In the 2025 edition of the Brazilian Championship, 18 of the 20 teams in the dispute had master sponsorships from sports betting companies, the popular bets, stamping their brands in prime space on the uniforms.
Red Bull Bragantino and Mirassol were the exception, although they also had smaller sponsorship agreements with companies in the sector.
In the 2026 Brazilian Championship, the scenario is very different, in the wake of an increase in regulation that has put pressure on costs and reduced the margin for investment in sports sponsorships.
Of the 20 teams, Santos, Vasco, Bahia, Internacional, Grêmio and Coritiba no longer have bet sponsorship over the last few months.
The duo from Rio Grande do Sul terminated their contract with Alfa Bet after a series of delays in payments owed by the partner, while Santos and Bahia chose to terminate in mutual agreement and amicably with 7k and Viva Sorte Bet, respectively. Vasco and Coritba did not have their contracts renewed with Betfair and Reals Bet.
Of the group, Santos is the only one that has already signed a new master sponsorship, with another bookmaker, but with annual transfers around 30% lower compared to the previous contract.
Partner at Ambiel Bonilha Advogados and specialist in gaming and betting regulation, Gustavo Biglia explained that, as of January 1, 2025, the complete regulatory model established by Law No. 14,790/2023 came into effect, with the operation of fixed-odds betting conditioned on the establishment of operators in the country and the obtaining of specific authorization.
In the tax field, the legislation initially defined the charge of 12% on companies’ gross revenue, the so-called GGR (Gross Gaming Revenue), in addition to the incidence of PIS, Cofins and ISS. A grant fee of R$30 million was also set for authorization for five years.
For bettors, taxation applies to net prizes that exceed the exemption range of R$2,259.20, with a rate of 15% on the amount that exceeds the annual limit established for the IRPF table.
“In practice, there was no requirement for national authorization nor a comprehensive tax regime on economic activity carried out in the country, which allowed aggressive investments in marketing and sports sponsorship, given the regulatory cost significantly lower than the current one”, stated Biglia.
Founder and advisor of Ana Gaming, the holding company that manages the 7K Bet, Cassino Bet and Vera Bet brands, Gustavo Afonso Ribeiro e Lacerda said that the sector is still “dealing with some movements such as the increase in taxation, which was not foreseen and caused strategies to be rethought.”
“Still, investments within sport will always be a constant and valuable asset, which also includes agreements with ambassadors and competitions, in addition to presence in sports programs on TV and digital”, stated Lacerda.
Marketing professor at Insper and general director of the EMW Global agency for Latin America, Eduardo Corch added that, after an aggressive cycle to make brands better known, bookmakers entered a phase of searching for efficiency. The focus now is not just appearing on the shirts, but prioritizing actions where the return is more measurable.
“There is also the market and competition factor. The cost of acquiring customers in Brazil has risen a lot, and the fight for space puts pressure on profit margins. This forces companies to review their budgets, often reallocating the budget to other communication formats”, said Corch.
Legal director of ANJL (National Association of Games and Lotteries) and partner at the Betlaw firm, Pietro Cardia Lorenzoni predicts that investments in the sector should be concentrated from now on in a smaller number of companies.
“In practice, what happened is that there was a large initial investment from several companies, but it is a market that is proving itself and is going through a maturing process, and this decrease is natural,” said Lorenzoni.
Corinthians announced at the end of February the renewal of the agreement with bet Esportes da Sorte until the end of 2029, with annual transfers rising from around R$100 million to R$150 million, potentially reaching R$200 million depending on sporting results achieved on the field.
“It is a strategic partnership for Esportes da Sorte, which strengthens our connection with the fans and expands the possibilities of building a brand through experiences, innovation and more complete deliveries”, stated Darwin Filho, CEO of Grupo Esportes Gaming Brasil, owner of the Esportes da Sorte brand.
“There was a bubble, and there still is a bubble for some clubs, in relation to how much bets pay”, said José Sarkis Arakelian, consultant and professor at Faap (Fundação Armando Alvares Penteado).
Consultant at the OAB (Brazilian Bar Association) and partner at Betlaw specialized in betting, Leonardo Henrique Roscoe Bessa classified the betting market’s investments in advertising as a “mirage of power.”
“In the short term, money buys exposure. In the long term, only integrity guarantees permanence. In a sector under intense scrutiny, compliance with the law is not the brake, but the engine of differentiation,” said Bessa.
According to Lacerda, from Ana Gaming, combating irregular platforms is an important step towards building a more solid and reliable betting environment in Brazil.
“The removal of illegal websites directly contributes to consumer protection and the fight against illegal practices, in addition to being a recognition of the hard work that is done by companies that operate within the rules,” said Lacerda.
In 2025, Anatel (National Telecommunications Agency) took down around 25 thousand illegal betting sites that did not have the necessary authorizations to operate in the country.
For Arakelian, from Faap, with the reduction in bets on the market, and potential candidates for sponsors, it is to be expected that there will also be a reduction in offers.
“The search for these spaces tends to decrease and, naturally, the prices offered”, he said. “This is something to be expected, as we continue to consolidate and this market becomes more mature.”
