Phyllyp Sedicias, WA.Technology: Get Ready for Brazil’s Market to Boom - iGaming Futuro

WA.Technology's Country Director for Brazil, Phyllyp Sedicias, recently spoke to iGaming Futuro about the ongoing developments in the country's iGaming scene.

With the regulated Brazilian gambling market expected to launch in the next two months, where do you think regulation will be at the end of H1 2025?

It’s certainly a very exciting time for the Brazilian market! I think it would be an understatement to suggest that this market has attracted a lot of attention from the international gambling space; Brazil has undoubtedly become the market that everyone is talking about. 

It has, however, been a long journey to get regulations passed. But now, as we approach January, I think the entire industry is on the edge of its seats to see how the market is gearing up for launch. 

More than 100 operators have already applied for licences. With each licence permitting up to three different brands, there could well be more than 300 regulated sites live in Brazil from day one. Of course, each brand will face an uphill battle to quickly gain market share and brand recognition.

Regarding the licensing process, the government has been very pragmatic with its approach. They have focused on licensing frameworks and tax contributions to provide much-needed oversight of the industry. These new regulations will help to create a level playing ground for all licensed operators and ultimately reduce the threat of the black market. In the first few months post-regulation, I think much of the focus will be centred around compliance and technology; however, I also believe that we’ll see player behaviours shaping regulation further down the line as the market settles. 

Brazil is a huge market, with 26 federative units. In your view, which states or provinces do you see becoming the most significant, and which are the most exciting to you?

Brazil is an enormous country with a population of more than 212 million. As you can imagine, the introduction of federal legislation will excite players who want to enjoy gaming in a regulated environment.  For me, there are a handful of regions which stand out, the first being São Paulo. With one of the highest populations of any city in Brazil, not to mention the city’s enormous football fanbase, I truly believe that sports betting will have a considerable uptake here. 

Then, if you look at cities such as Rio de Janeiro, where there is plenty of tourism, we may also see considerable growth in betting activity here – especially if the land-based sector undergoes the reforms proposed by the government. 

Looking at the northeast, Recife has every chance to become a major hub for gambling. This is where WA.Technology also has offices, and we’re well served to deliver for partners. As most might know, football is almost like a religion here, and there is already a strong betting culture; however, what excites me most is the growing prevalence of smartphone adoption, which brings fantastic opportunities for next-gen entertainment similar to North America and Europe. As this trend towards a more digital world continues, I think that we’ll see a surge of new players from regions that perhaps weren’t on the radar before.

As betting becomes more commonplace in Brazil, WA.Technology will support our partners in capitalising on these new growth opportunities, and I’m confident we’ll be one of the best suppliers available on the market. We offer our partners a full spectrum of iGaming solutions, covering casino, sportsbook, affiliates, and fantasy sports via our WA.Platform, WA.Sports, WA.Casino, and WA.Fantasy verticals. In short, the complete package.

Whether it’s delivering a stand-out sports betting product or introducing new casino verticals, our products are tailored to meet the specific needs of each of our operator partners and enable them to scale their business with ease and unmatched speed.

WA.Technology has been positioning itself strongly in Brazil. Why do you believe you’re going to be the go-to platform in this market, and what should partners be paying attention to when working with you?

The premise is simple: we are one of the few, if not the only, B2B providers to deliver unparalleled levels of personalisation and localisation across our entire product roster.

Our strength lies in understanding the intricacies of emerging markets, with particular expertise in Brazil and Latin America. Our team has more than two decades of experience within the iGaming space, giving us a wealth of knowledge to tap into when navigating the changing landscapes of new and emerging markets.

As we’ve already covered, WA.Technology has more than 50 people on the ground here in Recife, and they bring an unbeatable depth and breadth of local expertise. They understand what appeals to local players and how best to adapt our product suite to meet their individual requirements.

It’s also important to note that WA.Technology is not just offering another out-of-the-box platform. We’re offering solutions that are tailor-made for Brazil.

Take local payment methods, for example. Pix has become the most popular payment method, and we’ve fully integrated it into our systems. Without that integration, players would struggle to deposit or withdraw their winnings – that will only push them to bet via a competitor’s website. That level of local understanding – from payment methods to player behaviour – really sets us apart.

For operators serious about entering Brazil with the best provider out there, we’re the only B2B platform provider with the local market at the centre of everything it does. We’ve already secured partnerships with eight major local operators because they trust us to navigate the regulatory landscape and deliver a product that truly resonates with Brazilian players. 

Brazil is a sports-mad country, but when it comes to casino gaming, what verticals do you think will dominate? Are we talking about live casino, slots, or something else entirely?

Of course, it won’t be a surprise, but Brazil has always been synonymous with football, and I can’t see that changing any time soon. However, some might overlook the love for casino products here – which will be a major area to capitalise on.

Casino products have been hugely popular with bettors here, particularly live casino and slots – and we have this exact delivery in mind for January 2025. The reason for that, I believe, is that these verticals are fast-paced and offer that element of real-time interaction that perhaps other betting products cannot.  As we see more live dealer products flood the market, I expect that live games such as blackjack and roulette will begin to take off – especially if they are localised with Brazilian croupiers and notable cultural references.

There has been another vertical which is emerging as a front-runner in capturing players’ attention, and that’s crash games. They are simple, highly engaging and have skyrocketed in popularity over the last two or three years. Games such as Aviator from SPRIBE or Skyward from BetGames have captured a significant market share in other markets worldwide, and I can see this being the case in Brazil, too. 

To capture this surge, our WA.Casino solution has been specifically developed to help operators entering the market to grow instantly. It’s available as a fully integrated solution or a standalone casino platform and will be incredibly popular. We offer more than 6,000+ games from more than 50 game providers, with a tailored catalogue that I know local players will love. Everything has been adapted with Brazilian players in mind, featuring user-friendly interfaces and a range of promotional tools to create a thoroughly enjoyable gaming experience.

Looking ahead, what’s next for Brazil, and how does WA.Technology plan to adapt to future developments in the market?

We’re just beginning the journey, and I’m hugely excited! It was a long road to regulation, but the prospect of a regulated market is within touching distance, and we’re here to be the best.

As the market begins to mature, I fully expect to see further regulatory tweaks, new trends in player behaviour, and an even greater focus on localisation. At WA.Technology, we’re already thinking ahead to how we can deliver the most localised experience for operators, ensuring that every brand that works with us feels truly welcome. 

We’ve already built a strong foundation here, but we’re not resting on our laurels. Our goal is to continue adapting our solutions to meet the market’s evolving needs, whether through new payment options, better affiliate tools, or more engaging game formats.

In short, Brazil will become one of the most important gaming markets globally, and we’re committed to supporting our partners every step of the way in what might be the biggest launch we’ll see this decade.

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