, like Charlesson Campos, are developing awareness strategies. These influencers use their platforms to expose deceptive marketing tactics employed by betting companies and emphasize that true investment is based on planning, knowledge, and resilience, not promises of quick profits.

The rise of online betting in Brazil, particularly with aggressive financial offers to influencers, underscores the urgent need to balance market freedom and regulation. With the increase in financial proposals and the confusion between betting and investment, influencers face the ethical dilemma of turning down potentially high earnings to protect their credibility and their followers' interests.

Through a transparent and educational approach, influencers like Charlesson Campos manage to balance ethics and profitability, preserving their audience's trust. At the same time, Anbima and other market organizations reinforce the need for financial education as an essential tool for Brazilians to distinguish entertainment from investment.

This tension between immediate profit and ethics in partnerships should be at the center of regulatory discussions in Brazil to ensure that online betting marketing is conducted responsibly.