Betway partners with Brazilian esports team Furia

The deal will include marketing opportunities on the operator’s BetwayTV streaming platform, as well as “international cross collaborations” between Betway and Furia. “We are proud and excited to be announcing our partnership with Furia,” Betway esports director Adam Savinson said. “Continuing our growth in the Brazilian esports market, we’re committed to providing the dedicated fans the best content and partnerships possible.”

Furia is best known for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, competing in the ESL Pro League. André Akkari, Co-chief executive of Furia, said Betway’s promotion of responsible gambling was one area that made the deal seem especially appealing. “We are very proud to announce Betway as our new partner,” Akkari said. “They are a global leader in esports betting who promote safe and responsible gambling. “It’s a very exciting time for both brands and we’re looking forward to working with them on some creative content campaigns for our loyal fan bases.” The deal comes as Brazil continues to take steps to regulate sports betting. Last week, the State Lottery of Rio de Janeiro (LOTERJ) opened the bidding process for operators interested in providing the creation, distribution and sale of lottery and fixed-odds sports betting products in the state. In August last year, Brazil’s president Jair Bolsonaro signed a decree formally adding sports betting to the country’s Investment Partnership Programme portfolio and appointed managers for the country’s sportsbook licensing process.

Betway, meanwhile, intends to go public this year after agreeing to merge with special purpose acquisition business Sports Entertainment Acquisition Corp. (SEAC) in a $4.75bn deal.