Cuiabá Esporte Club has gone nearly two years without a main sponsor on the front of its shirt while club President Cristiano Dresch says its decision to reject betting operators is one reason the space remains available.
The club’s previous agreement ended in early 2025. Dresch said that Cuiabá had previously received demands from sponsors not to sign deals with betting companies.
“I have never agreed with this segment and our sponsors demanded that we would not sign contracts with betting operators. I believe we made the right decision,” Dresch said.
Instead, Cuiabá recently used the front of its shirt to promote ethanol.
During its Série B match against Goiás, the club displayed “Movido a Etanol” (“Powered by Ethanol”), highlighting Mato Grosso’s biofuel production and the club’s efforts to build closer ties with the agribusiness sector.
Are betting sponsors and football still a natural match?
In São Paulo, the São Paulo Football Federation (FPF) and leading clubs are opposing two bills that would restrict betting advertising in football and other events. The FPF estimates the proposals could lead to at least BR1bn ($185m) in sponsorship renegotiations and contract cancellations if approved in their current form. The city’s main clubs have opposed the bills.
The debate is not limited to Brazil. The UK Government blocked unlicensed gambling companies from entering sponsorship deals with British sports teams, while Ghana’s Football Association has confirmed that no betting companies are licensed to offer odds on domestic football matches as part of efforts to combat match-fixing.
Even amid the regulatory debate, Betano has renewed its partnership with the FPF, continuing as sponsor of the Campeonato Paulista Feminino for a second consecutive season
