Brazil: Operators take center stage at Olinda Carnival

Olinda’s Carnival, one of Brazil’s most traditional and culturally significant street festivals, has become increasingly associated with betting sponsorship in recent editions.

The sponsorships prompted debate among residents, artists and organizers about branding visibility and urban impact.

Since festivities resumed in 2023 following a two-year pandemic hiatus, the presence of betting operators has expanded alongside the sector’s broader advertising growth in Brazil. 

In Olinda, Esportes da Sorte was selected as official sponsor in 2024 and again in 2026, extending branding across decorative elements, promotional items and event materials throughout the historic center. 

The company also sponsors Carnival in neighboring Recife.

Local residents have expressed concern over what they describe as growing visual saturation and increased waste. 

For many organizers, however, private sponsorship has become a financial necessity. Post-pandemic cost increases, including higher artist fees and infrastructure expenses, have placed additional pressure on traditional carnival groups. 

Other longstanding groups operate without private sponsorship, relying instead on self-financing models. Organizers from such groups argue that commercial partnerships are not inherently problematic but call for clearer regulation to balance brand presence with preservation of local identity.

Local artist Catarina Aragão, known as Catarina DeeJah, launched a satirical project titled “Bet, a Feia,” (“Bet, The Ugly”) a play on the global telenovela Ugly Betty to criticize the growing presence of betting brands during Carnival, especially Esportes da Sorte.

Following the release, she received an extrajudicial notice from Esportes da Sorte over alleged misuse of brand identity. 

The discussion reflects tensions between betting commercial investment and heritage preservation in one of Brazil’s most emblematic cultural events.