Brazil has a long and illustrious connection to football. They have produced some of the best talents the world has ever seen. They have won the World Cup 5 times which is a record-breaking number. The influence that Brazil has had on the history of football is well regarded. However, you may be surprised to learn about Brazil’s influential role in the development of football betting. In this article, we discuss and provide an exclusive look at the role of the historical connection that Brazil has had with football betting.
The current state of football betting is far different from how it originally began. Today, there football betting is a global phenomenon. Many football clubs have betting partners and are directly sponsored by betting companies. These companies can be seen in football advertisements and in the stands. Some stadiums have even had naming rights bought by betting companies. It is fair to see that football betting has become an inescapable aspect of the sport. It is largely legal (for those above a certain age), and it is incredibly accessible. There are many betting shops that offer football betting, and there has been a huge expansion in online football betting within the last decade. Technology has played a vital role in the opening up various markets of football betting. It is easy in today’s age to place a bet and the entire industry is incredibly regulated.
However, things weren’t always like this. Some forms of football betting are as old as the game itself. Before 1960, all types of betting were strictly illegal in the UK. However, this didn’t stop people from placing bets. It was originally seen as a working-class hobby and betting shops run illegally. The act of gambling was seen as a ‘seedy’ activity that only poorer people engaged in. The UK has since welcome sports betting and has some of the loosest laws for this activity. This is in contrast to Brazil where many types of betting are still strictly illegal. This wasn’t always the case; however; before 1941 all betting was perfectly legal in Brazil. The Criminal Contrevation Act made practically all forms of betting illegal. This included casino betting, sports betting and virtually all luck based games. This hasn’t deterred bettors, unlicensed vendors stepped up to cover this space, and the illegal gambling industry is estimated to be worth at least R$20 billion. This is one of the reasons why there has been immense pressure to legalize these forms of betting.
Soccer betting has always been a pinnacle of Brazilian tradition, and this largely boils down to how the sport has been intrinsically linked with the country. The first football match in Brazil was played in 1894. It quickly becomes famous with the population and has been an integral aspect of Brazilian culture. The term, “o País do Futebol” is a popular saying in Brazil that means “the country of football.” Over 10,000 professional footballers play the sport around the world. It is also frequently played on the street by youngsters. The sport has given birth to many “rags to riches” stories which have shown the immense power of football as a means of escaping poverty. Gambling in Brazil also has a colorful history. A lottery style game known as Jogo de Bicho has been popular for 120 years. Brazilians passion for football saw the creation of unlicensed shops where they could place bets on the results of football matches. Betting has always been a popular pastime even if done amongst friends. Brazilians regularly place wagers on some of the biggest games in Europe and in the Premier League. This is partly due to how many Brazilian stars regularly feature in these top leagues on a weekly basis. The prestigious, Samba Gold Trophy usually features some of the top star names of these leagues. Brazil is heavily connected to the history of football betting since it was one of the first countries to develop a real culture of football betting.
Conclusion
Brazil has had a mixed relationship with betting in general. However, their football fever has meant they were able to have a key connection with the history of football betting. This type of betting has now fast evolved, and so have the attitudes surrounding it. It does seem like this activity will be fully legalized within the next two years so that legal ways of gambling can begin to prosper in Brazil. The growth of online betting has allowed Brazilians to bet on their favorite games. In many ways, Brazil will always be the spiritual home of football, and it will always share an important connection to the history of football betting.
