Blaze and Parimatch have agreed to sponsorships with Brazilian football clubs Atlético Clube Goianiense and Botafogo, after the collapse of efforts to introduce a locally regulated sports betting market in the country.
Campeonato Brasileiro Série B side, Atlético Clube Goianiense, announced the sponsorship with Blaze, a sportsbook online provider. Blaze will feature on the club’s kits as the main sponsor.
The length of the deal is currently undisclosed.
Meanwhile, Campeonato Brasileiro Série A team Botafogo agreed a two-year deal for online sports provider Parimatch to become its main shirt sponsor.
Nick van Gorsel, director of operations at Blaze, said that the company is proud to be the new sponsor of Atlético Clube Goianiense.
“The club has a passionate and loyal fan base that will complement our growth. It is a great honour for everyone at Blaze to be part of the ACG family and we will do our part in supporting the club.”
Adson Batista, president of the club, added that the current state of Atlético Clube Goianiense helped secure the deal with Blaze. “Blaze too showed a lot of interest in our brand.
“From several clubs they choose only a few opportunities within Brazil for sponsorships and one of them is Atlético. We are a solid club, without debts, that has a very valued brand. This makes us proud and we are very happy with the new partnership.”
Meanwhile, Botafogo has called its sponsorship with Cyprus-based Parimatch a move in line with the club’s plans for expansion and international growth.
“We are pleased to be the club chosen by Parimatch, a global betting giant, to expand its business across Brazil and South America,” said John Textor, owner of Botafogo.
“Our new Parimatch partners will soon know what it’s like to be a chosen one.”
Anton Rublievskyi, CEO of Parimatch International, added that the company has found the right fit for them. “We were looking for a team that shared our values, had a rich history, loyal fans and big ambitions for the future.
“We are sure we have found the right one in Botafogo. It is a great honour for us to join this team and conquer new heights together. Let’s start the new year strong and continue to support and grow the sports industry in Brazil.”
Previously, Botafogo was sponsored by Blaze in a deal that was signed in July 2022, which lasted until the end of the year.
Back to square one for sports betting
External online sports providers are reinvesting in Brazilian football after former president Jair Bolsonaro failed to sign the most recent sports gambling law before he left office.
The law would have seen the country take control of the online sports betting market, from which it currently receives no income. There also would have been no limit on licences issued.
Brazil spent years trying to pass Federal Law No. 13,756/2018 to legalise fixed-odds sports betting, both land-based and online. The law was initially introduced six years ago and had been granted several extensions before Bolsonaro opted to not sign the new regulations into law.
When the law was expected to come into force, the Brazilian Ministry of Justice had prepared a crackdown on gambling sponsorship deals. However, the collapse of these efforts has allowed international operators to once again sign new deals.
