Check out the main excerpts from the interview below.
GMB – As an introduction, tell us about how NetBet has positioned itself in the global gaming market.
Marsio Schneider - The company has been operating in the market for almost 20 years, but for 10 years with the NetBet brand. Today we have a local presence in more than 17 countries and this local scope ends up reaching other locations. For example, in Brazil, where we serve clients from Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, etc. Thus, we have an immense global presence. This gives us a very interesting body. NetBet has been growing year by year. We recently entered Mexico, where we have been for a year. Thus, we have an old and global positioning. Our main markets are in Europe. Our headquarters are in London and we have a strong presence in Germany, Greece, Romania and some African countries. But one of the most promising markets, not only for NetBet, is Brazil, a country of continental dimensions and with a football-loving people. Therefore, we have a strong focus on expanding our operations in Brazil.
And how has the Brazilian operation been so far?
It has solidified more and more. We have invested in a local service team, with Brazilians working on our website. We see many foreigners working in Brazil, but our goal is to always work with Brazilians, who know the country and speak our language. We have also invested heavily in technology, user support and increasingly improving payment methods, working to make the site more agile and creating local events. Our goal is to bring the image of Brazil to NetBet to better serve the Brazilian market.
You are already doing this, since you have massive investments in football, which gives the company great visibility. How was the receptivity of the Brazilian public?
NetBet has always been one of the pioneers in Brazil. We were the first online betting company to invest in a Brazilian football team. And we were the first company to sponsor Maracanã stadium directly. So, we have this profile of being ahead in the market and the receptivity has been very good. This year we closed sponsorship with Red Bull Bragantino and the public, both users and fans, welcomes us very well. And Vasco da Gama surprises us, whose fans have a very good relationship with our brand. When they go to a store to buy the club jersey, it comes with no sponsorship. NetBet is always chosen to have the brand on the shirt, which shows the affection of the fans. We have carried out several actions with the fans and the team to thank this recognition. Still with Red Bull Bragantino, we are carrying out an interesting punctual action. Together with them, we are launching a reforestation campaign in the Bragança Paulista region, which suffered from many fires. We will plant a tree for each bet placed by a team supporter.
What has NetBet been doing with other sports in Brazil?
We are sponsoring an MMA fighter, Júnior Cigano. He has had a few fights this year, but he will not participate in new tournaments this year, only the next. We bet and invest in women's football and basketball. Now for the end of the year we will launch some news in the area of martial arts. We are negotiating the entry into sports such as tennis, volleyball, and basketball for the next year, the latter where we already have sponsorships, but which we intend to expand our participation.
A good affiliation network is an excellent tool to reach the public. How are you working on this issue?
We work with a very comprehensive affiliate network. We have both local affiliates, such as teams, fans, influencers, and tipsters, as well as with large networks of international affiliates, who work in different countries; so NetBet has a very strong affiliation work. I work very focused on this, as it is an excellent channel for attracting customers. We even have a project to expand our network and at the end of the year we will renew many contracts and bring various tools for affiliates. We believe that it is with partnership that we will grow. We will enable them to work with our brand even more.
You talk about tools. Is NetBet platform suitable for growth goals? Is it user friendly?
We are very pleased, as we invested a lot in technology and adjustment in speed and agility for the bettor. This year we launched a new live betting tool in which people keep track of game statistics, as the odds change depending on the time of the game. This tool is being used a lot and brings different emotions to those who are watching and betting. Our system is very robust and working well. It is a point of the company that can never stop. We are investing more and more in technology, agility, interface, facilities, and betting options, because the user is very dynamic and always wants news.
Is the Brazilian market already well consolidated with the available offers?
Brazil is discovering sports betting. It is not yet consolidated and is embryonic. I believe that the Brazilian market should grow 20 times. It is a large market, but the country is still far from consolidating. The market is still reinventing itself, but it is far from stabilizing. It tends to grow a lot.
Will this consolidation come with regulation?
I believe it will be the trigger for exponential growth. Many investments will come to Brazil, including from us. The regulation will bring more confidence to the market and attract more customers, who need it to feel more secure to enter this fascinating world. Brazil is still in its infancy in this market, which could reach US$8 trillion in the next five years and the country should represent a good slice of this business.
And when do you expect regulation?
We wait for yesterday! Brazil has always been very uncertain in many sectors, but I believe that the regulation will allow the collection of a lot of tax to be invested in education and health. It is a market that already exists and should be regulated as soon as possible to deliver the benefits that the activity can offer to the country.
Source: Exclusive GMB
