WA.Technology’s Country Director for Brazil – Phyllyp Azevedo: Exclusive Interview with Focus Gaming News   

Phyllyp Azevedo, Country Director for Brazil at WA.Technology, spoke exclusively with Focus Gaming News about the ‘sleeping giant’ and outlined why player acquisition will be the new battleground for operators looking to enter this highly lucrative market.

Brazil has long been dubbed ‘the sleeping giant’ of iGaming. Pinpointed as one of the most lucrative grey markets for betting and gaming, the country is soon to launch its regulated market, ushering in a new era for legalised gambling.  

While the journey to regulation might have been long, we’re here at last. With the market set to launch on 1 January 2025, we’re ready to stake our claim as one of Brazil’s most sought-after platform providers.

We are one of the few international suppliers with local teams and offices on the ground in Brazil to service our partners. We also have local knowledge of different markets across the country. Add to that the fact that we understand what our partners want and also what players enjoy. In short, we’re here to ensure that all operators partnering with us to launch in a regulated Brazil have every chance to be the best.

New Opportunities  

Of course, anticipation to enter the Brazil market is building among the global gaming community. With 114 operators applying for a licence – with each certification permitting three brands or skins – we could well see 342 operators go live from day one.  

These numbers are likely just the tip of the iceberg, with more companies predicted to enter once the market officially goes live. However, one thing is sure about the Brazilian market: operators will have their work cut out when it comes to standing out from the crowd.  

So, what’s it going to take to be the best? For a start, you need the best B2B iGaming solutions provider available – and that’s us.

With so many operators expected to flood the market, it’s unlikely that branding alone will suffice. An in-depth knowledge of the local market, player preferences and stand-out acquisition tools will put operators in good stead to gain a competitive advantage. This is where WA.Technology comes in.  

With years of experience across LatAm, we have already become the region’s go-to B2B partner for betting and gaming companies. We understand the Brazilian market and all its nuances and already have dedicated operational teams on the ground in preparation to support our partners' operations.

As Brazil edges closer to launch, we are putting that expertise to good use by bringing our dynamic portfolio of products and extensive local knowledge to operators looking to gain an edge in this highly competitive market. 

We offer our partners a full spectrum of iGaming solutions, covering casino, sportsbook, lottery, affiliates and fantasy sports via our WA.Platform, WA.Sports, WA.Casino, WA.Fantasy, and WA.Lottery verticals.

Of course, It goes without saying that Brazil is synonymous with sports, and in particular, football. Sports are ingrained into the local culture, perhaps more so than in other countries worldwide.

However, the challenge with traditional sports is that they are subject to rigid calendars with long gaps between fixtures, meaning that operators face the challenge of engaging with players during this downtime.  

But worry not. Designed specifically for players to unleash their sporting expertise and tailored towards the unique requirements of Brazil-facing operators, WA.Fantasy is a tried-and-tested acquisition tool for both sportsbooks and casinos to cross-sell fantasy games to players and boost engagement and retention.  

Featuring a range of Fantasy Sports, Pick’Em Player Props and free-to-play predictor games, WA.Fantasy allows players to create teams, leagues and private contests to add an additional element of competition and gamification to their gambling experience.  

Growing Your Network 

The other major edge that operators are going to need is the ability to market their product to players – especially with influencer marketing now off the table as well as the recent ban on X, formerly known as Twitter, across Brazil. The alternative will undoubtedly be affiliate marketing, and we have some of the best tools out there to get your brand’s name known while allowing you to tap into new audiences.

Navigating the affiliate world in a new market is not easy – and we’re here to solve that. From player preferences to regulations, local knowledge can make or break your affiliation strategy – all of which we offer better than anyone else.

Enter WA.Affiliates, an unparalleled acquisition tool created specifically for the iGaming market, which allows operators to reach new audiences and drive traffic to their website.

With affiliate tracking software, performance updates and an integrated wallet, I firmly believe that this will boost operators’ capabilities to interact with new players and enable sportsbooks and casinos to optimise their performance.

Flexibility is Key

Last but not least, we need to talk about agility. Acquisition is just one of the challenges that companies will face in this nascent market. With only three months to go, much of the regulatory environment is still to be defined. Consequently, operators will have wholly different platform and product requirements regarding both flexibility and knowledge of local regulation rather than being able to deploy off-the-shelf products. 

Given our local expertise, we will be a major solution to this problem. iGaming is an excellent example of how important this flexibility will be. I anticipate that we’ll see different verticals approved over time, so operators will need a platform partner that can instantly adapt and evolve as new elements become available. Given our extensive understanding of the market, this is an area where we’ll have an edge over other suppliers.

We understand just how quickly gambling companies need to be able to adapt and pivot their operations to keep pace with ever-changing regulations and player preferences, which is why we have placed flexibility at the front and centre of each of our products.

Both WA.Fantasy and WA.Affiliates, not to mention our full spectrum of solutions, are each tailored to the unique requirements of each operator across every market. In short, we know the market better than anyone else out there, and we’ll be here to support our partners during every step of their expansion journey into Brazil.

After all, Brazil has every chance to become the largest regulated gaming market in the world. With a population of more than 215 million, high mobile and internet penetration rates, and an inherent knowledge of gambling, the market is primed for success – and those who want to be the best need a provider who understands Brazil better than anyone else.

Read the full interview at Focus Gaming News.

WA.Technology is committed to Responsible Gaming practices. Read our Responsible Gaming Statement to learn more.

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