iGaming Operations and Soccer Jersey Sponsorship in Brazil

Sports Marketing and iGaming Marketing in Brazil

In the last 10 years, an important factor in consolidating sports betting as a cultural product in Brazil was the sponsorship of jerseys of soccer clubs. Soccer is a national passion in Brazil, and to support a club with millions of dollars can only be described as ‘an easy way into the heart’ of soccer fans in this country.

However, if we consider other nations that love soccer such as England, for example, we have a more significant balance between sports betting brands, poker brands and online casinos in the jerseys of soccer clubs.

Unexplored Opportunity of Online Casinos: Brazilian Soccer Club Sponsorship

Online gaming has been discussed in Brazil in recent years and several ideas to regulate online casinos were also included in the bills. However, we rarely see online casinos and poker brands spending a lot of money with prestigious sponsorships around the most popular sport and near religion-like followed local soccer.

I believe with the current grey status that allows operators the chance to work in the Brazilian grey market using licenses of countries like Curaçau or Malta, we could have more casino and poker brands spending heavily to earn market share in this region.

Recent Expansion of Spending in the Soccer Sponsorship Market in Brazil

It’s interesting to note how the market of sponsorship is living impressive days and the figures involved are considerable, especially if we consider PPP and how much a dollar is worth in Brazil these days.

This week, a soccer club from Brazil signed with a newcomer brand a contract worth 50m BRL ($9.6m) for sponsorship in one of the spots of their jersey that isn’t even close to being the most expensive. The contract is valid for the next 3 years.

We also have impressive TV ads in the recent past, and the biggest TV chain in Brazil paid to a leading British exchange a contract worth $14m during the qualifications for the FIFA World Cup 2022.

Summary

If any iGaming brand is considering a quick launch of a brand and they need to make a strong impact to break even quickly, TV ads and shirt sponsorship of soccer clubs can be interesting ways of doing it.

However, we still have a big imbalance in terms of how sports betting operations dominate the scenario in the ads market and media buying in general.

In my opinion, big casino brands that operate in grey markets could seize the opportunity and ‘use the easy way into the hearts’ of Brazilians by associating their brands with soccer clubs, as being perceived as supporters of sports – especially soccer – is a clever way to position your brand in the South American giant.