The Ministry of Sports recently expanded the list of e-sports that can be bet on in Brazil, one of the world’s leading gaming consumer markets. Vice-president of Games and eSports at ASSESPRO-RJ (a business association in the technology, innovation and entrepreneurship segment) and president of the Advisory Board of FERJEE (Rio de Janeiro State Federation of Electronic Sports), Carlos Gama analyzed the current scenario and highlighted the importance of public policies to foster the sector.
The conversation was recorded during Rio2C, an event focused on creation, innovation and the creative economy, which opened up space to debate electronic sports and also featured the special participation of Bizinha, FERJEE ambassador and world champion for FURIA.
Gama explained that he entered the segment by producing applications between 2005 and 2006. “I found a company that could help with a project and met a guy who was playing CS. I got excited and put together my team. Later, I created a women’s Dota 2 team, which became the third best in Brazil,” he recalled.
In 2019, he arrived at Vasco to set up a structure focused on electronic sports, but the pandemic disrupted his plans. “Then I started to get involved with public policies. I understood that there is a need to create these mechanisms to promote eSports. Today we have a very solid structure and it is important to promote these initiatives throughout Brazil, not just in Rio,” he stressed.
eSports Betting
According to Carlos Gama, the market is interacting, and more and more people and entities are beginning to understand the scope of eSports in Brazil and around the world. “We need to create a network of qualified information so that we can provide peace of mind not only to those who are betting and having fun, but also to those who work and live in this universe in Brazil,” he stressed.
Furthermore, he reported that the federation has created a working group with representatives from the entire ecosystem – such as game publishers, teams, players, among others. “Everyone who is part of it so that we can have a perfect diagnosis. We must listen and start proposing something that can be applied to Brazil. We need to engage in this dialogue with the government, the market, universities, everyone. This is public policy,” he added.
“We need to develop Brazilian games”
For Carlos Gama, the growth of e-sports in the country depends on both the development of Brazilian games and the creation of a national plan to expand the activity in all states. “It is essential that the Ministry of Sports, state and municipal secretariats sit down and create this plan.”
He added: “Brazil consumes a lot of games from abroad. We need to produce this market here, with the goal of becoming the largest market in Latin America — not only in esports, but also in game creation. I think it is a gigantic market,” he stressed.
Finally, he highlighted the holding of the first edition of the eSports Olympic Games in 2027. “We must remain alert to what will happen. Prepare our network and support the Brazilian Olympic Committee (COB), which is very competent in this,” he concluded.
