Former Accenture and BCG executive steps in to lead strategic planning and support the long-term expansion of the local operation

Entain, the FTSE-listed British sports betting and entertainment giant and one of the world’s largest gaming operators, has officially announced the appointment of Sérgio Buono as its new Head of Market Strategy in Brazil.

In the Brazilian market, Entain’s core commercial operations are driven by Sportingbet, one of the jurisdiction’s premier online sports betting and entertainment brands.

Buono will be responsible for leading the company’s strategic planning efforts, with a sharp focus on business growth and the deployment of key operational initiatives.

His role will involve direct cross-functional collaboration with core divisions, including Marketing, CRM, Product, and Technology, providing data-driven insight to support decision-making and align local execution with Entain’s long-term global corporate goals.

Strategic background in Business Transformation

Prior to joining Entain, the executive served as a Principal Director at Accenture Strategy and a Project Leader at the Boston Consulting Group (BCG).

Throughout his consulting career, Buono has accumulated extensive expertise in corporate strategy, business transformation, and operational development across major tier-one companies in Brazil.

This strategic executive hire comes at a critical time of maturity and professionalization for the Brazilian gaming ecosystem, which has rapidly climbed to global prominence following the comprehensive implementation of federal market regulations.

“The greatest challenge, and also the highest potential, lies in working for a global multinational with such a dominant brand in a market that remains fresh, highly competitive, and dynamic,” stated Sérgio Buono, newly appointed Head of Market Strategy.

“Entain seamlessly bridges proprietary technology, human capital, and AI capabilities at a global scale. The real opportunity here is to translate those massive global assets into tangible, sustainable growth for our local business.”

With an established international footprint across multiple regulated jurisdictions, Entain continues to scale its organizational infrastructure and strategic investments in Brazil, reinforcing the group’s long-term corporate commitment to innovation, technology, and sustainable market expansion.

 The first federally regulated operator in Brazil launches high-impact marketing campaigns, high-scale live activations, immersive fan zones, and Latin America’s first collective free-to-play game to secure market leadership. 

Superbet Group has announced an extensive corporate strategy for the upcoming World Cup 2026, positioning the brand not merely as an advertiser but as a central engine of the sports entertainment ecosystem.

Serving as the flagship initiative under its current brand platform, “Você Sente Quando É Super” (You Feel It When It’s Super).

The strategy developed by the first federally regulated company in Brazil aims to turn the tournament into a massive collective experience, connecting sports, technology, culture, and proprietary brand activations across national and international jurisdictions.

“We are deploying the most substantial financial and operational effort in the history of Superbet’s Brazilian operations, far exceeding our previous investments in major events like the Copa América and Carnival,” stated Patrícia Prates, Chief Marketing Officer at Superbet Brazil.

“Approximately 35% of our total annual budget will be concentrated around the World Cup during June and July.

This investment will seamlessly link live broadcasting, sponsorships, proprietary fan experiences, innovative products, and strategic activations across both Brazil and the United States.”

Media domination and Latin America’s first collective F2P game

 As the exclusive sports betting brand securing master sponsorship rights for the official tournament broadcast on TV Globo—the country’s largest media network—Superbet will hold a commanding presence throughout the competition’s premium coverage.

This broadcast ecosystem will feature custom branding and contextual sports analysis integrated into the new “Minuto Superbet” segments.

On the product development front, the company is launching “Passa a Bola” (Pass the Ball), a groundbreaking free-to-play (F2P) collective game that transitions the traditional, individual sports betting interface into a highly interactive, peer-to-peer social dynamic.

A pioneer product in Latin America, the game was designed specifically around the social habits of Brazilian football fans, which rely heavily on messaging groups, shared predictions, and live match interactions.

Superbet projects that its hybrid entertainment ecosystem will reach an audience of over 100 million consumers across traditional television and digital media channels.

Strategic US footprint and official broadcasting alliances 

• The Kwai Arena (USA): Superbet has secured the naming rights for a specialized project developed by Kwai for Business and the SAMY agency.

The venture will establish high-capacity hospitality hubs, live content creation spaces, and interactive fan experiences directly on US soil during the tournament.

• Official Radio Sponsorship: Rádio Mix has finalized a formal broadcasting agreement with FIFA to air the World Cup 2026. 

The network is launching a robust multi-platform coverage strategy encompassing specialized programming and digital content, fully backed by Superbet’s corporate sponsorship.

Multi-channel campaign launches alongside National Team Selection

The company’s World Cup market offensive officially debuts on Monday, May 18, 2026, through a nationwide 360-degree marketing campaign starring Brazilian football icons Cafu, Zinho, Renato Gaúcho, and Túlio Maravilha.

Built around the collective passion for football, the “Convoque os Seus” (Summon your squad) campaign premieres its first cinematic piece, titled “A Convocação” (The Selection).

The piece is strategically timed to air during prime-time television on TV Globo immediately following the official announcement of the Brazilian National Team roster—a cultural moment where every fan assumes the role of the national coach.

The debut commercial features brand ambassador Cafu initiating his own “Captain’s Selection” on the beaches of Rio de Janeiro, bringing together Zinho, Túlio Maravilha, and Renato Gaúcho.

The cinematic launch also introduces the mechanics of the “Passa a Bola” F2P game, which is further detailed in the second commercial of the series.

The campaign concludes with a third film, titled “Chute Certo”.

The production was shot across two iconic locations in Rio de Janeiro: Grumari Beach and the Nilton Santos Olympic Stadium (Engenhão).

Following the TV premiere, the multi-channel campaign will expand into street-level marketing activations, programmatic digital media, and influencer-led content to capture fan feedback and live interactions in real time.

Immersive live experiences: naming rights for major fan zones

Superbet is significantly expanding its physical infrastructure footprint by securing exclusive naming rights for two of the largest fan zones in Brazil:

• Village Superbet (Rio de Janeiro): A massive experiential festival arena uniting live sports broadcasts, live music, and immersive brand experiences.
• Arena Brasileira (São Paulo): A premium hospitality hub dedicated to corporate relationship building, live viewing events, content creation, and major live concerts during the Brazilian National Team matchdays.

Safer gambling and regulatory compliance

In parallel with its massive marketing deployment, Superbet is reinforcing its strict corporate commitment to safer gambling, consumer protection, and technical compliance throughout the tournament.

The operator utilizes cutting-edge Artificial Intelligence (AI) and continuous data analytics to detect high-risk player behavior in real time.

The platform offers a comprehensive suite of responsible gaming tools, including customizable deposit limits, temporary timeouts, session reality checks, and self-exclusion mechanisms.

Supported by these proactive monitoring solutions, the average rate of high-risk users within Superbet’s Brazilian operations remains consistently below 0.1%.

With this robust strategy, Superbet looks to solidify its position as a market leader capable of bridging high-volume audiences, entertainment culture, and strict regulatory compliance during a historical moment for the newly regulated Brazilian market.

Link to the making-of the film.