Former F1 star and Brazilian icon Rubens Barrichello has teamed up with Softswiss. [Image: Shutterstock.com]
Agency in pole place
With Brazil’s regulated on-line playing market launching on January 1, 2025, a agency furnishing the web playing sector with tech infrastructure has received into pole place by partnering with the nation’s former Formulation One star, Rubens Barrichello.
Softswiss is investing roughly €2.5m ($2.68) in infrastructure
In keeping with Forbes on Wednesday, Malta-headquartered agency Softswiss is investing roughly €2.5m ($2.68) in infrastructure forward of the market’s rollout subsequent yr.
Barrichello, who received 11 Grand Prix victories over an F1 profession spanning 1993 to 2011, has been a non-executive director at Softswiss since April. Whereas media reviews haven’t disclosed the specifics on the monetary deal, the ex-F1 star has not taken shares within the firm.
Forbes reviews that Barrichello will use his private model and enterprise community in Brazil and Latin America to advertise Softswiss’s services.
“Similar to [Brazilian food company supported me] Arisco early in my racing profession, I’d prefer to have my identify and picture related to Softswiss in the long term,” Barrichello said.
Huge enterprise up forward
Momentum is gathering for the launch of Brazil’s iGaming vertical ever since President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva signed off a federal gaming invoice on December 30, 2024.
Forbes cited funding agency XP’s estimation that for 2023, the web gaming vertical in Brazil grossed roughly R$120bn ($21bn), which is a hike of 71% on 2020. With a lot potential for development, Softswiss sees Barrichello as a marketable medium for supporting it in Brazil after which in wider Latin America.
I assumed they had been nearly playing at first.”
Barrichello, nonetheless, wasn’t positive about collaborating with Softswiss. “I assumed they had been nearly playing at first.” He later modified his thoughts when he discovered of the Malta agency’s give attention to accountable gaming.
For Softswiss founder Ivan Montik, partnering with Barrichello was a no brainer due to a number of components. “Not solely Rubens desires to delve deeper into the know-how facet of issues, however he additionally has nice enterprise abilities and contacts globally, and a capability to attach with individuals from totally different cultures.”
Montik mentioned Barrichello’s distinctive array of abilities was what “our firm wants.”
Barrichello’s new bag
Montik’s reference to Barrichello’s tech affinity was borne out by the Brazilian racing legend who teamed with Michael Schumacher for Ferrari from 2000 to 2005.
In an unique with Forbes, Barrichello said: “I used to be expert at deciphering the info from the automotive’s sensors and computer systems throughout my time in F1, and I see similarities with the data-driven nature of the iGaming business.”
Since leaving F1, Barrichello has pivoted into media and enterprise ventures, along with his YouTube channel Acelerados now one in all Brazil’s largest on-line communities devoted to motorsports and racing.
Montik sees a possibility to combine Softswiss’s know-how and branding round Acelerados, which presently has over two million subscribers.
