Zona de Azar Brasil – SBC Summit RIO: Football Clubs as Sportsbook Operators

Brazil – March 6, 2025 www.zonadeazar.com Last week, the second Brazilian edition of the SBC Summit RIO took place in Rio de Janeiro, one of the world’s largest gatherings for the sports betting and iGaming industry. Held from February 25 to 27, the event attracted over 15,000 attendees.

We had the pleasure of participating in a special panel with key industry figures: Ângelo Alberoni (COO of A2FBR), Bruno Guilherme (Head of Sponsorships at HanzBet), Bernardo Pontes (CEO of ALOB), and Paula Young (Commercial Head of Botafogo), where we discussed the topic of Football Clubs as Sportsbook Operators.

This is a sensitive and highly delicate topic, and our conclusion was that advancing this business model could directly impact the entire industry due to the fragility and risks of involving the primary promoters of the activity—clubs and players—as direct beneficiaries of the profits generated from match results.

The potential consequences include loss of credibility, public distrust, and, in the medium term, even the collapse of an industry that is impressive in both size and economic impact. Studies from the World Lottery Association show that the global lottery market moves $306 billion, with fixed-odds sports betting accounting for 11.2% of this total and attracting nearly 1 billion bettors worldwide.

In Brazil, the gaming and lottery sector already represents 0.20% of the country’s GDP, and estimates suggest that this figure could rise to 1.5%. The fact is that the country’s gaming industry is still in its early stages and is only now gaining recognition through the regulation of sports betting operators. While this is a positive step that could boost employment, tourism, and economic activity, the market still requires significant adjustments to ensure security and maturity.

Regarding the event, the number of technology providers involved in this industry is striking, as is the growing presence of Chinese companies looking to enter the operator space.

The exhibition’s structure was also impressive, featuring top-tier speakers and guests from the sports and iGaming industries, as well as numerous influencers, executives, athletes, actresses, and actors. It was a true entertainment spectacle that injected over $10 million into Rio de Janeiro’s economy in just four days.

We continue to closely monitor the evolution of this market, working and advising on its integration into sports entities. However, we firmly believe that clubs and sports organizations should not act as sportsbook operators.

Editor: @_fonta
www.zonadeazar.com