FanDuel eyes Brazilian gains with Grupo Globo DFS deal
US market leader inks multi-year platform supply agreement with Brazilian media conglomerate
FanDuel has agreed a multi-year deal with Grupo Globo to provide the Brazilian media conglomerate with DFS platform technology.
Under the terms of the deal, FanDuel will augment Grupo Globo’s free-to-play Cartola FC brand including the launch of a paid-for DFS platform in Brazil called Cartola Express.
The Cartola FC brand, which was first launched in 2005, has an app which has been downloaded 17 million times, features 10 million active fantasy teams and has 435,000 subscriptions.
FanDuel CEO Amy Howe welcomed the signing of the agreement, waxing lyrical about the US market leader’s new Brazilian DFS partner.
“In Cartola FC, Grupo Globo has built a pioneer in the Brazilian fantasy sports market, offering millions of players access to a first-class entertainment platform which is integrated across a vast sports media portfolio,” Howe said.
“This exciting initiative allows us to contribute to that success by adding FanDuel’s proven product capabilities and cutting-edge services.
“We’re looking forward to being a part of this initiative, offering players a new service, and the next generation of fantasy sports in Brazil,” the FanDuel CEO added.
Cartola FC and sister brand Cartola PRO form part of the wider Grupo Globo content network. Its news, sports and entertainment programs reach 99.6% of the Brazilian population and its TV channels reach more than 100 million people in Brazil every day.
Grupo Globo content includes daily Serie A programming, weekly expert commentary shows such as The LineUp, Globo’s online sports outlet GE, and social media and digital influencer networks.
At present, Brazilian sports betting is currently at something of a standstill, having previously passed through the difficult legislatory stage in 2019. A licensing process has been mooted but has not commenced, largely down to the catastrophic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the country.
Newton Filho, CEO of DFS Entretenimento, which operates Cartola Express, said: “Daily fantasy sports is a fast-growing form of entertainment in Brazil and Cartola Express has the potential to take this to the next level.
“We’re proud to count on the expertise of FanDuel, which has been a leader in this field in the United States for more than 10 years, and we’re confident that our players will enjoy the benefits of their experience,” he added.