The country manager of the SportingBet bookmaker stated that he sees the betting segment as part of the entertainment market.
So, in an interview with the Meio & Mensagem portal, the businessman said that “betting is just that, a way for people to have fun and spend their time”.
Antonio Forjaz has experience in the entertainment industry because, before taking over SportingBet, he was national manager of the Prime Vídeo Brasil platform.
Furthermore, he was responsible for designing Amazon’s Streaming strategies in the country. Therefore, he also has experience in Grupo Globo’s streaming service.
Brazilians seek forms of entertainment
Streaming platforms, which provide films, series and reality shows via subscription, are one of the main entertainment channels in Brazil.
A survey released by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), in 2022, shows that at least four in ten Brazilian families already use this type of service.
Check out the most accessed streams in Brazil in 2023 in the chart below:
In other words, Brazilians look for entertainment and that is what Sportingbet seeks to explore. The executive, Antonio Forjaz, explains that “we are trying to show the consumer that betting is a way for people to have fun and spend their time.”
For a SportingBet representative, sector regulation will provide security to consumers
According to Forjaz, the first major issue that must be resolved in the country, for the population to understand, is regulation. Because the legislation will bring a new moment to the betting market in Brazil.
“We understand that there is a lot to grow. Today, if you ask in a bar who has a Streaming service, everyone will say they do, but if you ask how many entertain themselves with betting, I would venture to say that the majority don’t.”
Thus, Forjaz explains that the bookmaker will work to show the consumer that the betting universe is a viable option and, eventually, more fun than other entertainment industries.
Regulation in Brazil will play an important role in demystifying betting. It will make Brazilians understand that this market is no longer illegal, like the casinos of the past.
“We want people to feel calm, confident and safe when betting with us. We still have a lot to grow and learn, in addition to the market still being very immature in Brazil, but we are here to help take it to the next phase”, he highlighted .
In this way, Sportingbet sees the regulation of sports betting, signed by the Brazilian government at the end of 2023, as a fundamental action for the betting market.
But despite the inclusion of new rules – which apparently can “limit” companies – it is through regulation that the consumer will be protected.
“We welcome the regulation, we believe it is the best for the market. They will make things clear, guarantee that people and entities, operating in national territory, are legal and legitimate”, he concluded.
