Apostas online no Brasil: uma análise da racionalidade do apostador pela economia comportamental

Abstract

Neoclassical economics has principles based on axioms that assume the rationality of agents, who maximize their utility by choosing the best possible basket of goods to be acquired based on their constraints and preferences. Expected utility theory has established itself as the dominant analytical paradigm in economics for representing choices under uncertainty due to its effectiveness in modeling choices. However, it does not fully assimilate psychological aspects present in individuals' decision-making processes. In the digital betting market, in particular, the observed behavior of consumers is distinct from what neoclassical theory advocates. Therefore, behavioral economics can aid in the analysis. The objective of this study is to analyze the rationality of digital betting consumers in Brazil from the perspective of behavioral economics. To investigate why individuals systematically act against their own interests, the study reviews part of the literature that explains the consumer decision-making process and investigates the inconsistencies between economic theory based on unrestricted rationality and the behavior consistently observed in economic agents. Finally, the study discusses the newly regulated Brazilian digital betting market and its ramifications in our society. The analysis reveals that Brazilian gamblers act under the parameters of limited rationality, driven by psychological mechanisms such as diminishing marginal sensitivity and the reflex effect. The study concludes that the current regulatory framework is insufficient to protect agents and proposes the implementation of libertarian paternalism strategies, such as the establishment of automatic deposit limits and friction mechanisms in the choice environment, aiming to restore the individual's reflective state.