A graduate in Business Administration from Fundação Armando Alvares Penteado, Roberto has launched several projects over the years, such as “Minha Vida”, the main health and wellness portal in Brazil, and “Techfit”, a pioneering platform in the diet subscription sector that has helped millions achieve their goals. He has also been one of Endeavor Brasil's entrepreneurs since 2009 and was awarded Entrepreneur of the Year by PEGN magazine in 2011.
“Poker has always been a personal passion of mine. It is a game that goes far beyond strategy, as it involves logical reasoning, emotional control and discipline, which are also fundamental life skills. I want to disseminate these values ??and make the sport increasingly understood in its true essence, which is crucial to attract new audiences and further engage the global community,” says the executive.
Regarding Brazil, Lifschitz states: "Poker is already a consolidated phenomenon in Brazil. Today, we have more than 10 million players in the country, according to data from the Brazilian Confederation of Texas Hold'em (CBTH), and the numbers keep growing."
"A clear example of this progress is the BSOP (Brazilian Series of Poker), which has been setting impressive records. In 2023, the circuit distributed R$125 million (US$21.25m) in prizes, and in the 2024 season this number jumped to R$200 million (US$34m), a growth of 60%. In addition, the tournament attracted players from more than 50 countries, reinforcing Brazil as one of the global poker hubs," he adds.
Another important milestone, according to him, was the definitive approval of poker as a mind sport by the International Mind Sports Association (IMSA).
"This recognition opens up new opportunities for the sport, expanding its credibility, attracting sponsors, increasing press coverage and encouraging new players to get to know the game. The future of poker in Brazil is promising, and we are just at the beginning of this journey."
The WPF was created with the mission of uniting the global poker community, eliminating barriers that obstruct the growth of the sport and reinforcing its role as a mind sport, which was recently recognized by International Mind Sports Association (IMSA). Today, the world federation has more than 50 affiliated countries, distributed among the five continents, and its president is Igor Trafane, one of the biggest names in poker on the planet.
Currently, the organization's focus is on building a global sports structure for the sport, directing efforts to create the foundation that every great sport has, with standardized regulations, career opportunities, player protection and international competitions.
Source: GMB
