To get an idea of the potential of this segment for football, in England 26 clubs have shirt sponsorship of betting sites, with revenues of about R$ 1 billion (US$ 250m). Here in Brazil, six companies print their brands on shirts of 11 Serie A clubs, but with still reduced values.
There is also the possibility of winnings for clubs with betting percentages, but sports law experts are convinced that these companies should invest heavily in sponsoring their brands in the jerseys of major Brazilian teams, including Gremio and Inter.
To find out how the project is going, the column spoke with Federal Rep. Danrlei (PSD-RS), who is rapporteur for the House's Online Gambling and Betting Subcommittee.
How is work going on to regulate online betting in Brazil?
We are dealing with regulation, because sports betting is free in Brazil. What is missing is regulation. From the information I have, the online betting market will move over R$ 6 billion (US$ 1.5bn) per year. With the current situation, this money goes out and there is nothing for Brazil in taxes. The regulation is for serious companies to come to work in the country, bringing safety to everyone. Legal certainty for the company itself and also for gamblers. We are working very hard to stay on the same level of regulation in other countries. We want big companies to settle here.
Is there a prediction for voting?
I don't think it will be with the company-club project, because there is a lot to discuss. We have to see what supervision will look like, the corporate counterpart for compulsive gamblers. There is also the issue of concern with manipulation of results, which enters the supervisory situation that I commented. I've been working since March on this, and we really want it to be good, so it's hard to get everything ready this year.
We are deepening the debate to come up with a text that brings security for those who want to invest in the country, for those who want to work seriously. This equation is not easy. Companies have to commit to avoiding gamblers' addiction. We have already talked to the big names in the world in this sector and the government is seeing the issue of taxation. So, everything is underway, but an outcome prediction is still difficult.
How can Brazilian clubs make money from online betting?
There is something about shirt sponsorship already, but the top 30 companies in the industry are not yet sponsoring clubs. They are in Brazil selling bets, but they are not in the club shirts. And that’s because a lack of legal certainty. The trend is for this market to intensify, and for clubs to increase their advertising revenue.
Source: Eduardo Gabardo - GauchaZH
