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The companies of sports betting invested a total of R$1.44 billion in the promotion of their offers on open TV, pay TV, and radio in Brazil in 2025. The information is from the “Bets Investments 2025 – Strategic Analysis of the Sports Betting Sector” study published by media intelligence company Tunad yesterday (8th).
Open TV attracted around 85% of the total investment through the survey, and the result proved its dominance as the key medium of communication for the gambling industry. Data analysis indicates that the role of open TV has established the basis for the structure of reach and brands for the industry.
Market Leaders Dominate Advertising Spend
The three firms that spent the most on advertising in 2025 included BetMGM, Betano, and Betnacional. These companies accounted for a combined 62% of the overall spend on television and radio advertisements in 2025. Notably, the firms operate in the same market and use different approaches in terms of time and budget.
BetMGM topped the list for the year, with a substantial escalation in their investment levels from April onwards, largely leading the advert spend in the second half of the year. Betano, the second brand, largely focused its investment levels in June, peaking in their highest overall single-month investment in the entire industry. Betnacional, the third brand, took a much more stable approach, retaining a constant level throughout the year.
Advertising Peaks Follow the Sports Calendar
The document points out a direct relationship between advertisement numbers and sports events, especially football events. The lowest level of investment happened in January, amounting to R$66.7 million. The highest investment occurred in June, reaching R$164.5 million, which is a growth of 146.7% between the two levels.
This sharp variation coincides with decisive stages of national and international championships, reinforcing the importance of live sports as a driver of advertising strategy in the betting sector.
Media Mix Reveals Strategic Adjustments
However, aside from the volume, the analysis took into account the media mix and how it changed throughout the year. Open TV not only took away the largest share of spending but also influenced the overall spending trend of the industry as a whole. The pay TV sector was a lot more volatile, peaking in December, a time when there are championship finals as well as end-of-year campaigns. This resulted in pay TV being a tactical media option.
Radio, on the other hand, was relatively more relevant in the first half of the year but experienced a substantial decline of about 70% in the second semester.
It can be deduced from the information above that the entire marketing industry, including the seven aspects covered, declined, but to varying extents.
Competitive Pressure Beyond the Top Three
In addition to the top advertising spenders, other companies like Superbet and BandBet have been competing fiercely for the mid-ranking positions. The differences in their cumulated annual ad spend are insignificant, including in the second and third quarters of 2025.
The above analysis should be noted in the context of not including the extent of investment by new electronic media like cyberspace. The total expenditure considered in this analysis also included new electronic media platforms like CazéTV.
Industry Perspective and Outlook
Ricardo Monteiro, CSO and COO of Tunad, explained that the observed pattern aligns with expectations: “Strong and consistent investment in traditional media, with low seasonality, following sports championships, especially football, as a way to sustain brand recall and competitiveness throughout the year.”
Looking ahead, Monteiro recommends maintaining a strong presence on open TV while reconsidering radio’s potential: “Revisiting the use of radio, which currently has low clutter, could become a high-ROI opportunity for those who move first.”
A More Structured Advertising Landscape
In conclusion, the predictability of the annual investment curve, the preeminent position of open television, and the reshaping of the media mix indicate that there is a highly structured model of planning in the sports betting market in Brazil that focuses on optimization and efficiency. It appears that the industry has moved away from the reactive model of campaigning and is now concentrating on consolidating and dominating the core regions of the principal media channels.
Source: BNL Data
