Sports betting loses momentum in Serie A in 2026 with a 33% drop in sponsorships.
Sports betting companies are losing their presence in Brazilian Serie A football in 2026. Twelve of the 20 clubs in the national elite started the season with a betting company as their main sponsor, compared to 18 in the previous season, according to an analysis by Marcel Rizzo published in Estadão this Saturday (July 4th).
The decline reflects an ongoing adjustment process in the sector. In 2025, betting companies invested over R$ 1 billion in Brazilian football clubs, but the combination of higher taxation and regulatory requirements began to curb new investments.
The 13% tax rate on betting revenue, coupled with the requirements for companies to become legally compliant, led several brands to reduce the number of clubs they sponsored. Smaller companies left the market, and those that remained began operating with tighter budgets.
Before the resumption of matches after the World Cup, scheduled for the end of July, the number of clubs with bet as their main sponsor may still increase. Teams like Vasco are still looking for a partner in this segment.
Rupture in Porto Alegre
Grêmio and Internacional illustrate the fragility of contracts signed with betting companies. At the end of 2025, the two clubs from Rio Grande do Sul broke with the same company that sponsored their jerseys, after payment delays. Internacional's case went to court.
Six months later, neither club has found a replacement. The offers received so far are below the amounts stipulated in the previous contract, which leaves Grêmio and Inter without a main sponsor.
The presence of betting in football goes beyond jerseys. The sector also invests in advertising boards in stadiums, naming rights for competitions, digital activations, fan membership programs, and broadcasts. For medium and small clubs, betting companies offered, for some time, amounts that companies from other sectors were not willing to pay.
Brazilian football's dependence on betting is still high, but it no longer seems as absolute as it was two or three years ago. Market consolidation and regulatory changes point to a trend of reduced investment in the coming cycles.
