In this interview with SBC News, Thamillin Valery Klen, CEO of Maior Apostas Brasil and Maior Apostas Portugal, shares her insights into the rapidly evolving Brazilian sports betting market and her journey as an affiliate.
As she prepares to attend the highly anticipated SBC Summit Rio, Klen reflects on the major shifts the industry has experienced since the inception of Maior Apostas and the vital role regulation is set to play in 2025.
Throughout the interview, she delves into a range of topics, from the challenges of navigating Brazil’s unique betting culture to the influx of new platforms—some legitimate, others predatory—that have flooded the market.
She also discusses how Maior Apostas upholds high standards in responsible gaming, the significance of branding and community-building, and how her team leverages artificial intelligence to stay ahead in the affiliate space.
SBC: Since Maior Apostas Brasil started operating, the Brazilian sports betting market has undergone massive shifts. What do you see as the most significant changes brought about by this regulation, and what are the key lessons you’ve learned over the past year?
Thamillin Valery Klen: The market research for the launch of the Maior Apostas Brasil website platform began in January 2022. We conducted extensive research to understand the country’s legal landscape and gain insights into how Brazilian bettors perceived sports betting.
At that time, although there were already major betting guide websites, there was little media or social media coverage of the topic. Sports betting was just beginning to enter the minds of Brazilians after the pandemic, and many people had never heard of online betting.
The most significant changes occurred when casino games, like PG Soft’s Fortune Tiger slot, became a craze and went viral. Brazilians, especially the younger generation, are fond of giving nicknames to games, referring to it as “the Tiger’s Game.” Today, we see betting prominently displayed on social media, in major football championships, on popular TV programs, in commercials, and through influencer marketing, with top digital influencers promoting a variety of betting brands, casinos, and specific games.
Following this boom, which now moves billions of reais, the Brazilian government recognised the potential of online betting and initiated the process of regulation, which has been ongoing for a few years.
We are still in the process and full regulation is expected in January 2025. This regulation will bring about significant changes, effectively “separating the men from the boys,” as only serious platforms will remain in the market.
Without a doubt, we need to educate and raise awareness among Brazilian gamblers so that they learn to play responsibly, understand the fundamentals of betting to avoid frustration and continue placing their bets in the long term. Brazil has a lot of potential (as we all know), but we need to teach this culture more about online betting.
SBC: The influx of new operators into the Brazilian betting market over the past 12 months has been incredible. With so many new entrants, how does Maior Apostas Brasil maintain its high standards in terms of content and quality? What key factors influence your decision when selecting which brands to feature on your platform?
TK: In fact, not only in the last 12 months but in the past 24 months, there has been an explosion of irregular and scam “new platforms” in Brazil. Unfortunately, they have deceived and frustrated many Brazilian players. This is why regulation is so important.
At Maior Bets, we have rigorous levels of analysis to select a betting platform as a partner and drive traffic to it. We are not just focused on revshare and CPA; we are committed to maintaining credibility with our audience and bringing platforms that offer great gameplay to our bettors. This includes a great user experience, excellent customer support, effective betting tools, convenient payment methods, and bonuses and promotions that genuinely benefit the bookmaker’s customers.
Today, we also place a lot of emphasis on ease of navigation for Brazilian users, as many are unfamiliar with how to use a betting platform. We have many players who are older, retired, or not very familiar with the internet, including a significant number of illiterate individuals in Brazil.
Of course, the issue of gamification is also important, as it has been key to keeping players engaged on the platform.
SBC: Maior Apostas Brasil operates in both Portugal and Brazil—two markets with very different regulatory frameworks. How do you approach operating in these distinct markets, and what are the unique challenges and opportunities in each?
TK: The European or Portuguese market is much easier to work with because gamblers already understand how betting works; it is already a cultural norm in Europe, both in online and physical casinos.
European gamblers know how to play, are aware that they need to deposit, and understand the risks of both winning and losing, making it easier to engage with them. They are already a culturally warmer and more engaged audience.
In contrast, many Brazilians are still hesitant to register on a betting platform. Today, the Brazilian public is a colder, low-ticket audience because they are still afraid of betting and depositing large amounts. While most Brazilians have heard of betting, many are still prejudiced against it. Remember; betting has been prohibited in Brazil for almost 100 years.
Culturally speaking, there is a strong stigma around betting, with many believing it to be inherently bad. This mentality is difficult to work with, and the biggest challenge with Brazilian gamblers is raising awareness and educating them. However, the education process should not feel like formal studying.
As a Brazilian, I understand the culture of my country. I know how Brazilians think, and they generally do not enjoy learning in a traditional sense. So, we need to “teach” in a fun and entertaining way.
Brazilians like the idea of easy money, and they often believe they will win. When they don’t, they may blame the platform, feeling deceived and frustrated, which can lead them to stop playing altogether.
SBC: It seems the entire industry is looking at Brazil as the next leading global market. How is Maior Apostas Brasil positioning itself to stand out from the competition? What strategies are you using to cement your status as a leading affiliate in this rapidly expanding space?
TK: We are investing in branding and brand personification to become the largest betting guide in Brazil (and eventually expand to Portugal and all Portuguese-speaking countries), creating a comprehensive branding ecosystem. Our focus is on delivering high-quality content and fostering a community of real players, not just treating them as numbers. We are also developing our own CRM for leads and registrations, offering exclusive content within our platform.
SBC: Maior Apostas Brasil is a strong advocate for responsible gambling. In a fast-growing and highly competitive market, how do you balance the need for aggressive marketing strategies with the responsibility to promote ethical gambling practices, especially as a relatively new company?
TK: Most affiliates don’t pay attention to this, but responsible gaming is the foundation of everything. Others are only interested in commissions and don’t care about the players. These are exactly the affiliates that don’t last more than a year in the market.
We can even use aggressive marketing to attract attention, but immediately afterwards, we ensure a focus on responsible gambling awareness. I prefer that Maior Apostas customers are fully aware of what they are doing and continue playing for years, or even for the rest of their lives, following our recommendations, rather than misleading someone with exaggerated promises or deceptive ads through aggressive marketing. This would only lead to them depositing once, twice, or three times, feeling frustrated, and never wanting to place bets again.
We always strive to work together with our partners so that everyone wins in the long run. We constantly consider the brand’s equity.
SBC: Across the industry, we see more companies adopting emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence to enhance their offerings. Is Maior Apostas Brasil utilising such technologies, and in what ways do you see innovations like AI shaping the future of affiliate marketing?
TK: The Maior Apostas team uses artificial intelligence in several ways to assist, facilitate, and speed up our work processes. We always encourage our employees to use artificial intelligence, especially for research purposes with ChatGPT. However, we are not dependent on it; it serves merely as a tool to assist us.
We never copy content directly from AI—our content is always created in an original way. Additionally, we make extensive use of artificial intelligence for website SEO.
SBC: Given your background in advertising and marketing, and as one of the few affiliate CEOs who have grown up immersed in the digital era, how has this unique combination of expertise and experience helped you innovate and shape your approach to affiliate marketing?
TK: I have an advertising, marketing, and publicity company called TP Marketing Brasil. TP Marketing Brasil manages the Maior Apostas brand, of which I am also the founder.
When I was 16, I took an information technology course where I learned about website development, web design, web mastering, project management, human resources, accounting, business administration, and many other skills. From the ages of 17 to 21, I attended university to study advertising and social communication.
This knowledge helped me create numerous brands for other people and clients, and it played a significant role in developing Maior Apostas. I believe the key factor that makes Maior Apostas stand out is our commitment to being a serious and renowned brand in the market.
SBC: You are set to attend SBC Summit Rio in February 2025; what are your main expectations and goals for attending this event in Brazil?
TK: I’m very anxious and excited to participate in the SBC Summit Rio conference. Who knows, maybe I can even be a speaker at this conference to share my experiences! I’m always happy to help other affiliates or provide insights to others in the market, just as many people have helped me at the SBC conferences.
This will be my first time at the SBC Summit Rio, and I believe it will be an incredible event, where I’ll also meet many colleagues and fellow Brazilian affiliates. It’s going to be wonderful—I can’t wait!