Sports journalist and editor-in-chief at TNT Sports Vitor Sérgio Rodrigues, known as VSR, spoke with GMB about his perception of the betting market in Brazil and the growth of activity in the country. For him, it is an industry that “is evolving and many bookmakers are appearing, sponsoring TV shows and football teams. They are increasingly transparent and serious and I think it is a world of no return,” he commented.
GMB – How do you evaluate the sports betting market in Brazil?
Vitor Sérgio Rodrigues – It is a market that is growing a lot, but there are still many people who see it with some reservations and with the feeling of losing everything or exaggerating. But this is being demystified and worked on in order to show that there are controls for it to be something healthy. It is evolving and many bookmakers are appearing, TV sows having bookmakers as sponsors, as well as football teams. They are increasingly transparent and serious and I think it's a world of no return.
We are seeing that the market is growing in Brazil and it is important to analyze who does the serious work and who does not. This happens in any branch. Today we see this market grow and this is the moment when those who arrived to do serious work will have space and those who don't, will lose space.
We have professional punters, tipsters and influencers offering expertise. Does that add value to the sector?
I use this market recreationally. I'm not a professional gambler and I'm not and don't want to be a tipster and I don't have the training to do so. So, I use it recreationally and I think the vast majority do it too. But at an event like this, we see the number of people handling it in a professional manner. And to deal with it professionally, information is essential, just like in any other decision in your life, but especially in this sports betting market. It's no use thinking you know everything and that you'll do well because you know a lot about football or another sport. If you are recreationally involved, you need a level of depth, but if you want to go beyond the perception of recreation, you have to study hard and know where you are stepping. If you enter this market without being prepared, the chance of getting hurt is very high.
Sports betting regulation is imminent. What is your assessment of this?
I don't have in-depth knowledge about this, but like everything else in an organized society, parameters are needed, including to separate those who do and those who don't do a good job and to protect people. We have one of the most advanced consumer protection codes in the world. So it needs to be protected and these parameters are needed in the sports betting industry. At the same time, those houses that work hard must be protected.
Source: Exclusive GMB
