Betsul, one of the most important sports betting and online gaming houses in Brazil, is ready for the new regulated market, which starts in just 3 weeks. A pioneer in the country, the company points out that its experience and excellent customer service will be the differentiators that will make it stand out among competitors. In an interview with UOL Apostas, operations director Andréia Oliveira talks about Betsul's new phase.
The sports betting market in Brazil is on the verge of a historic transformation. With the definitive regulation coming into force on January 1, 2025, only licensed companies will be able to operate in the country, marking a turning point in a sector that moved more than R$ 12 billion in 2022, according to estimates from the Ministry of Finance.
The process of regulating betting in Brazil has already shaken the market, causing some sports betting and online casino operators to end their operations in the country. On the other hand, other companies have gained even more prominence, such as Betsul.
In an exclusive interview with UOL Apostas, Andréia Oliveira, Betsul's operations director, talked about the regulation process and the internal procedures that led Betsul to be the betting operator with the best index on Reclame AQUI, the first to obtain the RA1000 index.
“We started this fight and the search for regulation in 2019. We are really living insane moments, and for the operator who really takes sports betting seriously, it is a time of great anxiety and total commitment”, highlights Andréia.
The importance of regulation for the betting market
The regulation of the betting market in Brazil is a milestone expected since 2018, when then-President Michel Temer sanctioned Law 13.756. This legislation established the bases for the operation of sports betting in the country, but the detailed and mandatory regulation was only defined in 2024, when companies interested in obtaining a license were able to make requests to the Secretariat of Prizes and Bets of the Ministry of Finance.
With the new regulatory framework, companies will have to meet a series of requirements, such as ensuring responsible gaming practices, preventing fraud and money laundering, and adopting rigorous identity verification systems.
For Andréia, regulation not only legitimizes the sector but also separates serious operators from amateurs.
“[The legislation] will separate those who are joking around and those who really want to do business correctly”, she states.
“From the first signature of former President Temer in 2018 until our inauguration, we have been working very seriously, very committed to regulation. When the first ordinances started to rise, we would hold committee meetings in the office to read point by point, to understand what we already had and what not, how we were going to work to fit in, to comply with all the regulations”, explains the executive.
Betsul prepared for regulation from the start of operations
Since the launch of Betsul, during the Copa América in 2019, the company sought to structure its processes to meet the requirements of a regulation that was still under construction. Andréia explains that this forward-looking vision allowed Betsul to stand out in the market.
“Since 2019, we have been seeking regulated partners who would be ready for regulation, who met all the requirements, partners who really delivered reliability in data analysis. We set up all of Betsul's processes from customer service, payment methods, ombudsman, responsible gaming”, she recounts.
This effort brought concrete results, such as achieving the RA1000 seal from Reclame AQUI, a milestone in the sector. “We are the first bet to have the Reclame AQUI seal. We spent three years meeting all the indicators for the RA1000 seal. And we only managed after three years because, until then, everyone looked at a bet with some suspicion”, explains Andréia.
This commitment to seriousness is also reflected in the adoption of advanced technologies to protect customers. Since its foundation, Betsul uses identity verification tools (KYC) that prevent registrations of minors, null or irregular CPFs.
“When the customer enters the CPF, it already goes through a verification to actually know if they are not a minor, if it is not a null CPF. We have been doing this since 2019”, states Andréia.
Recently, the company added features such as facial recognition, further enhancing security.
"Betting is entertainment, not investment", states Andréia
In addition to technology and compliance, Betsul is concerned with educating customers about the purpose of betting. Andréia emphasizes that one of the major challenges of the sector is to educate the public to see betting as a form of entertainment and not as a financial solution.
“Betting is fun. You have free time, you want to play, you want to have fun, why not make a bet? If you have money that is not committed to your personal issues, you set aside a little to have fun”, she explains.
To reinforce this message, Betsul implements various responsible gaming initiatives. The platform also allows users to set spending limits and practice self-exclusion, if they notice signs of addiction.
“If addiction is identified at any point, we invite the customer to withdraw. If he deposits, we return the money, we block the customer so that he no longer has transactions. This has been done since always. At Betsul we have been doing this since 2019”, highlights Andréia.
Changes in advertising rules and the impact on the market
With the regulation of the betting market in Brazil, new rules for advertising and propaganda were introduced, profoundly changing the way companies relate to their potential customers. Among the most significant changes is the prohibition of offering welcome bonuses, a strategy widely used by betting houses to attract new users.
For Andréia Oliveira, this change represents a challenge, but also an opportunity to innovate and highlight the company's differentiators.
“What are we going to do now to capture this customer so that they come to know Betsul? We talked with our marketing team, and our direction was to enhance the virtues of Betsul, so that the customer comes for the benefits. That they come for the super odds, that they come for the quick withdrawal, that they come for the humanized service, awarded by Reclame AQUI”, she highlighted.
Customer service as the main means of promotion
A pillar of distinction at Betsul is customer service, which Andréia considers essential for retention and loyalty. The company handles more than 60,000 requests per month through humanized support.
“Today we have more than 60,000 services per month. We have a large base of customers, friends. There are people who come here in the middle of the night to talk to the assistant, because they have already created that bond with the service”, she states.
According to Andréia, the company's service also occasionally plays the role of marketing. Currently, Betsul does not sponsor football clubs or reality shows, something common among competitors. On the other hand, the brand focuses on personal relationships in partnership with influencers and the popular “word of mouth”.
“A well-treated betting customer, a well-served betting customer, a well-advised betting customer in all matters, is a customer who speaks very well and brings customers. We count a lot on this”, she said. “Whoever enters Betsul rarely leaves, our retention work is very positive”, completes Andréia.
Source: UOL Apostas
