In January 2025, new betting regulations came into effect in Brazil. Now, looking back at the first months of regulated bets, which were the top-10 sports tournaments Brazilians most bet on?
Last week, InPlaySoft published a market report on Brazil’s first six months of regulated bets. The document not only explains what changed in the country’s legislation and what are the current regulations for iGaming operators, it also brings together data on the demographics of betting in Brazil, reveals data from its sportsbook as to what are the most popular types of bets both in sports and in online casino games, and provides useful insights iGaming operators can apply to stay ahead of the competition in Brazil in the future.
The full report is free and can be accessed here!
But let’s take a glimpse of the report here with an exclusive section.
Sports Betting in Brazil.
According to a survey conducted in August 2024, 11% of Brazilians reported participating in sports betting - and remember, Brazil has a population of over 212 million people, being the seventh most populous country in the world. Around the same time, Env Media reported that 66.9% of Brazilian real-money gamblers engage in sports betting, which made it the most popular vertical in iGaming, followed by lotteries with 58.2% and online casinos with 51.1%.
With the new regulations, which took effect in January 2025, the trend is for these numbers to increase. The sector is poised for sustained growth, with forecasts indicating strong revenue trajectories through 2030.
In the first quarter of 2025, for instance, betting platforms in Brazil recorded over 5 billion visits, averaging more than 650 visits per second, marking a 90 % increase compared to late 2024. The broader gambling market in Brazil, which includes sports betting and iGaming, is expected to reach US$ 7.02 billion in 2025, growing at a 6.54 % Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR), aiming for US$ 9.04 billion by 2029.
So, sports betting is a must-have for iGaming operators in Brazil. But which tournaments should their sportsbook have? Let’s take a look next.
Top-Tournaments for Sports Betting in Brazil.
Brazilians love soccer and InPlaySoft’s data shows it: in our sportsbook, the sport in which Brazil has won five Fifa World Cups is the one the population most bet on, being nine times more popular than basketball, which comes in second place, followed by tennis in third place.
In fact, the top-5 most popular tournaments for bettors are all related to soccer. The number one is Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, followed by FIFA Club World Cup and UEFA Champions League. Campeonato Brasileiro Série B and Copa Libertadores complete the top-5.
Basketball is the second most popular sport to bet on, so it’s no surprise the NBA is the most popular non-soccer league. Completing the top10 are four other soccer leagues: the Spanish LaLiga, Copa do Brasil, the British Premier League and the UEFA Europa League.
Here’s the full list:
Campeonato Brasileiro Série A.
FIFA Club World Cup.
UEFA Champions League.
Campeonato Brasileiro Série B.
Copa Libertadores.
NBA.
LaLiga.
Copa do Brasil.
Premier League.
UEFA Europa League.
Sports Betting Trends.
So, if you’re a smart iGaming operator, you don’t want to know just what’s going on now, you should also wonder what are the trends for the future so you can stay ahead of the competition. Here are some trends for sports betting in Brazil:
Stay Tuned for Evolving Regulations.
Brazil’s sporting betting landscape is still in its regulatory infancy, following the launch of its legal framework. Experts expect this transitional phase to remain fluid for the coming years, with potential fine-tuning of regulations, evolving compliance standards, and ongoing market recalibration. Regulation should tighten further, so expect more frequent audits, enforcement actions, and stricter controls on advertising, KYC, and AML
It’ll be, therefore, important to stay tuned for changes in the regulations to make sure you are always compliant and don’t risk losing your licence.
In-Play Betting.
According to the 2025 Global Sports Betting Market Growth Report, live betting already accounts for more than half of all online wagers globally, within a market worth US$ 108.6 billion. And this trend is also true in Brazil - a H2 Gambling Capital report found that over 50% of bettors prefer live markets, making it the dominant offering for any iGaming platform provider in Brazil.
If you want to know more about In-Play Betting, check out this InPlaySoft article.
Responsible Gambling.
The changes in the Brazilian legislation aimed to increase player protection and promote responsible gambling. The government is intensifying policies to curb the detrimental impacts of gambling, including restrictions on advertising, combating money laundering, and shielding vulnerable groups such as Bolsa Família beneficiaries.
Therefore, iGaming operators must focus on providing responsible gambling tools for their players, such as deposit, loss, and time limits; self-exclusion and cool-off periods; reality checks and session reminders; and links to help centers and gambling addiction hotlines.
Mobile.
InPlaySoft’s database indicates that 94% of a total of bets were placed via mobile, and only 6% via desktops. This trend is likely driven by a high mobile internet penetration in Brazil, app-based platforms from operators and easier access during live sports events. So invest in mobile UX, but don’t forget desktop users, as those 6% of bets represent 18% of turnover - Brazilians make a larger number of bets on mobile, but when they bet via desktops, they tend to wager more money per bet.
Get to Know InPlaySoft’s Sportsbook.
InPlaySoft is an international software provider that creates, delivers and maintains scalable, stable and fast-to-market iGaming platform solutions across casino and sportsbook for operators who demand not just success but persistent growth.
Our sportsbook uses official data from Sportradar, the fastest on the market, to provide the best experience with minimal risk. It also has all the features you need for player acquisition and retention – and with a level of automatic scaling you won’t find anywhere else, so you’ll relish sports betting traffic spikes, not fear them.
