The sports betting market is reducing sponsorships in Brazilian football as it consolidates.

Five clubs in the Brazilian Série A championship started the year without sponsorship from sports betting companies. Coritiba, Grêmio, Inter, Santos, and Vasco began 2026 without displaying betting brands on their uniforms, unlike the scenario in 2025, when all first division teams maintained partnerships with the sector. Bahia is also expected to follow the same path in the coming days.

This change reflects a reorganization of the betting market in Brazil, which currently has 82 companies authorized by the federal government to operate legally, totaling 183 different brands. As reported by Rodrigo Capelo in his weekly column in Estadão , in addition to these, three other companies, with nine brands, operate by court order.

The reduction in the number of sponsorships does not indicate a bursting economic bubble or widespread bankruptcies in the sector, but rather a natural consolidation process. Experts had already predicted that the Brazilian market would not be able to support all existing operations, leading to the survival of only the largest companies.

The transformation intensified at the beginning of this year, when several contracts came to an end and betting companies reassessed their strategies. Industry intermediaries observe greater caution from companies in renewing agreements that previously would have been signed easily.

Each club had specific circumstances for the termination of sponsorships. Coritiba lost Reals Bet because the company decided to focus its efforts on the digital environment. In the case of Santos, the relationship with 7K was already strained after the Santos president, Marcelo Teixeira, gave an interview with a competitor's logo in the background.

Santos' situation became even more complicated when 7K became the target of the Ministry of Finance for alleged tied selling practices in a derby match, putting the club in an uncomfortable position. The same company, however, maintained its sponsorship with Vitória.

Grêmio and Internacional, in turn, were left without a sponsor after Alfa.bet left, as the company faced financial difficulties when a partner failed to contribute the promised capital. This case resulted in payment delays and contract termination, being the only example that fits a scenario of default.

Despite the reduction in the number of sponsorships, the values ​​of the contracts that remain active are significant. Flamengo, which had an agreement worth R$ 117,5 million per year, increased this amount to R$ 268,5 million when switching to Betano.

Corinthians recently announced the extension of its sponsorship with Esportes da Sorte, increasing the value from R$ 100 million to R$ 150 million annually. Palmeiras and São Paulo maintain contracts with Sportingbet and Superbet, respectively, both in the range of R$ 100 million per year.

Cruzeiro switched from Betfair to Betnacional, but the change is only a brand change, as both belong to the same group, Flutter. This company chose to prioritize Betnacional in the Brazilian market.

Vasco could also have faced a similar situation, but its board tried to increase the contract value from the current R$ 45 million to R$ 70 million, a proposal that Flutter did not accept, resulting in the end of the partnership.

The 2026 World Cup also affects this scenario. Companies like Bet365, KTO, and Esportes da Sorte are directing resources to sponsor broadcasts of the tournament on Globo, CazéTV, N Sports, and SBT, which reduces the budget available to clubs.

Marcelo Damato, who recently left the Secretariat of Prizes and Betting at the Ministry of Finance after two and a half years in the position, presents a positive view of the sector's future: "The market will consolidate, but it will not shrink over a long period. Brazilians are discovering betting."

Bernardo Cavalcanti Freire, partner at the Betlaw law firm and legal consultant for the National Association of Games and Lotteries (ANJL), shares a similar perspective: “It’s not a bubble. It’s a reorganization. The amounts that some companies were paying, they couldn’t afford. Sponsorship from betting companies will remain strong, but it will be more targeted.”