The gambling industry has experienced a boom in the country in recent years, with sports betting becoming a new habit among Brazilians - and brands investing heavily in football. With the regulation of the activity at the end of last year, Brazil enters the global scene as an emerging market. During ICE London, the world's leading event in the sector, the country is one of the highlights.
In partnership with ICE, the Brazilian Institute of Responsible Gambling (IBJR) held the seminar "Brazil Future is NOW" on Wednesday (7), an afternoon of lectures within the Growth Markets Zone arena dedicated to emerging markets. The panels featured the participation of UOL, BTG Pactual, and companies specializing in compliance, entertainment, and payment methods.
Conversations addressed macroeconomic analyses and perspectives in the country, Brazilian regulation, as well as commercial prospects for the segment. Paulo Sâmia, CEO of UOL; Rodrigo Del Monaco, partner at BTG Pactual; and Giancarlo Chamma Matarazzo, partner at Pinheiro Neto Advogados; were some of the speakers.
To explain the growth of the sports betting market in Brazil, André Gelfi, CEO of IBJR and also ambassador of ICE London 2024, emphasizes that the sector was leveraged by Brazilians' passion for football in a scenario of digital acceleration during the pandemic.
"The options of sports betting apps and websites have existed abroad for decades, but Brazilians have gradually become interested in this market over the past five years, especially during the pandemic, when the search for online entertainment reached unprecedented levels," he says.
The movement was driven by the arrival of betting platforms that literally entered the field with aggressive advertising strategies. "Investments in marketing and sponsorship of clubs and athletes have greatly helped popularize this segment to the point where Brazil is now one of the largest markets in the world for betting."
According to IBJR, the Brazilian sports betting and iGaming market is estimated at R$ 15 billion (US$ 3bn), placing the country among the most valuable markets in the world in the segment.
In addition to this, the recent approval of the bill for online betting games in the country (Bill 3626/23) makes the scenario safer for both bettors and foreign investments. At the same time, it opens up possibilities for new marketing approaches and campaign production on responsible gaming, according to the executive.
"I believe that with the regulation of the market finalized and the publication of Annex X by Conar, which occurred in January, we will have space for the creation of authentic multi-platform content that provides important information about responsible gaming, risky behaviors, and tools for player safety."
This production of informative and educational content brings the betting market closer to publishers. "In this context, in my view, partnership with media outlets is essential to amplify the reach of the message that online betting and gaming are only sources of entertainment and fun."
Paulo Samia, from UOL, emphasized the importance of brands being associated with relevant and traditional publishers in order to convey security to the audience. "It is necessary for the operators' brands to be present in outlets recognized for their credibility, using their content production capabilities to address important topics such as safety and responsible gaming, reinforcing the perception of quality of their brands."
Source: UOL / GMB
