H2 Sports Bar & Poker has opened a new venue in the Savassi district of Belo Horizonte following an investment of BR5m, marking the first franchised unit in the brand’s national expansion strategy.
The venue has more than 1,200 square meters of built area and is designed to host poker tournaments, concerts and corporate or social events. In its standard configuration, the space accommodates 22 poker tables alongside a bar and dining offering.
According to João Marcelo Dornellas, partner and VP of Retail at Grupo H2, Belo Horizonte was selected due to its strong community and established nightlife scene.
The company spent around seven months searching for a suitable location in the Savassi neighborhood.
The new operation is expected to generate approximately 90 direct jobs and will serve as a test market for the company’s franchise model.
Dornellas said the company intends to refine the concept through the Belo Horizonte operation before expanding into other major capitals and eventually secondary cities.
Grupo H2 operates several gaming-related businesses, including poker clubs and digital platforms offering land-based table games of chance, as well as the sports betting platform H2Bet.
“We were very careful in structuring the franchise. It took two years of studies, but only when we open our doors will we know if it really worked and we will make the necessary adjustments. Belo Horizonte is the ideal city for this,” assesses Dornellas.
Grupo H2 plans to expand the H2 Sports Bar & Poker concept to around 40 units across Brazil, with formats adapted to local demographic and economic characteristics.
“We also work with sports betting and want to operate casinos when that is legalized. We are very careful about responsible gambling,” adds Dornellas.
The Savassi venue is the first franchised unit of the brand, which already operates its own locations in São Paulo, Campinas and Curitiba
