GMB – What were your main goals at SBC Lisbon?
Hugo Baungartner – I came to reconnect with friends, which is always a pleasure, and of course to make new ones. Officially, it’s my first event attending as part of the Esportes Gaming Brasil group, and I really wanted to meet all our partners and providers, shake their hands, and strengthen our partnerships.
We’re in the process of launching a new brand and looking for innovations and new products, so that was my main goal here in Lisbon.
A major feature of the Group is precisely that — always pursuing innovation. Launching a new brand, you really need these new solutions, right?
Absolutely. We’re actually looking for some providers who are interested in our market but haven’t entered it yet — those seeking the right opportunity. That’s my role here: to meet these people, understand their products, see if they fit the group’s goals, and form partnerships.
Speaking of partnerships, how do you bring these new players into the Brazilian market before full regulation takes effect? Are they ready?
Not all of them. In fact, that’s part of our job as operators — many don’t yet have full information or knowledge of the requirements, but they all want to enter. Our mission is to explain how everything works. Many already have a roadmap to enter Brazil in the coming months; others, only in 2026. Most already understand certification and regulation, but they don’t yet know the path to entry. It’s our role to pave that way and secure the best products for the group.
And not only help these future partners but also offer even more solutions to the end user — the bettor?
Exactly. We’re constantly looking for innovation because we want our portfolio to be complete. That’s why we’re here — to talk, understand what the market is doing, and identify the best solutions for our users.
You didn’t just attend the event to seek opportunities — you also spoke on panels at SBC to educate the market about Brazil. Is that right?
Exactly. I participated in two panels and was invited to talk about KYC, which in Brazil is already a reality. In many markets, KYC processes are more advanced, while in others, not so much. In Brazil, this began earlier this year with regulation and the adoption of a full KYC framework. Some people find it strange and say, “Wow, it’s overregulated.” Personally, I prefer it this way and I enjoy discussing the topic. So yes, I took part in two KYC panels.
Brazil faces a major challenge — the illegal market. How can this harmful activity to Brazilian iGaming be stopped?
We have a promising path, and I’m sure our secretary [Regis Dudena] and the SPA have already understood it — blocking payment methods like Pix, which is a public tool managed by the Central Bank. They have the means to block illegal activity through it. The SPA also realized that some providers are serving both the regulated and unregulated markets.
The next step should be blocking access to much of the unregulated market. It’s just a matter of time — we’ve had only nine months of a regulated market, and everyone is still learning: the government, operators, providers, and our customers as well.
With only nine months of regulation, the government has already signaled a tax increase. What impact could that have on Brazilian iGaming?
Unfortunately, it’s a political decision. As operators, we have to comply. But there are other ways to increase revenue. We just talked about the illegal market — if we truly manage to combat it, tax revenue will certainly grow. Increasing taxes by 50% in just nine months completely disrupts any business plan that was created. It’s up to us to understand and adapt, but I still believe that fighting the illegal market will generate much more revenue than this tax hike.
Will Esportes da Sorte bring new developments this year, in terms of offerings for your end users?
Absolutely. We’re constantly improving our platform and user experience. We’ve been adding new providers and innovations, and we have a few exciting launches planned for the end of the year that will delight our customers.
Source: Exclusive GMB
