Between 14 and 19 February, a sequence of developments in Brazil signalled something more significant than regulatory routine.

The country has entered the same post-legalisation political cycle already observed across mature European gambling jurisdictions — the social impact phase.

After market opening comes expansion.
After expansion comes scrutiny.

Courts, Congress and federal regulators are now acting simultaneously around a shared concern: exposure and harm mitigation.

For operators and investors, this stage historically reshapes business models more than taxation or licensing ever did.

Italy (2018), Spain (2020), the Netherlands (2022) and the UK affordability debate all followed this pattern roughly 12–36 months after market regulation.

Brazil has reached it faster due to scale, media visibility and political salience.

Courts move first: responsible gambling becomes interface architecture

The most immediate operational impact came from the judiciary.

A state court in Goiás ordered 251 licensed operators to prominently display addiction-risk warnings before bet placement.

The mandatory message references anxiety, depression and over-indebtedness, effectively transforming responsible gambling messaging from compliance disclosure into a functional UX barrier.

This matters beyond the state itself.

Brazil’s gambling framework is federal, but consumer protection enforcement is state-driven. Public prosecutors frequently replicate precedents across jurisdictions, meaning obligations can propagate faster through litigation than through regulation.

For operators, this introduces a new risk category: conversion liability.

Any mechanism designed to reduce impulsive betting inherently affects conversion metrics.
The business model must therefore reconcile behavioural friction with revenue optimisation.

This mirrors developments seen in European markets where interface design — not licensing — became the primary regulatory battleground.

Congress targets advertising — and therefore channelisation

While courts addressed player protection, the Senate advanced legislation restricting betting advertising across television, radio, press, social media, sponsorships and promotional campaigns, with penalties including multimillion-dollar fines and potential licence consequences.

In gambling regulation, taxation rarely determines operator viability.

Visibility does.

Brazil’s regulatory logic depends on channelisation: migrating consumers from offshore operators to licensed platforms.

Channelisation requires awareness, and awareness requires marketing.

The economic implications are predictable:

• rising customer acquisition cost (CAC)
• shrinking affiliate ecosystems
• weaker brand differentiation
• improved competitiveness of illegal operators

This dynamic has precedent.

Following Italy’s Decreto Dignità advertising ban, affiliate activity collapsed and offshore presence strengthened.

Spain experienced similar effects among younger demographics after Royal Decree 958/2020.

Brazil now faces the same structural tension:
public policy seeks reduced exposure, while regulated markets require controlled visibility to function.

Sports financing becomes political leverage

The advertising debate has introduced a secondary policy argument: sports funding.

Industry executives warn that reduced marketing capacity and constrained odds competitiveness may lower betting volume and therefore tax transfers and sponsorship revenue to sports organisations.

This represents a narrative reversal.

During legalisation debates, betting was justified as a mechanism to finance sport.
Now sport is used as an argument against over-restriction.

The political discussion has shifted from fiscal optimism to economic trade-offs — a transition typical of markets moving from expansion to stabilisation. 

Federal government confirms long-term supervision

The Ministry of Finance, through the Secretariat of Prizes and Betting, published its 2026–2027 regulatory agenda prioritising:

• revision of licensing criteria
• lottery operational rules
• enforcement and monitoring procedures
• payment blocking mechanisms
• responsible gambling tools
• oversight of influencers and affiliates

The conceptual shift is crucial.

Brazil is moving from regulating operators to regulating ecosystems.

Further, platforms, media partners, marketing agencies, affiliates and payment channels become enforcement targets.

This marks the transition from market creation to market supervision — a defining milestone in regulatory maturity.

Competition increases as commercial freedom narrows

At the same moment regulation tightens, the number of licensed operators exceeds roughly 180 platforms.

This produces a classic newly regulated market paradox:

More competitors entering precisely when commercial flexibility declines.

The usual outcome is consolidation.

Smaller operators depend on aggressive acquisition strategies and bonus-driven growth, both incompatible with advertising limits and rising compliance costs.

Larger operators with brand equity and media partnerships absorb market share.

Growth therefore continues — but viability narrows.

Narrative shift: from revenue opportunity to social risk

The most important change is rhetorical rather than legal.

Legalisation was framed around taxation, formalisation and sports funding.
Current public discourse focuses on addiction, indebtedness and youth exposure.

Public policy follows perception cycles:

Basically, Brazilian institutions now align around the second stage.
Courts emphasise mental health, legislators visibility, regulators supervision.

Such alignment historically precedes durable regulatory tightening rather than temporary intervention.

What this means for international stakeholders

Brazil remains one of the largest global betting opportunities.
However, the operating logic is changing.

The market is transitioning from:

• acquisition-driven growth → retention-driven growth
• marketing scale → brand legitimacy
• speed → compliance resilience

International operators often interpret this phase as instability.
Historically, it signals maturation.

Across Europe, long-term profitability emerged only after this stage forced operators to adapt operational discipline, customer lifetime value strategies and media partnerships.

Conclusion: legitimacy replaces entry as the main barrier

The developments of mid-February did not introduce a single transformative rule.
They created institutional convergence.

Judiciary, legislature and executive authorities are reacting to the same concern: the social footprint of betting.

The first phase of Brazil’s regulated market determined who could enter.
The second will determine how they may operate.

The industry is no longer negotiating access.
It is negotiating legitimacy.

And in regulated gambling markets, legitimacy — more than licensing — ultimately defines sustainable profitability.

Betnacional launches culturally-driven communication platform in Brazil

Additionally, Betnacional has unveiled a new communication platform called “Bota essa paixão pra jogo” (“Put that passion into play”), aimed at strengthening brand relevance and engagement among Brazilian sports fans during a period of heightened global football attention.

Developed in partnership with creative agency Galeria.ag, the platform is built around a cultural understanding of how Brazilian fans experience sport — characterized by emotional intensity, active participation and a uniquely expressive approach to cheering.

The campaign is designed to run through the first half of 2026.

Alvaro Garcia, Chief Marketing Officer of Flutter Brazil, explained that the strategy deliberately taps into football’s deep cultural presence in Brazil, noting that nearly half of the population watches at least one match per week — a statistic that underscores the sport’s daily relevance.

According to internal Betnacional research, 60% of sports bettors place bets three or more times per week, with that figure rising to 69% among users who combine sports wagering with other betting formats. These behavioural insights helped guide the creative direction of the campaign.

The initiative includes multi-channel activations across TV, digital platforms and out-of-home (OOH) formats, with short creative pieces designed to resonate both in traditional media and social environments.

The campaign’s creative approach reflects Brazil’s football culture, often blending humor with emotional storytelling to portray fan passion as a natural extension of everyday life.

According to Ricardo Schreier, Head of Brand Creative & Insights at Flutter Brazil, the platform serves as a “fertile territory for building narratives” that creatively translate cultural behaviour into consistent brand expression.

This campaign also marks the first major work of Galeria.ag in its role as lead agency for both Betnacional and Betfair in Brazil — a position the agency assumed at the end of 2025 as part of Flutter Brazil’s integrated strategy combining planning, market intelligence and creative execution

N1 Partners expands its sports traffic capabilities. Betting is now available across three brands within the affiliate program’s portfolio: alongside the flagship sports product N1 Bet, RollXO and Lucky Hunter have joined the lineup.

For partners, this opens up new opportunities to work with Tier-1 sports traffic. You can scale volumes on a dedicated betting product while simultaneously running sports traffic on casino brands with already strong conversion rates. This approach allows affiliates to diversify traffic flows, reduce reliance on a single product, and strengthen key performance metrics by combining sports, casino, and seasonal promotional mechanics.

Why Seasonal Events Matter When Driving Traffic

In practice, the most consistent conversion results are achieved when traffic launches are aligned with seasonality, key news hooks, and behavioral peaks in player activity.

February offers a particularly strong combination of factors:

• a packed schedule of top football leagues and tournaments
• the Winter Olympic Games
• seasonal holidays, including Valentine’s Day
• increased emotional engagement from players

During such periods, users are more likely to make deposit decisions, engage with promotions, and return to the product. Timing and the right contextual hook have a direct impact on overall performance.

To simplify campaign planning and help partners make the most of this period, the N1 Partners team has prepared a selection of key sports events and active promotions that are well suited for driving sports traffic.

Key Sports Events in February

11.02.2026

Soccer | Italy, Coppa Italia | Quarter-final | Bologna – Lazio

Ice Hockey | Olympic Games | Slovakia vs Finland

Soccer | England, Premier League | Manchester City – Fulham

Soccer | Germany, DFB Pokal | Quarter-final | Bayern Munich – RB Leipzig

Basketball | NBA | Houston Rockets – LA Clippers

Soccer | CONMEBOL, Copa Libertadores, Qualification, Quarter-finals | 2-nd legs

12.02.2026

Ice Hockey | Olympic Games | Czech Republic vs Canada

Soccer | England, Premier League | Brentford – Arsenal

Basketball | NBA | Orlando Magic – Milwaukee Bucks

Basketball | EuroLeague, Regular Season | Round 28

Rugby League | Super League (England, France) | Regular Season

13.02.2026

Ice Hockey | Olympic Games | Canada vs Switzerland

Basketball | NBA | Oklahoma City Thunder – Milwaukee Bucks

Handball | Germany, Bundesliga | Next Round

14.02.2026

Ice Hockey | Olympic Games | USA vs Denmark

Soccer | England, FA Cup | 1/16-finals

Soccer | Germany, Bundesliga | Werder Bremen – Bayern Munich

Rugby Union | France, Top 14 | Round 17

Handball | Spain, Liga ASOBAL | Next Round

Basketball | Spain, Liga ACB | Round 20

15.02.2026

Ice Hockey | Olympic Games | Switzerland vs Czech Republic

Soccer | Italy, Serie A | Inter – Juventus

Soccer | Italy, Serie A | Napoli – AS Roma

Soccer | Italy, Serie A | Lazio – Atalanta

Soccer | Spain, LaLiga | Girona – Barcelona

Soccer | Spain, LaLiga | Real Madrid – Real Sociedad

Soccer | France, Ligue 1 | Marseille – Strasbourg

Soccer | France, Ligue 1 | Rennes – PSG

Basketball | NBA | ALL-Star

Tennis | WTA 1000 Dubai, United Arab Emirates | Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships

Active Promotions Across N1 Partners Brands

To boost player activity and support conversion rates during peak dates, N1 Partners is launching seasonal Valentine’s Day promotions across key brands. These campaigns provide partners with additional leverage when driving traffic and engaging users.

Valentine’s Advent Calendar (N1 Bet, RollXO)

Period: 13.02–17.02

Daily rewards available for participants over five days:

• 13.02 Love Box: prize up to €15,000
• 14.02 Valentine’s Riddle Offer: 100% bonus up to €500 + 150 FS
• 15.02 Sunday Challenge: 50% bonus on the 3rd deposit
• 16.02 Road to Free Spins: 30 FS for every €350
• 17.02 Fortune Lottery Series: prize pool €63,000

Cupid Mailbox Lottery (Lucky Hunter)

Period: 09.02–14.02

Prize pool for 28 winners: trip to Paris + €6,400 + 1,400 FS

Why This Matters for Partners

Seasonal promotions and event-driven campaigns help partners address several key challenges when working with Tier-1 traffic:

• encourage higher average deposits
• increase LTV through repeat engagement
• sustain activity during periods when CR typically declines
• integrate smoothly into creative bundles and ad formats
• strengthen the emotional appeal of offers through holidays and major events

In a highly competitive environment, these product-driven initiatives help partners maintain stable and predictable performance.

What Partners Should Do Now

February combines major sports events, seasonal triggers, and strong promotional mechanics into a single high-potential window.

Drive traffic to key sports events and Valentine’s Day promotions across N1 Partners brands: N1 Bet, RollXO, and Lucky Hunter.

The N1 Partners team is ready to provide up-to-date promotions, analytics, and dedicated support tailored to your traffic volumes.

Join N1 Partners

N1 Partners provides everything affiliates need to stay ahead: high-converting products, ongoing analytics with optimization recommendations, and hands-on support from managers focused on long-term performance.

N1 Partners is more than an affiliate program. As a multi-brand affiliate platform and direct advertiser, the company unites 14+ casino and betting brands, operates across Tier-1 GEOs, delivers Reg2Dep rates of up to 70%, and offers competitive deals for top partners — CPA up to €700 and RevShare up to 45%. Trusted by 14,000+ partners, N1 Partners is recognized for its transparency, flexibility, and partner-first approach — where people and communication quality remain the foundation of long-term success.