VIE 8 DE NOVIEMBRE DE 2024 - 21:24hs.
Group’s goal with new regulation

Globo registers to operate sports betting, seeks to conquer sector’s ad market

Globo, the largest communications and marketing conglomerate in Latin America, has decided to explore the Brazilian sports betting market on several fronts in 2024, following the regulations approved by Congress at the end of last year. The powerful group asked the Ministry of Finance for a license to operate and created an exclusive team to meet the advertising demands of the betting segment.

Among renowned brands in the sector such as Bet365 or Sportingbet and international giants in the world of casinos such as MGM, the list of 134 companies that expressed interest to the Ministry of Finance in operating in the Brazilian online sports betting market includes Grupo Globo. The media conglomerate was accredited on the list through the CNPJ, which manages the game Cartola Express, an aspect of the best-known fantasy game Cartola.

Globo spoke through DFS, the company responsible for the game and stated that it was "attentive to new business opportunities". "Based on the new regulations, the company is studying the potential of the sports betting segment in Brazil, as well as a possible evolution of the fantasy segment," stated its executives.

Online betting was released in 2018, under Michel Temer, but regulation did not advance under the Jair Bolsonaro administration. Now, the Lula government seeks to implement the rule. Last year, the Ministry of Finance set a deadline for companies to express interest in operating in the market, although there were still no official criteria for regulation.

The Ministry of Finance will define a set of requirements for companies. Some points, such as having headquarters in Brazil, are already described by law, but others, such as minimum share capital, will be determined in ordinances that have not yet been published.

Despite not being a company in the gaming sector, Globo would comply with the majority of these requirements necessary to obtain a license which all goes along its way and gives advantage to other brands that still need to resolve these legal and financial concerns.

The tendency is for the Treasury to determine that betting houses have a minimum share capital, according to reports from those involved in negotiations between the government and companies.

The ministry must define a range between R$25 million (US$ 5.05m) and R$40 million (US$ 8.1m), in addition to the obligation to declare betting exploitation as an activity — an already existing nomenclature.

Of the 134 companies that expressed prior interest, only eight currently declare that they have share capital above the R$25 million range, and seven, above R$40 million. Of these eight, only two also operate betting operations — one of them, with share capital of R$30 million (US$ 6.05m).

All companies must need adaptations to comply with the Treasury's requirements for operating in Brazil for the fixed-rate betting market – which includes sports betting, "fantasy" and online casinos. The law provides a period of six months for them to comply.

Of the total number of registrants, at least 50 presented themselves to the Treasury with registrations outside Brazil.

Caixa Econômica Federal is another well-known brand that is on the Treasury list. The bank is currently responsible for operating Lotteries, a model subject to legislation other than fixed-rate betting, such as sports betting and online casinos.

"As a relevant actor in the Brazilian lottery market, [Caixa] is constantly involved in developing new gaming products and businesses. Therefore, it expressed prior interest in authorization for fixed-odd sports betting with the Ministry of Finance," stated the bank in note.

The list also includes a branch of the famous Las Vegas resort and casino, MGM and the Kwai platform, among others. In addition, some of the main betting houses that already operate in Brazil, such as Bet 365 and Sportingbet.
 


The huge pie of the bets advertising market in Brazil

But beyond its plans to explore sports betting, Grupo Globo has already started working to maintain the majority of the advertising business that the betting segment operates in Brazil.

To attract this sector, in 2024 the company will present an exclusive team to serve the betting segment at a national level, which demonstrates much more focus and delivery of proven results, with the premise that bettors are not only in exclusive betting environments sports, and that they also consume other content where betting operators may also have a presence.

Already with major players in the betting and online gaming segment publishing within their brands, the team is open to talking to others and delivering this brutal audience and credibility to players who are interested in greatly expanding the reach of their brands, oxygenating their records and reach their potential customer omnipresently.

The Group's network is made up of several companies that create, produce and distribute high-quality content across multiple platforms. Its news, sports and entertainment programs reach 99.6% of the Brazilian population and its linear channels speak directly to more than 100 million people in Brazil every day.

The Group has more than 24 brands, 22 websites, 14 magazines, the 3 main newspapers in Brazil (Globo, Valor Econômico, Extra), and generates more than 1 billion pageviews and 150 million unique visitors, in addition to various events, projects and customizations.

Speaking of digital, brands such as O Globo, Extra, Techtudo, Infoglobo, Conde Nast, Auto Esporte, Valor Econômico, Valor Investe, Época Negócios, PEGN, Globo Rural and many others are part of the largest communication and marketing group in Latin America, and have enormous expertise in the betting segment.

Source: GMB