When it comes to sports, most people around the world know that Latin America has outstanding football players like Pelé, Messi, and Maradona. The region is also famous for its loyal fans and the best sports atmosphere in the world, but what does this mean for esports, a relatively new and completely digital series of competitions?
Unlike its North American neighbors such as the USA and Canada, the esports scene in Latin America is more akin to football than gaming, with equally enthusiastic fans and a great event atmosphere, such as the IEM Rio de Janeiro Majors for Counter-Strike.
Additionally, the region boasts some of the world's top players, such as former CS Major champions Gabriel FalleN Toledo and Marcelo coldzera David (named the world's best players in 2016 and 2017) — this has similarities to traditional sports. Another contrast with other regions of the world (perhaps except for India and Southeast Asia) is that Latin America has a very strong and rapidly growing mobile gaming scene, driven by similar reasons: lower wages outside of major cities and high broadband internet costs.
Latin America is essentially a mobile-first market, but all esports competitions are popular. According to esports intelligence reports, mobile gaming accounted for about 48% of the gaming market in 2021, with the number of players steadily increasing each year.
One of the region's most popular games is the mobile battle royale shooter "Free Fire," but other games and platforms (such as Counter-Strike) have long been popular in Latin America.
Big Teams, Big Brands
Latin America is the birthplace of some of the most well-known esports events and leagues, organizations, and teams. The country with the most famous events and organizations is undoubtedly Brazil, followed by Argentina, with popular teams including MIBR (Made in Brazil), Red Canids, Leviatan, Imperial, FURIA, and LOUD.
All these teams have participated in famous global championships, such as VALORANT's VCT Americas, League of Legends' LTA, and CS2's ESL Pro League, along with dozens of other teams competing.
In terms of championships, Latin America has hosted several major esports events, the most recent being the Brazilian LTA Finals, the first LAN finals of the newly established League of Legends league. Additionally, ESL hosted the IEM Rio Championship in 2022, followed by the IEM Rio Championships in 2023 and 2024. All these events are known for their excellent atmosphere and massive support, mainly for local teams.
Speaking of prize pools, the prize pool for the 2024 Free Fire World Series Global Finals held in Rio is $1 million, and the Rio Special Tournament's prize pool is $1.25 million.
Other various championships, such as the Rainbow Six Brazilian League, have seen their prize pools grow — the 2022 Rainbow Six Brazilian League's prize pool was just under $73,000, but due to the popularity of the game and changes in esports events, the regional league's prize pool has grown to over $300,000.
The reason why Latin America is favored by major esports brands and organizers includes several factors: a large number of young people in the region, a very open attitude towards sports and competitions historically, and fans in this region have a higher engagement with their favorite brands compared to other regions.
According to data from Brazilian operators partnering with us to provide tournament odds information streams to bettors, the most popular betting games in the region currently are Counter-Strike 2, League of Legends, Dota 2, and VALORANT, with over 70% of bets particularly placed on CS2.
Die-Hard Fans and Their Engagement
Speaking of fan interaction, companies like FURIA (in collaboration with Blocksport) and LOUD (Loud Club) have created dedicated fan interaction platforms, offering fans special benefits and ways to connect with the teams. This initiative has been very popular, and global esports brands such as Team Liquid and Team Vitality are also operating their platforms (V.Hive and Liquid+).
Brazil has also recently allowed regulated casino gambling in the country for the first time, which will make the country more open to gambling by 2025. With the country's opening to gambling, the trend of rapid betting has been steadily increasing. According to Gambling Insider, nearly three-quarters of Latin American gamblers prefer live betting, with about 80% of Brazilians engaging in live betting.
Focusing on rapid betting, especially during the off-season of some competitions (such as LTA), can bring better engagement and higher revenue for operators, especially for a younger audience. Additionally, Brazil is moving towards esports regulation, with a public consultation on the topic set to start in early 2025, shaping trends in the region.
In summary, the region is one of the fastest-growing and most important areas in the esports field to date, with huge market potential, excellent players and teams, rich events and activities, and a large fan base similar to traditional sports. In the years we have been part of the Latin American esports ecosystem, we have seen people's interest in esports grow, and the best advice we can give to everyone is to pay attention to the esports field in the region, whether you are a fan of the esports field or a brand.
Vitalii is a professional in the esports industry, with over 15 years of practical experience in product strategy, event operations, and international business development. During his career, he has been involved in projects with major publishers and partners such as Riot Games, Krafton, Tencent, Epic Games, Wargaming, Valve, contributing to various events from regional competitions to international invitationals. He has been responsible for the execution of major esports events and the launch of new products in various markets.
Before joining BETER, Vitalii co-founded several startups (including a recruitment platform in Malta) and held senior positions at companies such as StarLadder, ImbaTV, and WePlay. Although his background is rooted in esports, his recent work has involved gambling-related products and content, providing insights into how these industries are increasingly intersecting.
