Tigrinho’s Game: How gambling scams work

The popularity of the little tiger game left mobile phone screens and hit newspaper headlines on Sunday the 3rd of last month, due to a report by Fantástico. The so-called Fortune Tiger or Jogo do Tigrinho is being investigated by the Paraná Civil Police for a criminal online betting scheme.

The game promises to win large amounts of money quickly and easily through betting. With the help of digital influencers such as Fortune Tiger, Sthe Matos, Kevi Jonny and Cristian Bell, it went viral on social media and caught the attention of Brazilian authorities.

Learn more why Tigrinho match banned in Brazil and what happens to the gambling-promoting influencers who are responsible for the financial and emotional problems of hundreds of gamers in our country.

How does Tigrinho’s game work?

Fortune Tiger is a gambling game with a theme inspired by the Chinese zodiac. To play them, people need to register on the platform, deposit money and spin the reels to bet on roulette.

The person who is “lucky” enough to match 3 symbols on the paylines wins the game. Bet values ​​vary from R$ 0.50 to R$ 600 per round. According to online casino websites offering the Tigrinho game, the RTP (Return to Player) of the game is 96.96%; This is a percentage that indicates the probability that the player will get a return on the money bet.

Fortune Tiger was released by PG Soft in 2022. The foreign company is the supplier of the most popular slot games (digital slot machines) in Brazil, although the gaming system is hosted abroad and does not have any registration or representation in the country.

He is also the developer of other games that follow the same logic as Jogo do Tigrinho, such as Fortune Rabbit (rabbit game), Fortune Mouse (mouse game), Fortune Gods (game of gods) and Fortune Ox (ox game). .

What are the false promises behind gambling?

Part of the propaganda of the Tiger game is the high winning possibilities. The promise is based on a 10x roulette multiplier and re-spin bonus rounds; This will increase the return on the bet placed by up to 2,500 times.

However, there are many reports online blaming the game. non-payment of accumulated roulette winnings and players who become addicted He loses all his savings by gambling.

Sérgio Staut Júnior, director of the UFPR law school, explains the illegality committed by games such as Fortune Tiger: “These are games that have no regulation in Brazil. They are considered illegal games of chance and these games are often featured on sites outside Brazil. As for betting, “They also have rules, there is a law that allows this type of betting, in this type of betting you bet on the outcome. Whether it will be positive or negative for a team, whether the person will score a goal or not.”

Brazilian legislation Gambling has been banned in the country since 1946 By the administration of General Eurico Gaspar Dutra. Recently this scenario has undergone some changes to distinguish gambling from betting on online sports games.

The Constitution classified games of chance as games whose winnings or losses depend on chance, betting on horse races, and bets on other sports events. With law 13.756/2018, approved by former president Temer, sports betting began to be classified as a permitted lottery in Brazil.

According to gaming and banking law expert Fabiano Jantalia, “the problem is that the same law provides the possibility of taking advantage of this opportunity, but stipulates it in future regulations.” It has not happened yet in our country.

Just like PG Softmost betting sites are located in tax havens and circumvent Brazilian laws It makes it difficult to tax, monitor and protect the rights of gamblers.

According to criminal lawyer Paulo Crosara, this stalemate creates legal uncertainty, which leads to judges examining cases separately. “The person placed a bet and did not pay the prize. Can you take this betting house to court? You can claim this money,” the expert explains to O Tempo.

Crosara also points out that sports betting sites often offer online games that are still banned in Brazil, such as casino, blackjack and slot machines. “This creates confusion among players,” says the lawyer.

“There is a prison sentence, but no one goes to prison for this. Now there are courts and the person pays a fine. This situation will be resolved at the hearing. “You pay and the conversation ends,” he explains.

Courts impose different penalties on the owners of these businesses. “Whoever goes to prison is for complicity, money laundering, not gambling,” explains Crosara.

The danger that gambling poses to mental health cannot be ignored. Addiction leads to problems in cognition and relationships, as well as loss of money. This type of addiction is even quieter than alcohol and drug addiction due to the lack of obvious physical symptoms.

Dosing influencers: illegal practice on social media

There are digital influencers who have become spokespeople for the Tigrinho game on social media, teaching how to play, conducting electronic giveaways and advertisements by telling stories of overcoming success after betting on the game.

In conversations spread through videos and visuals, Fortune Tiger will be their source of income.”“influencers”It provides a luxurious life with the right to buy luxury cars, jewelry and mansions.

The Civil Police investigation revealed the truth behind this show. According to operational officials, the influencers were acting illegally by promoting the Tigrinho game on social media and acting as recruitment tools for the criminal scheme.

Four influencers with nearly 1 million followers in Curitiba earned between R$ 5,000 and R$ 15,000 per weekly campaign, while the profit from registering new players was between R$ 10 and R$ 30 per registration, he said.

Financial pyramid: ongoing police investigation

The promise of high profits on social media attracted the attention of the police, who suspected a financial pyramid scheme. On the web, videos of influencers earning R$250 with one click and using R$100 bills to amaze themselves have gained thousands of likes and shares.

The first police operation Quebrando a Banca was made public in September. Maranhão Civil Police searched the home of influential Skarlete Mello. He promotes the game Tigrinho on his profile and is currently under investigation for promoting gambling, unauthorized lotteries, criminal organization and money laundering.

“More than R$1 million in cash was seized, at least three imported vehicles were seized,” says Maranhão Civil Police representative Augusto Barros. Another 15 influential people were interviewed by authorities, and the case led to the creation and implementation of a law banning the disclosure of gambling platforms in the state.

On November 19, it was the turn of the Paraná Civil Police to investigate four influencers from Curitiba. Three people were arrested: Eduardo Campelo, Gabriel and Ricardo. Ezequiel, who is part of the group, is a fugitive.

The arrest was accompanied by the seizure of cars and cash. It is estimated that The group made a turnover of approximately R$ 12 million in 6 months. Although the trio were released on the same day, an investigation continues against them on charges of gambling, conspiracy and money laundering.

Skarlete’s defense did not want to comment on the Fantástico report, and the influencers’ lawyers in Paraná stated that their clients were innocent because they did not control the gaming platform.

The debate around the Tigrinho Game once again focuses on gaps in Brazilian legislation, as well as Liability of digital influencers o promote questionable practicesLike scams that promise money in exchange for likes.

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