"With the regulation of betting houses, clubs feel more secure in closing sponsorship deals with companies in the betting sector. Brazil is continuously evolving in this market and is already considered the third-largest country in the world in the industry. I believe that in the coming years, the segment will continue to grow exponentially, and agreements between teams and betting companies will become increasingly long-lasting," says Leonardo Henrique Roscoe Bessa, partner at Betlaw, a law firm specializing in the iGaming sector.
This is the case with Botafogo-SP. In early January, the club signed the largest sponsorship deal in its history with HanzBet, a betting company from Ribeirão Preto, the city of the "Pantera." The one-year contract, with a renewal clause, is expected to increase the team's revenue by 40% this season.
"The betting segment is currently the largest investor in Brazilian football. In the Brasileirão Série B, sports betting companies will be present in the vast majority of clubs and also as sponsors of the competition. If the revenue from these commercial agreements is well utilized, the result will be an even stronger and more competitive championship," says Fábio Wolff, managing partner of Wolff Sports, a sports marketing company that has brokered numerous agreements with betting companies.
Since the end of last season, several clubs and betting companies have signed new contracts, such as BETesporte with CRB, from Alagoas.
"It is gratifying to be able to support Alagoas football directly through sponsorship. It demonstrates our commitment to visibility and fostering the sport outside traditional hubs. It is also a way of valuing the best of Brazil, supporting clubs that, with the right backing, have the potential to grow even more and showcase the strength of the northeastern region," says Vinicius Nogueira, CEO of BETesporte, which also sponsors Volta Redonda in Série B.
GingaBet has also signed new sponsorships for Série B clubs in 2025, including Paysandu and Vila Nova, announced in February. "We chose to sponsor them because they are teams with rich histories and highly engaged fan bases, which aligns perfectly with our goal of being close to true football enthusiasts. We believe that sponsorship goes beyond brand exposure; it is a way to support the growth of the sport and directly connect with fans," says André Baldavira, head of marketing and content at GingaBet.
On the other hand, some clubs have renewed long-standing agreements, such as Reals and Coritiba, partners since 2022. Criciúma, meanwhile, has had EstrelaBet as its main sponsor since early 2023, with a contract renewed in March 2024, making it the largest in the club’s history in financial terms.
"We are already in our third season with Criciúma, and from the very beginning, we have felt how engaged the club's fan base is. We have carried out various initiatives through this partnership, including fan activations and other projects with the team, such as a lecture for players and other professionals at the club to prevent match-fixing," notes Renan Cavalcanti, CMO of EstrelaBet.
Avaí had been sponsored by PixBet since 2021, but the contract ended at the end of last season. For 2025, the club is evaluating new opportunities for a main sponsor and is open to featuring a betting company on the center of its jersey again.
Considered one of the top showcases in the Central-West region, Cuiabá did not renew its main sponsorship deal with Drebor and has received several inquiries about occupying the prime space on its jersey. "We will only negotiate when we feel the proposal is satisfactory and aligns with what Cuiabá believes it can currently offer as a platform," said club president Cristiano Dresch.
José Francisco Manssur, partner at CSMV Advogados and former special advisor to the Executive Secretariat of the Ministry of Finance, comments on the strength of betting companies in Brazilian football: "Currently, the betting industry is the biggest investor in Brazilian sports sponsorship. No other sector comes close. Betting companies have brought private resources into sports, which, before them, relied on public banks and state-owned enterprises. This is positive because supporting sports generates benefits for society as a whole."
‘Bets’ sponsorships in Série B:
- América-MG - MCGames
- Athletic - Faz1bet
- Athletico-PR - Viva Sorte Bet
- Atlético-GO - Blaze
- Botafogo-SP - HanzBet
- Coritiba - Reals
- CRB - BETesporte
- Criciúma - EstrelaBet
- Ferroviária - Betnacional
- Goiás - Viva Sorte Bet
- Novorizontino - Viva Sorte Bet
- Paysandu – GingaBet
- Vila Nova – GingaBet
- Volta Redonda – BETesporte
Source: GMB
