Hanzbet returns to Brazil's online gaming market through BigBet partnership

Hanzbet is set to return to Brazil’s regulated betting market after announcing a strategic partnership with BigBet.

The agreement, announced Monday, will see Hanzbet operate alongside BigBet. That brand runs under Big Brazil’s license, the same umbrella covering Apostar and Caesars Sportsbook, reports iGaming Business.

The move follows a contentious split between Hanzbet and its former local license holder, EA Entretenimento e Esportes Ltda (EA). Hanzbet halted its operations following the dispute, but now positions the BigBet partnership as a new beginning.

“This merger represents more than a collaboration between the two companies – it’s a firm step toward strengthening the Brazilian regulated betting market,” Big Brazil/BigBet CEO Rodrigo Cariola said. “We remain committed to compliance, responsible gaming, and delivering a high-quality experience for everyone.”

Hanzbet CEO Gabriel Martins said the company remains focused on transparency and integrity. “We have always conducted our actions with clarity, seriousness, and loyalty,” he said. “We will continue, now stronger than ever, alongside a great brand like BigBet.”

Details of the merger are still unclear, potentially meaning Hanzbet's customer base and operations may be absorbed into BigBet’s existing infrastructure. Further announcements are expected soon.

Hanzbet’s exit followed a public dispute with EA. According to Hanzbet, EA announced the platform’s closure without approval and blocked company leadership from internal systems.

Hanzbet founder and CMO Eduardo Peres claims his team was abruptly left out of decision-making processes. In a public statement on LinkedIn, Peres described the relationship with EA as a “true operational dictatorship,” accusing the license holder of deliberately redirecting users to its own brand, BateuBet.

Peres also alleges EA withdrew liquidity from Hanzbet while advising users to withdraw their funds before the platform's official closure on July 31 — effectively making withdrawals impossible.

Peres welcomed the new deal with BigBet. “After everything we have been through with the HanzBet case, today we turn around, with our heads held high and strengthened,” he said on LinkedIn. “They did everything to bury HanzBet. They forgot that the end only comes to those who give up and that was never our case.”