Brazilian Gaming Habits Revealed in Betsson Study
Bookmaker Betsson recently researched the gaming habits of Brazilian citizens and released the information in a comprehensive study. The study revealed that gamers in the South American country prefer roulette above all other games, though poker follows as the second most preferred option. The study focused on casino games, though it may provide helpful insights for those in the gaming industry as a whole as online gaming and other types of gaming tech widen their reach across Latin America thanks to new laws and advancements.
Betsson commissioned a study of player search habits in Brazil, finding that roulette was the most-searched-for game, followed by poker.
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Betsson works with Semrush and Acumen
Betsson conducted its study using Google search history data and with the tool known as Semrush, a platform from the Semrush company based in Boston, MA, USA. The tool helps companies to analyze keyword search data and to make sense of trends based on geographical data as well as within other demographics.
The data collected with Semrush under Betsson’s guidance was subsequently analyzed by Acumen Research & Consulting, a leading firm for market intelligence consulting. According to the overall report that was created as a result of this collaboration, iGaming is a thriving sector in Brazil — but also worldwide — which will likely continue to grow and possibly bloom into a $172 billion USD industry by 2030.
The timing of the study coincides with Brazil’s overall push to legalize gaming. Though casinos are present in Brazil at the moment, the bill will allow for more casino licenses, as well as the regulation of many other types of games of chance, once it finally goes into effect.
Results of the study
The focus of the report was on casino games, though these are also relevant to the iGaming sector since online casino game platforms are a hugely popular form of gaming for many. The findings of the study were as follows:
Roulette was the number-one most popular casino game searched for by Brazilians, with 135,000 searches per month. This classic game originated in France in the 18th century and is now available in brick-and-mortar casino locations, of which Brazil has six, as well as from online casino platforms. Players can place bets on either red or black, or on specific numbers, and a dealer rolls a ball on a wheel to determine the winning number.
Poker was the second most popular game in Brazil’s search rankings, with 60,500 searches per month. Though many types of poker games exist — and players usually can opt into these various styles whether in a physical poker room or playing online — the basic game consists of attempting to combine the best hand of cards out of what is dealt by a dealer, and calling other players’ bluffs.
Blackjack came in third place with 27,100 monthly searches. Blackjack is usually referred to as “21” in Brazil, because the objective of the game is to get as close to the number 21 when adding up the value of one’s cards, without exceeding the number. In this game, the players also play against the dealer.
Baccarat was a less popular search with a total of 4,400 hits per month. However, it is still the fourth most searched for game in Brazil. Baccarat is known for its rapid playing time, but its mechanics are similar to Blackjack.
A fifth game was also revealed in the search rankings, but it will not be as well-known to most: Aviator. Aviator is a newer game, with 2,900 searches per month. It has been around since late 2019 and consists of betting against a fictitious plane, which may or may not crash at any moment. Despite its screen mechanics, it is still considered a casino game at heart since it is not a slots or lottery game, and would be found on the casino floor. Players place their bets and must leave them as long as possible before the “plane” crashes to reap the highest return.
Analysis of Betsson’s research
Alongside the study, Betsson representatives offered some comments about what can be gleaned from this research. Marketing Manager Bruna Caldas explained that the biggest finding is: Brazil’s players still prefer the most traditional games available in physical casinos, when looking for gaming online.
Interestingly, Caldas asserts that players in Brazil prefer more traditional table games in their online version to online slots, whereas physical slot machines remain as popular as ever. Online slots just have not made the same impact in Brazil as they have elsewhere in the world.
The data was also able to show more specific insights. While the averaged results are listed above, a closer look indicates that poker was a more popular search in the early months of 2022. Roulette spiked in its searches later in the year and finally reached a high in April.
