Rise of esports in Brazil
With a population of over 212 million, Brazil is Latin America’s most populous country and one of the world’s youngest, with 69 percent of the population being under the age of 30. The Brazilian esports market ranks in the top five globally by the number of players and is one of the fastest-growing games markets in Latin America.
Esports classification as traditional sport
Recently, a controversy made headlines in Brazil about esports being classified as a sport. Ana Moser, Brazil’s Minister of Sport, stated that esports should not be seen as a sport but a form of entertainment She added that she was unlikely to invest in the esports market. This was met with disappointment by esports stakeholders who are asking to be given an opportunity to discuss and debate the issue and define whether esports can be classified as a traditional sport.
The Brazilian Sports Law under Bill PLS 68/2017 covers the national sports system in Brazil. It states that a sport is “any form of predominantly physical activity that, in an informal or organized way, has as its objective recreational activities, health promotion or high sporting performance”. The clause refers to ‘reactional activity’ which is what defines esports.
Policy makers and stakeholders have been debating the issue further. In particular, they argue, individuals can certainly participate in esports simply by means of a laptop or smartphone, but an esports athlete needs similar training and preparation followed by any other athlete. This includes exercise and training, a healthy nutrition regime, and preparation for being mentally and physically fit to compete.
Esports also generates jobs and income for players and develops their technology skills. In Brazil, investment by the government and stakeholders in the right ecosystem and incentives will mean that esports can transition to be part of the mainstream culture.
Brazilian esports revenues ranked no 10 globally
From the addressable population in Brazil, 80 percent are game enthusiasts; half watch video games content and a quarter watch or participate in esports. Brazilian esports revenues place the country at number 10 in the world.
Enthusiasts in Brazilian esports are estimated to spend over 20 hours a week playing. A third of them spend money on virtual currency and 35 percent would most likely buy merchandising at some point especially during competition. Females make up 60 percent of the audience and almost 50 percent of them say that they downloaded a game because it was recommended by an influencer.
Founded in 2017 as a business venture by entrepreneurs Jamia Pádua, Andre Akkari and Cris Guedes, Brazilian esports organisation Furia is today named as the fourth largest esports company in the world. It competes in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Rocket League, League of Legends, Valorant, Rainbow Six: Siege, Apex Legends and Super Smash Bros. The team made its first appearance two years ago at IEM Katowice and although the team did not win, it went on to play against Made in Brazil. Furia was the highest seeded team in a number of competitions in 2021, 2022 and 2023.
The company then laid down some European roots. It established its Malta-based headquarters earlier this year in an initiative to give more consistency and stability to racing rosters by having a fixed location in Europe. The space exceeds 1000 square meters and provides a location for Furia teams to compete in Europe.
The proliferation of smartphones also ensures that mobile games far exceed PC and console variants. Still, PC esports titles are more profitable. Revenue in the esports market is projected to reach US $16.03 million in 2023 and maintain a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.75 percent up to year 2027. At US $7.5 million, the market’s largest segment is Media Rights.
One can say that the esports market in Brazil is experiencing exponential growth, with an expected annual growth rate (CAGR 2024-2028) of 7.05 percent. This growth is anticipated to result in a market volume of US$136.6 million by 2028. Despite the controversy surrounding the classification of esports as a traditional sport, the industry continues to thrive, providing jobs, income, and a platform for technological skill development. With the right investments and incentives, esports in Brazil has the potential to become part of the mainstream culture, further boosting its growth and influence in the global esports scene.
