GMB – Tell us a little about how Jogue Fácil was born, where it is based and since when does the firm operate in Brazil?
Marcos Oliveira: Jogue Fácil was born in September 2016, with a foundation in Curaçao, and we have been operating in Brazil ever since. We started with a very small team, there were only 3 interns who developed the system. Then, in May 2017, we started to actually operate. The website went live with a team of 10 analysts, prospecting customers and presenting the platform. Today we have more than 100 employees.
What are the main characteristics of the service you offer to the Brazilian gambler?
Our main benefit is the personal support to our customers. We have a support team in which the customer has direct contact via Whatsapp to clear any doubts on the website regarding deposits, withdrawals and any question about markets. In addition to the monitoring of sports that the customer identifies most on our website. This service is both for education in the markets and for working with the investor mentality, which is a little discussed topic in the area, but it is extremely important to have results.
Do you have people working in Brazil that know the local market as a differential?
Yes. Despite the European championships and other important leagues, our public is also very fond of betting on the national market. The state rivalry is very strong, and bettors are very passionate about local teams. But the championships outside Brazil also have a very significant share in the volume of bets. Our analysts are familiar with the Brazilian market, such as state championships, which have many particularities, in which only those who are Brazilian really know and can go ahead in this type of monitoring.
The company recently added Pay4Fun as one of it payment methods. How was that agreement? Are there more partnerships ahead?
We have identified Pay4Fun as a major player in this market and the partnership with them will open many doors for us to further grow our business. It is a partner that will support us to reach a market, not only here in Brazil but also in South America. And maybe expand, who knows, to Europe as well.
Are you thinking on more partnerships?
The idea is to extend the partnership with Pay4Fun in other countries. With the same philosophy implemented at Jogue Fácil. Always thinking about good user experience and market education.
In terms of marketing, many companies in the industry have already been acting strongly with sponsors, ambassadors, etc. What are the plans of Jogue Fácil to be known and gain market?
We are increasingly looking for the professionalization of our platform and the consolidation of our brand among our customers who already surpass the 50,000 mark. Today we are able to compete with the biggest brands in the market. Our platform leaves nothing to be desired for any of our competitors. So, from that, we will invest heavily in these next 6, 12 months in sponsoring clubs, football players, eSports and TV shows. All of this is in our plans and soon we will bring news.
Football is always the sport most sought by Brazilian bettors. However, what other modalities are growing in your view? Is eSports one of them, for example?
eSports is already a worldwide reality. Many games bring together millions and millions of spectators. It also awards hundreds of millions of dollars to the winners of the championships. So, really, it is a market that, although we have been operating in it for a short time, we have already noticed growth. We are looking to sponsor some events soon for consolidation in this market. Another modality we are interested in is the online casino vertical. With the restriction imposed by social isolation, people turned more to online betting.
How much did the pandemic affect the company's plans and goals for 2020?
The pandemic affected everyone. The main football centers in the world have stopped. This hindered a lot, especially in our revenue. However, this gave us time to implement updates on our platform, as these changes would require a very large database migration and would probably shut down our website in a few moments. This could disrupt our users. In other words, this period without football gave us time to improve the technology of the site without interfering in the experience of our customers.
Is it an idea for Jogue Fácil to compete for a concession when the market is regulated?
Here in Brazil, we are already licensed by our company based in Curaçao. We are licensed to operate in the online market. There is a government program for physical activity in Brazil in stores or betting centers. But this is not in our plans in the short and medium term, in this case the physical performance. We are specialized in the online market and that is how we will remain.
Source: Exclusive Games Magazine Brasil
