Latin America
SBC Exceeds Forecasts, Drawing 4,000 Attendees to Debut Event in Rio
In an dynamic entrance into Rio, SBC’s inaugural Brazil-focused event exceeded all forecasts, drawing in a staggering turnout of 4,000 attendees — surpassing the anticipated 3,000 — and signaling a promising start to the future expansion plans disclosed during the event.
Held from March 5th to 7th, SBC Summit Rio served as a deep dive into the Brazilian market during a pivotal moment of opportunity, spurred by Brazil’s recent approval of online gambling regulation. The Summit played a protagonistic role in creating a platform for senior executives to unite and discuss the future trajectory of the industry in the country, blending local insights with global perspectives.
Featuring over 70 exhibitors, the show floor at the Windsor Convention & Expo Center was abuzz with activity throughout the event, which sold out well ahead of its scheduled dates. This strong demand underscored the imperative to transition SBC Summit Rio to its new venue, Riocentro, for next year’s edition, allowing for the accommodation of over 10,000 delegates and 400 exhibitors and sponsors.
Exhibitor contentment was evident, as indicated by an initial Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 54, with the overwhelming majority of 2024 exhibitors already confirming their participation for the 2025 edition. The show floor featured prominent international suppliers including Amusnet, BetConstruct, Digitain, IDnow, Oddin.gg, Pragmatic Play, and others.
Victor Arias, Vice President LatAm at Pragmatic Play detailed his experience exhibiting at the event: “For me, it is always a joy to participate in an event organized by SBC, and this one in Rio was no exception. I left very satisfied because I was able to meet with friends and colleagues and analyze the possibilities offered by a market as relevant as Brazil. Without a doubt, this opportunity was fundamental for Pragmatic Play, which is experiencing continuous growth in the country. These days were extremely intense, with important commercial agreements and a stand that was filled with visitors who enjoyed the environment and the experience that Pragmatic Play provided.”
The operator sector witnessed notable participation, comprising 30% of the total attendee numbers, from key players such as Aposta Ganha, Betano, Betsson, Esportes da Sorte, EstrelaBet, Galera.Bet, Rei do Pitaco, Superbet and Vai De Bob, among others. Feedback gathered from the post-event survey revealed a commendable NPS of 62 among operators, reflecting the positive reception of the event from the segment. Additionally, a diverse range of operators participated as exhibitors, indicating their proactive approach to market penetration.
“Timing couldn’t be more impeccable; our recent entry into Brazil in December aligned perfectly with this event. SBC Summit Rio offered an exceptional opportunity for us to leverage the existing momentum and establish vital connections. With a notable turnout and invaluable networking sessions with prominent figures in the Brazilian sector, the event delivered on all fronts. For a European company venturing into this new territory, the knowledge acquired and relationships forged with affiliates and suppliers will be pivotal in shaping our strategy,” said Alex Fonseca, CEO Brazil, Superbet.
The projected affiliate count of 300 was also surpassed, with 447 affiliates in attendance, marking a significant 49% increase over the initial target. This sets a promising precedent for the launch of the dedicated Affiliate Leaders Summit in Rio in 2025, providing a platform for affiliation and marketing professionals to deliberate on traffic acquisition strategies in the burgeoning market.
Clever Advertising COO Marcos Oliveira commented: “SBC truly outdid themselves with this event — the diverse representation of operators, both local and international, was fantastic to see, and the connections we made will help us set a strong foothold in Brazil, marking a crucial step forward for our business. SBC Summit Rio was about learning, taking action, and making things happen. For the 2025 edition, I am very pleased to support and sponsor the Affiliate Leaders Summit — adding a dedicated summit is definitely a step in the right direction.”
Zé Roberto, the celebrated Brazilian former footballer, kicked off the event with a keynote that drew a full house, initiating a highly productive conference segment featuring 100 influential voices in line with SBC’s renowned standards. Furthermore, the event witnessed the official launch of the Associação de Mulheres da Indústria Gaming (AMIG), underscoring SBC’s commitment to empowering women within the gaming sector.
One of the networking highlights beyond the exhibition floor throughout the event’s three-day duration was an evening gathering at the Museu do Amanhã. This event welcomed Rio de Janeiro governor Cláudio Castro, who engaged in discussions with organizers, exploring the profound impact that events of this magnitude have on the industry and Brazil’s economy.
Rasmus Sojmark, CEO and Founder of SBC said: “I wouldn’t exactly label the turnout as surprising; it was evident from the outset that this event held great promise for several reasons: the timing, the choice of Rio as the host city, and the quality associated with SBC.
“Nevertheless, I’m genuinely delighted to have had the opportunity to host both the Brazilian and international industry at our debut event in Rio. The conference provided much-needed insights from top experts, and the expo floor was teeming with activity. I’d dare say that the entire Brazilian industry was in attendance. Thank you all for your support. Let’s all work on making great things happen in 2025.”
Firm points to more LATAM teams, heavier digital viewing and second-screen habits as key drivers for new campaign strategies.
Sports marketing in Latin America will face a different playbook during the FIFA World Cup 2026, according to a new analysis from Latam Intersect. The firm says the expanded tournament format, combined with prime-time scheduling for the region and more digital consumption, will change how brands plan media, content and real-time engagement.
The 2026 edition will feature 48 national teams, 104 matches and three host countries. FIFA projects more than 6 billion people will follow the tournament in some way, Latam Intersect said. For Latin America, the firm highlights the added weight of having 10 regional teams qualified, alongside the region’s historical performance in the competition.
Latam Intersect argues that the LATAM fan base is now younger and more active online, with a predominant age range of 22 to 33 and strong Gen Z and millennial presence. The company cites data indicating 41% of fans already watch matches via digital platforms and 51% use social media while watching on TV, turning each match into a continuous “second-screen” engagement window.
“In 2026, the fan is already in the middle of a conversation that never stops. Brands that show up with a prepared post after the match are already too late,”, said Livia Gammardella, Head of Marketing and Digital de Latam Intersect.
The firm also breaks the audience into three archetypes—casual fan, devoted fan and “fanático”—and says brands often underperform by treating the World Cup audience as one segment. It adds that women fans and fans arriving through pop culture, memes and music are growing audiences that global campaigns frequently miss.
A major difference versus the 2018 and 2022 tournaments is match timing for the region, with most games expected to land in prime time for Latin America, the company said. “A World Cup in prime time was exactly what retail needed. People will not watch the matches alone: they will gather with family, order food, buy products. The brand that uses cultural intelligence to understand the localized rituals of its fan will build far more connection than it could expect”, said Claudia Daré, socia y cofundadora de Latam Intersect.
The company said it has published a related eBook on platform behaviors across Instagram, TikTok and X, alongside market-specific audience data and planning framework
The post Latam Intersect flags prime-time World Cup 2026 as a reset for LATAM sports marketing appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Claudia Daré partner and co-founder of Latam Intersect.
Sports marketing will change in Latin America during the 2026 World Cup
The biggest tournament in history arrives with an unprecedented strategic window for brands: prime-time matches, more Latin American national teams, and an audience that is radically more digital and diverse.
The 2026 World Cup is not just the most ambitious edition in the tournament’s history. For Latin America, it represents a convergence of factors never seen in any previous edition: ten national teams from the region qualified, matches will air in prime time, and an audience that experiences football in ways that would have been unimaginable a decade ago.
With 48 national teams, 104 matches, and three host countries, FIFA projects that more than 6 billion people will follow the tournament in some way. For Latin America, whose national teams have won the World Cup 10 times, the competition arrives with a particularly strong emotional weight.
An audience that no longer watches football in silence
The profile of the Latin American fan has changed profoundly. The dominant age bracket today is between 22 and 33 years old, with a strong presence of Gen Z and millennials. This segment does not just consume the sport; it comments on it in real time, amplifies opinions on social media, and lives every match with a phone in hand.
The data is striking: 41% of fans already watch matches through digital platforms, and 51% use social media simultaneously while watching on television. This turns every match into a 90-minute window of continuous engagement, an opportunity that traditional communication strategies, designed for a passive consumer, are simply not built to capture.
“In 2026, the fan is already in the middle of a conversation that never stops. Brands that show up with a prepared post after the match are already too late,” says Livia Gammardella, Head of Marketing and Digital at Latam Intersect.
Three profiles, three different conversations
Not all fans are the same, and treating them as if they were is one of the most common mistakes in communication strategies for major sporting events. Audience analysis identifies three clearly different archetypes: the casual fan, who gets caught up in the spirit during important matches but disconnects if their team is eliminated; the devoted fan, loyal to their team and routines, who sees any brand opportunism as disrespect; and the fanatic, for whom football is identity and belonging, and who grants loyalty only to those who demonstrate a genuine connection to the sport.
To these three segments are added fast-growing audiences that global campaigns often ignore: women fans, whose digital engagement continues to grow steadily, and supporters who come to football through pop culture, memes, and music.
Prime time as a strategic window
One of the most significant differences from the last two World Cups is the broadcast schedule. In 2018 and 2022, the time zones of Russia and Qatar pushed matches into Latin American mornings or afternoons. In 2026, most matches will fall in prime time across the region, opening an opportunity that practically did not exist in recent editions.
“A World Cup in prime time was exactly what retail needed. People will not watch the matches alone: they will gather with family, order food, buy products. The brand that uses cultural intelligence to understand the localized rituals of its fan will build far more connection than it could expect,” says Claudia Daré, partner and co-founder of Latam Intersect.
The Latin American fan of 2026 is younger, more digital, and more diverse than in any previous edition. Digital platforms have shifted from being support channels to becoming the main stage. And while the conversation is global in scale, it is always local in content.
The tournament will unfold simultaneously on two screens. Instagram works as a visual archive and positioning channel. TikTok is where trends are born, rewarding native creativity over expensive production. X is the public square for minute-by-minute conversation, with relevance windows that close in a matter of seconds. And physical spaces, bars, fan fests, family gatherings, regain prominence that the schedules of the last two editions had reduced considerably.
Treating them as a single distribution channel is, according to specialists, the fastest way for a brand to go unnoticed.
The 2026 World Cup arrives with an architecture unlike any previous edition: more countries, more matches, more screens, and an audience that does not wait for kickoff to start the conversation. In Latin America, where football functions as a shared language across generations, social classes, and borders, the tournament promises to be a moment of cultural cohesion on a historic scale.
The post Sports marketing will change in Latin America during the 2026 World Cup appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
QTech has signed a content deal with Swedish supplier Split The Pot to add new games to its aggregation platform for African and Latin American markets. The agreement was announced on 10 June 2026.
Under the deal, QTech will roll out Split The Pot’s mobile-optimised “light games”, including Comet Crash Deluxe, Wheel of Fortune and the Zama Big 5 series. The supplier says its titles are designed to support a range of volatility profiles and include “the ability to cashout at every level”.
The companies positioned the partnership around performance in emerging markets where players can face device and connectivity constraints, including lower-spec handsets, limited network access and higher data costs.
Philip Doftvik, QTech’s CEO, said: “Split The Pot offers a welcome breath of fresh air in the sector, especially with their creative cashout functionality working seamlessly even in territories where network connectivity remains a challenge. The games are therefore very well suited for the African markets, in particular, which aligns with our increased focus on the region. Locally adapted content is regularly requested from our clients in Africa, hence we are excited to release Split The Pot’s games to our partners there.”
Christian Rajter, CEO of Split The Pot, added: “We’re thrilled to join forces with QTech. This partnership means even more players in our core markets, like Africa and Latin America, will have access to our engaging games. We’ve designed them to work seamlessly, even on less powerful devices and with limited internet, ensuring everyone can enjoy the experience.”
The post QTech adds Split The Pot games to boost Africa and LatAm offering appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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