Betting sponsorship in football: understand the financial impact and the risk of debt.
Sports betting companies account for R$ 1,03 billion of the commercial revenue of the 20 clubs in the Brazilian Championship's Série A in 2025. This amount is equivalent to one in every three reais raised from sponsorship by the elite of national football, which totaled R$ 3,069 billion in the period, according to a report by the consulting firm Convocados.
The data, gathered by journalist Igor Siqueira of UOL Esportes , helps explain the intensity of the sector's reaction to the signals from the Lula government regarding a possible restriction on the betting market in the country. Clubs even published a manifesto entitled "the end of Brazilian football" last week.
Commercial revenues for clubs grew by 133% between 2021 and 2025, rising from R$1,3 billion to over R$3 billion. The expansion was progressive: a 13,8% increase from 2021 to 2022 (from R$1,3 billion to R$1,5 billion) and a 29% increase the following year (from R$1,5 billion to R$1,9 billion). Betting is cited by the sector as a central pillar of this growth.
Total revenue and real impact
Considering all revenue sources for Serie A clubs in 2025, the total amount reached R$ 14,3 billion. This value includes broadcasting rights, ticket sales, player sales, prize money, and the contributions from the Club World Cup, which benefited Flamengo, Fluminense, Palmeiras, and Botafogo. In this broader context, betting accounted for 7,2% of the clubs' total revenue. Without the Club World Cup in 2026, the direct share of sports betting in revenue is expected to grow.
The figures compiled by the directors go beyond shirt sponsorship. They include the value of static advertising, such as field-side billboards, as well as indirect contributions via broadcasting rights and tournament prize money. Competitions organized by the CBF (Brazilian Football Confederation) also have their naming rights linked to betting companies: Superbet names the Supercopa, and Betano lends its name to the Brasileirão and the Copa do Brasil. The organization does not disclose the values of these operations.
Economist César Grafietti, author of the Convocados report, warns of the magnitude of the immediate risk. “The reduction in betting investments in football has been occurring since last year. At the beginning of the current season, many clubs found themselves without those sponsors who paid well above market value, and the impact was significant, especially in Série B. But now we are talking about another magnitude: direct investments exceeding R$ 100 million are in doubt for many clubs, representing losses of around 15% of revenue in the middle of the season. In other words, it strongly impacts the management of the current season. Regardless of the inflationary effect that these revenues have caused in recent years, we would have a very strong impact,” he stated.
Presence of betting in clubs
In 2025, 19 of the 20 Serie A clubs had sponsorship from betting companies. In 2026, that number fell to 13, a movement described by the sector as a "voluntary" retraction in the face of the regulatory environment. A potentially broader restriction on the activity could further increase the decline.
Despite the volume of money injected, the model did not solve the structural financial problems of Brazilian football. The Convocados report recorded that 2025 saw “unprecedented investments, totaling R$ 4,3 billion in professional squads.” The result was an increase in the total debt of the clubs to R$ 17,3 billion, with player transfers being blocked by FIFA (International Federation of Association Football).
Grafietti believes that a break with betting companies would deepen the debt problem. “The effect will be an increase in overdue debts. Whether those due in 2026 or 2027, because there will be no rapid revenue recovery, and the contracts are long-term. In fact, if we're not talking about the end of football, we'll have a significant shake-up. Even for the strongest players. Regardless of whether one likes the segment or not, whether one agrees or disagrees with the sponsorships, this type of decision requires a more careful analysis, so that the best possible decision can be made. Meanwhile, space is opening up for sectors that criticize betting companies to occupy the spaces that these companies will leave in football,” he stated.
Voices of dissent and negotiations with Brasília
Not all clubs share the same position. Last week's manifesto was published or endorsed by 16 of the 20 clubs in Série A. Athletico, Coritiba, Remo, and Bahia did not participate. From Série B, the president of Cuiabá, Cristiano Dresch, is taking a different view. “It's a segment that we haven't had within the club for a long time. It's a segment that is harmful to society, to families,” stated Dresch, who added: “Of course we feel it, right? We manage to compensate with good local sponsors here. But I think that today those who receive very disproportionate amounts [from betting] are the clubs that are already big.”
According to the director, the exit of betting could bring benefits to the sector's financial balance. “Regarding the financial deficit, it could be something that will be for the good. It will be a way to reduce costs. We are experiencing salary inflation, including in Série B, which was caused by investors who bought broadcasting rights and also by betting. I think the clubs will be able to overcome this problem. It won't be the lack of betting that will bankrupt Brazilian football,” he stated.
In the political arena, President Lula has signaled his position on the campaign trail, without yet formalizing a Provisional Measure on the subject. "The government isn't worried about losing tax revenue. We can lose tax revenue. What I can't lose is the lives of the poor gambling," Lula said last week.
Meanwhile, clubs are seeking to negotiate with the federal government an installment plan for tax debts owed to the Federal Revenue Service and Social Security. The model being discussed would be a kind of new Profut (a Brazilian program focused on debt restructuring in football clubs), with longer repayment terms and discounts on interest and charges, but without forgiving the principal amount. The total tax debt of the clubs is estimated at R$ 10 billion. Corinthians is one of the clubs involved in the negotiations. However, the election period is affecting the pace of these negotiations.
The betting sector is also making institutional moves. The National Association of Games and Lotteries (ANJL) and operators have submitted proposals to the government, with a special focus on responsible advertising, but have not received a response. Fábio Wolff, a sports marketing specialist and managing partner of Wolff Sports, states that "any restriction on the exposure of these brands needs to be analyzed also from the perspective of the financial sustainability of all those involved, the fulfillment of contracts already signed and, consequently, legal security."
