During BiS SiGMA South America 2026 in Sao Paulo, held at the Transamerica Expo Center, the spotlight turned to the Paulista Stage for the panel Esports: Between Fan Passion and Market Interests. As esports continues its rapid rise across Brazil, the session explored how key stakeholders can strike the right balance between commercial success and authentic community engagement.
The panel brought together Maurício Lima, Brazil Market Lead at Oddin.gg, Rafael Rebelo, Director of Integrity and Compliance at H2 Bet, Stefano Bertagnoni, COO of LOUD Esports and Marcio Zuba, Director of Esports at Brazil’s Ministry of Sports. Each speaker offered a unique perspective from across the ecosystem, spanning operations, compliance and team management.
Discussions focused on how organisations, operators, and public authorities can work together to ensure sustainable growth within Brazil’s esports landscape. Topics included maintaining competitive integrity, fostering deeper fan connections, and navigating the commercial pressures shaping the industry, all while preserving the passion that drives esports communities.
A new kind of fan ecosystem
At the heart of esports’ growth in Brazil is a fundamentally different type of audience. Stefano Bertagnoni highlighted how today’s fans are not passive spectators but active participants in a digital-first ecosystem. “It’s not a community that watches passively… quite the opposite,” he explained.
According to Bertagnoni, esports audiences,largely made up of Gen Z and younger, are “digital natives” who are already comfortable with microtransactions, in-game economies and multi-platform engagement. This creates a deeper, more immersive relationship with content, where fans consume competitions as well as lifestyle elements such as fashion, music and influencer culture.
This behaviour also extends to betting as a complementary experience. Rather than replacing gameplay, it acts as what Bertagnoni described as a “second screen”, an added layer of entertainment alongside streaming, social media and live matches. “It’s something that will give you more fun… but it’s complementary,” he said.
Integrity and responsibility
As esports expands, so too does the need for robust integrity and compliance frameworks. Rafael Rebelo stressed that while the audience may skew younger, operators are bound by strict regulations designed to protect users and maintain trust.
“We have mechanisms and more mechanisms to distance ourselves from minors,” he explained, noting that regulatory requirements ensure underage users are not targeted or converted into customers.
Integrity within competitions is another critical pillar. While esports offers advantages through its digital nature, where gameplay can be fully tracked and audited, it is not immune to risks. Rebelo pointed out that certain betting markets remain vulnerable, particularly in smaller or less regulated tournaments.
However, the same technology that creates risk also enables solutions. “We are talking about an environment where everything is auditable,” he said, highlighting tools such as player monitoring, data tracking and even biometric analysis to detect suspicious behaviour.
Building structure for long-term growth
From a public sector perspective, the challenge is building the foundations for a sustainable industry. Marcio Zuba outlined how Brazil’s Ministry of Sports is taking a proactive approach by mapping the esports ecosystem and promoting education at all levels.
“The first step… is to bring knowledge,” he said, emphasising the importance of educating both policymakers and the wider public on how esports operates. This includes outreach to local governments, many of which still lack dedicated esports strategies.
Zuba also pointed to accessibility as a major barrier. Unlike traditional sports, esports requires infrastructure, hardware, connectivity and training environments that are not universally available. To address this, the Ministry is exploring the development of training centres aimed at fostering talent and promoting inclusion, particularly among underserved communities.
Moving to sustainability
While esports in Brazil continues to grow rapidly, panellists agreed that long-term success will depend on moving beyond hype to build a sustainable ecosystem.
Bertagnoni compared the industry’s trajectory to traditional sports, noting that while esports will scale faster, it still requires time to mature. “It is still a journey of construction,” he said, pointing to the need for consistent investment, brand engagement and responsible content strategies.
For operators, Rebelo emphasised the importance of finding the “middle point” between innovation and responsibility, creating engaging experiences while maintaining ethical standards and user protection.
Ultimately, collaboration emerged as the defining factor. Whether through partnerships between government and private organisations or alignment between brands and communities, the future of esports in Brazil will be shaped by how effectively these stakeholders work together.
Finding the balance
As esports continues to gain momentum in Brazil, the challenge lies in maintaining the delicate balance between fan-driven culture and market expansion. The insights shared in this panel highlight the need for collaboration, transparency, and forward-thinking strategies to ensure the ecosystem remains both profitable and sustainable.
Stay tuned for more exclusive insights, expert commentary and key highlights from BiS SiGMA South America 2026 as we continue to cover the event.
