Brazil – it’s big, bright and beautiful. And in addition to these, it’s crazy about sports. That’s why affiliates and operators have been casting an eager eye on regulation here for so long.
Right now, we’re closer than we’ve ever been to Brazilian iGaming really opening up. And in preparation for this, it makes sense to speak to an affiliate working on its presence here – right?
That’s why Affiverse CEO Lee-Ann Johnstone sat down with Jeton Kodia, Founding Director at Oddspedia.
Oddspedia has a presence in over 200 countries worldwide, including Brazil. Primarily, it offers reliable and real-time odds from verified bookmakers.
And without further ado, let’s get started!
Affiverse: Considering the current regulatory landscape in Brazil, what have been the biggest challenges for you?
Jeton Kodia: “Of course, the main obstacle in the Brazilian Market is the long-standing ban on most forms of gambling. We’ve only begun to debate this matter during the past few years. But fortunately, we had great news with the legalisation of sports betting in 2018.
“Unfortunately, the rules have yet to be finalised by parliament. But we look forward to when the process is finally over. Once this happens, we’ll be able to compare offers from regulated sportsbooks from this country to our users.”
AI: Would you say that Oddspedia already having a presence in Brazil gives you an advantage once the market opens further?
JK: “We’ve prepared as much as possible for the eventual opening. Since the official legalisation of sports betting here, we’ve worked hard to offer Brazilian players what we believe is the best product in our field.
“One big thing we’ve done is make Oddspedia available in the country’s official language – Portuguese. We also offer 100% coverage of all sports, leagues and matches that are of interest to Brazilians.”
AI: What kind of role do you expect to play in the fully-regulated market?
JK: “For us, as a professional, the customer is always put first. We believe that by offering our users the best odds prices, we will increase their winnings. Additionally, we’ll play an important role by encouraging competition between operators. This will improve their odds and services, which ultimately is a win-win for players.
“We’ll have to work hard to convey our values to ordinary users. But this will happen. Then, the laws of the market and competition will work in their favour.
“But let’s not forget about the other side – the bookmakers. For them, we are a great platform for advertising their brand to a 100% concentrated target audience. And, as we know, advertising does work wonders.”
AI: How do you see the affiliate space in Brazil shaping up over the course of 2020 and beyond?
JK: “As several other large affiliates have done, we’ve prepared access to the Brazilian market. However, the mass market will only begin to truly develop with the arrival of legal operators. If the rules that legislators create are reasonable, then we expect a two-digit growth each year for the foreseeable future.
“We assist webmasters – not just Brazilian ones – who create their own projects in the field of affiliate marketing. They can use our resources for free – widgets.oddspedia.com. Anyone can register and create their own product based, on our sports information and odds comparisons.”
AI: And compared to the European markets you serve, how similar or different are players in Brazil? What are their favourite sports and betting types?
JK: “We’ve had great success in European markets where player personas are similar to those in Brazil.
“It’s no secret that the most popular sport here is football! Other popular sports include MMA, horse racing, tennis, basketball and volleyball. Again, a similar picture to that here in Europe, isn’t it?
“The most popular betting markets are similar to elsewhere in the New World. These are 1×2, under / over goal markets and Asian Handicap.
“We’ll continue to prepare and install unique and exciting products for all our users in preparation for the Brazilian market’s full opening – something we’re eagerly anticipating.”
