From an entertainment niche to a cultural, social and economic powerhouse in Brazil. For Marcio Zuba, director of eSports at the National Secretariat for Sports Betting and Economic Development of Sports of the Ministry of Sports (MESP), this is the definition of the current moment of eSports in the country.
In an exclusive interview, Zuba explains that electronic sports were born and developed in the private sector. “In other words: every game has an owner. There is a company, a developer, that holds the intellectual property of that modality, dictates the rules of the server and organizes the ecosystem.”
Therefore, the State cannot intervene unilaterally. “We share the challenge of competitive integrity with the owners of gaming intellectual property”, he adds, highlighting that competitive integrity is one of the pillars for the credibility and survival of any modality.
“We understand that combating these irregular practices requires a joint effort of inspection and regulation by the State, but the main front of action of our Ministry, at this moment, is prevention. And we believe that the most effective prevention is achieved through information and education”, he reinforces.
According to the eSports director, the focus is on the base, working not only to train good players, but also ethical and conscious professionals, protecting the future of the competitive scene in Brazil.
“The government does not want to be the ‘owner’ of eSport in Brazil. We want to be the main strategic partner so that the private sector, universities and civil society can make this market grow with safety, inclusion and job creation”, he declares.
Complete interview with Marcio Zuba, eSport director at the Ministry of Sports:
iGaming Brazil: According to the The State of Mobile Gaming 2025 survey, Brazil remains the third largest market on the planet in terms of hours played on mobile devices. How does the Ministry of Sports evaluate this growth in interest in eSports in the country?
Marcio Zuba: The Ministry of Sports evaluates this data with extreme enthusiasm, but, above all, with a great sense of responsibility.
eSports went from being a mere entertainment niche a long time ago to consolidating itself as a cultural, social and economic powerhouse in our country. All of this proves what the Lula Government follows closely: Brazilians are passionate about competition, innovation and technology.
We see this growth from the following perspectives:
• Economic: the eSport ecosystem attracts countless investments, and our country is a power that is in evidence on the world stage.
• Inclusion Tool: eSports have a formidable reach. They reach young people from all regions of the country and speak directly with the new generation, serving as a powerful tool for social inclusion and engagement.
• Talent Development: Just like in traditional sport, we have very high-performance athletes in the digital scenario. The Ministry seeks to act as a facilitator of this ecosystem, helping to structure the sector, promote legal security and encourage both basic categories and high income.
The Ministry of Sports works to make Brazil the greatest global power in the production of talent and the healthy development of the eSports industry.
iGaming Brazil: Does the Ministry of Sports have data that helps to profile eSports fans in Brazil?
Marcio Zuba: The Ministry of Sports closely monitors major market surveys, which already give us an excellent thermometer regarding the diversity, age range and behavior of this public.
However, we understand that the role of the State goes beyond observing private numbers; we need to build our own intelligence base to understand not only the player’s profile, but the profile of the citizen involved in eSports.
Therefore, the Ministry is leading a major effort to map national data and information. We don’t do this alone. Our strategy is to act as a network.
Currently, our action plan includes:
• Federative Integration: We are officiating at state and municipal sports departments throughout Brazil to cross regional realities.
• Academic Partnerships: We seek to enter into Technical Cooperation Agreements (ACTs) with federal and state universities, bringing scientific rigor and academic research into our decision-making.
What we seek with this national intelligence network is very clear: to get out of guesswork and base our actions on concrete data. It is this information, consolidated with states, municipalities and academia, that will tell us exactly which public policies need to be developed from scratch and which current initiatives need to be improved to promote the sector in a structured, inclusive and safe way in Brazil.
iGaming Brazil: How does the government intend to take advantage of this large audience to help strengthen the development of the eSports ecosystem in the country?
Marcio Zuba: We see the thousands of spectators not just as a consuming public, but as the source of a large production chain. The government’s objective is to transform this passion for electronic sports into a development engine for the country.
The Ministry of Sports should act as a ‘bridge’ between Brazilian talent and structural opportunities, focusing on:
• Fostering and Structuring the Base: Just like football or volleyball, eSports need ‘base categories’. We want to democratize access, bringing infrastructure, connection and technology to the edges. The idea is to create an environment where young people from any social class can develop their talents and enter the competitive scene in a structured way.
• Professional Training for the Ecosystem: The public sees a lot of the pro-player, but for every athlete on stage, there are dozens of professionals behind the scenes. We want to use this massive interest to encourage training in areas such as game development, team management, sports marketing, narration (casting), sports psychology and information technology. Our dialogue with universities, which I mentioned previously, goes exactly in this direction: connecting eSport to education and professional training.
• Attracting Investments and Institutional Security: An audience of this size attracts the eyes of the world and the private sector. The role of the State is to organize the house, offering clear guidelines and institutional recognition. When the Ministry of Sports works to understand and support the sector, we provide security for brands and large developers to invest more in Brazil, generating bigger tournaments, more sponsorships and, consequently, more jobs.
In short, our plan is to use the strength of this audience to attract partnerships and promote public policies that transform Brazil into a hub not only for consumption, but for the creation, technology and export of talent in the global eSports market.
iGaming Brazil: What was the main objective of creating the eSports Handbook in Brazil and what type of guidance does it offer for those working in the sector?
Marcio Zuba: The publication of the eSports Handbook represents a historic milestone. It was an absolutely pioneering action, not only within the Ministry of Sports, but in the history of the federal government as a whole. Our main objective was very clear: to translate and transmit structural knowledge about electronic sports that had never, until then, been exposed with the approval and weight of a government body.
We realized that there was a huge communication gap. On the one hand, we had the vibrant eSports ecosystem; on the other, a portion of society and the government itself that was still unaware of the seriousness and size of this market. The booklet was created to be this bridge, aiming to connect players, society — including parents, teachers and schools — and those interested in investing and operating in the sector.
Regarding the guidance it offers, we focus on establishing a solid foundation, a true official ‘starting point’. It brings:
• Demystification of Concepts: We explain the fundamental difference between casual gaming and high-performance electronic sports, which requires discipline, training and rules.
• Mapping the Ecosystem: We detail the different professions involved, showing that the sector is a great engine for generating jobs.
• Health and Well-being: We offer good practice guidance on the physical and mental health of practitioners, combating a sedentary lifestyle and promoting a safe environment.
Ultimately, the playbook is the State saying to the gaming community: ‘We see you, we respect what you built and we are here to dialogue and help structure this scenario together with the whole of society.
iGaming Brazil: Competitive integrity has been an increasingly discussed topic on the global eSports scene. What are Brazil’s main challenges today in this regard?
Marcio Zuba: Competitive integrity is, without a doubt, one of the central pillars for the credibility and survival of any sport. This is a challenge we face in both traditional and electronic sports. However, there is a huge structural difference in the way we deal with this in eSports.
Unlike football or basketball, which are practices in the public domain, electronic sports were born and developed in the private sector. In other words: every game has an owner. There is a company, a developer, that holds the intellectual property of that modality, dictates the server rules and organizes the ecosystem.
This means that the State cannot simply intervene unilaterally. Our main challenge today in Brazil is to consolidate a collaborative governance model. We share the challenge of competitive integrity with game intellectual property owners.
Therefore, when we talk about combating serious problems such as:
• Manipulation of results and irregular bets;
• Use of cheats (cheats and hacks) or fraud in tournaments;
• Toxic behavior and harassment within platforms;
The Ministry of Sports’ actions aim to protect Brazilian citizens — be they professional athletes or fans who watch —, but always working in a network with publishers (developers) and tournament organizers. The challenge is to create legal and inspection mechanisms that bring legal security and transparency to the scenario in Brazil, respecting the private rules of each game, but ensuring that the sport is fair, clean and safe for everyone.
iGaming Brazil: Are there initiatives underway to prevent manipulation of results or other irregular practices in eSports competitions, especially with the release of betting on sports in the sector? Does the Ministry monitor this growing activity?
Marcio Zuba: The Ministry of Sports monitors the issue of betting and the risks of manipulation of results with extreme attention and responsibility. We know that this is a sensitive issue at a global level and that it directly affects the credibility of any sport, whether on the field or on the screen.
We understand that combating these irregular practices requires a joint effort to monitor and regulate the State, but our Ministry’s main line of action at this moment is prevention. And we believe that the most effective prevention is achieved through information and education.
Therefore, our main ongoing initiative is the search for solid partnerships with academia. We are talking to universities to encourage the production of knowledge and the creation of courses aimed at the healthy and ethical practice of electronic sports.
Our strategy focuses on:
• Formation of a Culture of Integrity: We want athletes, especially younger ones, teams and behind-the-scenes professionals to have access to literacy on sports ethics, understanding the risks and severe consequences of involvement in irregular betting.
• Scientific Support: Using universities to study the behavior of the ecosystem and provide us with data that helps shield Brazilian eSports against these threats.
In short, the Ministry is vigilant. But, more than just observing, we are acting from the ground up, working with the educational sector to train not only good players, but ethical and conscious professionals, thus protecting the future of the competitive scenario in Brazil.
iGaming Brazil: Despite the growth of the sector, female participation still faces challenges. What measures can be adopted to increase the presence of women in eSports?
Marcio Zuba: To expand the presence of women in eSports, the watchword is opportunity in a safe environment. The main challenge today is not the lack of female talent, but rather the need to break down cultural barriers and combat the toxicity that still drives many players away.
As practical measures that the State and the ecosystem can adopt together, I highlight:
• Promotion of exclusive competitions: Supporting women’s circuits is essential to create a safe space where they can compete, gain experience and visibility without harassment.
• Awareness campaigns: Promote, together with developers (game owners) and tournament organizers, continuous campaigns to combat toxicity and machismo on servers.
iGaming Brazil: Does the Ministry of Sports have specific projects or policies to encourage female inclusion in the competitive and professional scene?
Marcio Zuba: Yes, and this is one of the projects that we are most proud of currently at the Ministry of Sports, as it attacks the problem exactly at its root: qualification and empowerment.
We structured a major partnership with the academic sector to launch a mass training project. The Ministry will offer 10,000 places in completely free online courses, exclusively for women.
What sets this project apart is its comprehensive vision. The content does not just focus on the game itself, but on three fundamental pillars for the eSports job market:
• Technical Focus: Training for the various professions in the ecosystem.
• Behavioral Focus: Psychological preparation, leadership and career management.
• Linguistic Focus: Language teaching, essential for a market that is globalized in nature.
In addition to this qualification, the Ministry maintains active conversations with large Brazilian organizations and teams that already promote female performance. The objective is for these 10,000 women graduates not to just have a diploma in hand, but to find open doors in teams and companies in the sector.
iGaming Brazil: Many young people see eSports as a career opportunity. How does the Ministry see the sector’s role in professionalization and generating opportunities for this new generation?
Marcio Zuba: The Ministry of Sports sees eSports not only as the future of entertainment, but as the present of the Brazilian job market. For us, this is today one of the greatest tools for social, professional and economic advancement for our youth.
Everything the Ministry is building so far is connected exactly with this objective of generating real opportunities:
• Mapping and Structure: When we seek data from states and universities, we are structuring the terrain to know where young people most need support.
• Institutional Recognition: When we launch our pioneering Booklet, we are telling parents, schools and society that this is a serious profession, breaking prejudices.
• Safety and Ethics: When we talk to the owners of the games and focus on preventing match manipulation, we are ensuring a clean and safe work environment for the athletes.
• Qualification and Inclusion: And when we offered 10,000 free training places for women, we showed that the ecosystem has room for everyone.
The Ministry’s message to this new generation is clear: a career in eSports goes far beyond being a player on stage. It needs developers, narrators, managers, psychologists and technicians. The role of the State is not to control the game, but to pave the way. We want to provide security, structure and education so that the passion of young Brazilians can be transformed into a worthy, profitable and respected profession around the world.
iGaming Brazil: The organizational structure of eSports is still quite fragmented in Brazil. Is there discussion within the government about creating a federation or some national governance model for the sport?
Marcio Zuba: This is an excellent question to clarify, definitively, how the Ministry of Sports sees its own limits of action. The direct answer is: no. Today, there is no discussion within the Ministry for the imposition of a single federation or a centralized state model of governance for eSports.
And the reason for this is purely structural and legal. As I mentioned previously, electronic sports have a different nature from traditional sports: they are born, grow and develop in the private sector.
We operate on the premise that every game has an owner. The competitive ecosystem of each modality necessarily depends on the authorization and guidelines of the owner of the intellectual property of that game — the so-called developers or publishers. Therefore, trying to create a top-down ‘super federation’ would ignore real market dynamics. What the State does is not centralize control, but rather:
• Respect the private sector: We understand that who dictates the rules of the competitive circuit of a game is the company that created it.
• Act as a facilitator: Our role is to support tournament organizers, teams and athletes, offering institutional security, public promotion policies (such as the qualification of 10 thousand women) and data structuring.
In short, the government does not want to be the ‘owner’ of eSport in Brazil. We want to be the main strategic partner so that the private sector, universities and civil society can make this market grow with safety, inclusion and job creation.