The 2026 World Cup kicks off on 11 June. The United States, Mexico and Canada will host delegations from 48 countries for the largest sporting event on the planet.
It will mark the rise of the sportsbook industry in Brazil, which has been regulated since early 2025. With more than 180 brands offering various markets, Brazilian operators are ready and are expected to move more than BRL19 billion.
Is the industry ready for the 104 World Cup matches? The bookmakers will offer a variety of markets, and tens of thousands of new gamblers are expected to sign up. Personalisation and user experience will be the focus for operators. Interactivity and innovation are among the key themes defining this unique moment in the global betting industry.
A survey titled “Placar das Finanças” (Scoreboard of Finances) conducted by Creditas in partnership with Opinion Box indicates that six out of 10 Brazilians plan to place bets during the World Cup. It is a strong indication that Brazilian operators will have plenty of room to grow and further strengthen the responsible nature of their operations.
Licensed companies will have to stand out with offerings on par with those in the regulated sector to compete effectively with illegal operators. Illegal betting still accounts for half of the Brazilian market. These issues must be addressed to ensure that the World Cup does not tarnish the industry’s image.
Payment companies will also need to ensure they have transfer systems capable of handling the high volume of bets that will come with the world’s most important tournament. The demand for ultra-fast processing of deposits and premium payments will be another gamechanger for the regulated market.
37% of Brazilians plan to gamble during the World Cup
According to a recent survey by Kantar, 77% of Brazilians plan to follow this year’s tournament. The study also shows that 37% of participants plan to place bets during the competition. The most popular betting markets include match outcome (51%), total goals (26%), tournament winner (18%), specific events (10%) and top scorer (8%).
Engaging bettors requires operators to have an adequate infrastructure in place to meet demand, which is expected to grow through 11 June, the opening day of the World Cup. During the tournament, the influx of new users to betting sites will lead to an unprecedented surge in traffic, given its magnitude.
Betano was announced as an official sponsor of the 2026 Fifa World Cup for South America and Europe just a few days ago. But preparations for the tournament began many months ago. John Basias, the operator’s chief commercial officer, says that the company has prepared for this big moment not only in terms of marketing but also in terms of its products.
“Our goal and responsibility is to provide an exciting, innovative and safe experience for fans throughout the tournament. That’s why we’ve put together a series of initiatives to engage customers before, during, and after each event.”
In his view, the tournament is unique. “It includes casual fans and many first-time gamblers. This creates both short-term growth and a long-term opportunity to introduce new customers to a safe and regulated entertainment experience,” he says.
Challenges
One of the biggest challenges for operators is to provide a safe, intuitive and responsible experience for an extremely diverse audience.
VBET, for example, has been preparing for quite some time with a strategy focused on innovation, personalisation and user experience.
“We are integrating new AI modules capable of identifying player behaviour patterns and preferences. This allows for a more dynamic, personalised and intuitive experience within the platform,” explains Fabio Tiberia, VBET’s VP for Brazil.
In addition to highly competitive odds, the operator will have tournament-specific promotional campaigns, such as themed challenges and sportsbook tournaments targeted to different customer profiles.
High levels of stability, scalability and performance will be key points for operation. “At VBET, in addition to operational capabilities, we are continuously improving the user experience. More intuitive tools, innovative features and new technologies have been designed for fast navigation, personalisation and real-time interaction,” Tiberia says.
Information and transparency
Ana Gaming, the holding company operating the 7K Bet, Casino Bet and Vera Bet brands, is also more than ready. Nickolas Tadeu Ribeiro de Campos, founder and chairman of the board, says the company’s technological infrastructure has been strengthened. “In addition, we have expanded our service, trading and compliance teams. And we invest in user education to ensure a safe and responsible experience.
“The main concern is ensuring that this new audience enters the betting ecosystem responsibly. In major events, there is a natural increase in occasional users, driven by the sporting interest and the atmosphere of the competition.”
Campos says there is also an important focus on education and transparency. “We want users to understand how odds work, what risks are involved and to make informed decisions. At the same time, we have stepped up our efforts to prevent fraud, protect data and identify risky behaviour, especially during busy periods such as the World Cup.”
Betano’s John Basias says that the World Cup is a cultural event, not just a sporting one. “The main attractions are the opportunity to support the national team in an interactive way, the entertainment factor and the social experience with friends and family.”
But the attraction alone is not enough. New customers also need to feel confidence, simplicity and ease of use before taking this first step. “That’s why brand reputation, sponsorship visibility and a seamless user experience become crucial during a World Cup cycle,” he explains.
Safe environment
Alvaro Garcia, CMO of Flutter Brazil, notes that the operator’s main concern is to ensure that visitors arriving during the World Cup find a safe, transparent and user-friendly environment.
“Major sporting events naturally attract people who will be trying sports gambling for the first time during the competition. In this context, the regulated market also has an important responsibility to educate customers about security, transparency and responsible gambling, as well as the risks associated with illegal platforms,” he says.
That’s why both Betnacional and Betfair have been working not only on the user experience of their platforms, but also on communication, customer support, onboarding and ongoing awareness initiatives,” he explains.
Almir Ribeiro, CEO of BetMGM, says the challenge is to provide an intuitive and accessible experience without compromising on security, transparency and responsible gaming practices.
“We want to ensure that new users have a seamless experience from the moment they first interact with the platform. In events such as the World Cup, it is natural that many people become interested in the world of gambling for the first time. This calls for even more informative, transparent and educational communication, especially when it comes to the step-by-step process,” he says.
Worldwide network of computers
Fellipe Fraga, director of business and institutional relations at Stellar Gaming, highlights two key areas of focus for the company. The first, he notes, is “external cloud and internet tools, since not only will our sector be heavily impacted, but the entire global computer network will experience periods of increased traffic”.
The second, as one might expect, is “the unfair competition from the illegal market vis-à-vis our regulated sector. If our authorities do an effective job at the most critical moment, we can ensure that Brazilians will be able to enjoy themselves more and more in a safe and regulated environment, rather than on deceptive websites.”
As the owner of the EstrelaBet and VUPI brands, the company is deeply committed to the principles of responsible gaming. “Whether or not the World Cup is taking place, communication regarding responsible gambling should make it clear that wagering is a form of entertainment, not an investment. Nor should it be used for resources that are essential for one’s own survival,” argues Fraga.
Existing markets
With the tournament fast approaching, Superbet has already announced that it is offering early betting markets, instant payouts via Pix (Brazil’s instant cash transfer system), a stable platform and comprehensive coverage of all teams.
The offers will not be limited to fixed bonuses, but will focus on ensuring excellent betting experiences, enhanced value in key markets and peace of mind for gamblers during the most critical moments of the games.
For now, only two categories of bets are available on the platform: first-round bets and long-term bets. Among them, which team will win the championship, who will be the top scorer and which teams will make it to the semi-finals. Once the competition begins, additional markets and categories will be opened.
In the coming days, VBET will also open markets for the group stage. According to the VP for Brazil, the goal is to offer a wide variety of bet modes and special markets right from the start of the competition.
Betting portfolio to grow
At BetMGM, the main markets are already live, and the offering will be expanded over the coming weeks. “We have been working hard to ensure a pleasant, stable and secure experience for users from the very start of the competition. We are closely monitoring all the preparations so we can deliver a comprehensive and attractive offering as soon as possible,” says Almir Ribeiro.
Betnacional and Betfair of Flutter Brazil have also opened betting offers for the World Cup group stage, with new options being incorporated as the World Cup approaches. Throughout the competition, the plan is to further expand the available portfolio, keeping pace with the key moments of the World Cup and the natural growth in audience engagement with the tournament.
According to Fraga, betting is already available on Stellar Gaming’s brands. “The group stage is already under way, and with the World Cup just around the corner, new markets will open up so we can offer our users the best betting options.
“This will be the first time the Brazilian regulated market has experienced a World Cup. Last year, with the Club World Cup, we got a good sense of the potential that an international tournament holds. We expect strong growth, in addition to the initiatives we’ve launched to provide the best experience for our customers,” says Fraga.
“A wide variety of betting options is already available at Betano, and we plan to launch even more options very soon,” says Basias. “As market leaders, it is our responsibility to offer our customers the best selection of products.
“This year, as official World Cup supporters, we’re marking the occasion with a special offer of enhanced odds on Brazil winning the tournament, and the closer we get to kickoff, the wider the range of betting options will be,” says the director of Betano.
Proper onboarding
All operators interviewed by iGaming Business confirmed that the onboarding process had been streamlined as much as possible. This was one of the main priorities for companies in light of the large influx of new customers.
“At Flutter, this is key. Both Betnacional and Betfair have been working on operational planning for this period for over a year. We’ve strengthened our infrastructure and are monitoring the platforms in real time while continuously optimising them to handle spikes in concurrent traffic during games,” says Alvaro Garcia.
“Flutter Brazil’s structure allows us to combine global expertise with local knowledge to ensure a stable, secure, and seamless experience even during the tournament’s peak demand periods,” he emphasises.
“Even before the regulatory rules were finalised, Stellar has always strived for a simple yet comprehensive onboarding process,” says Fraga. “This involves constantly improving our integrations with partners like Tech2Free, which ensures the necessary efficiency at every stage of the customer experience, from onboarding all the way through to withdrawal.”
He assures that the onboarding experience for new users will not affect the speed or the server capacity, which will be able to handle the volume of traffic.
High scalability
Fabio Tiberia highlights VBET’s technological infrastructure as extremely robust. “Built in partnership with BetConstruct, our platform is more than ready for a fast and seamless onboarding process. It offers high levels of stability, scalability and performance, even during major events such as the World Cup. We know that the volume of visits and transactions is growing exponentially, and we are preparing to streamline the onboarding process for new users.”
“One of the key realities of a World Cup is that many customers entering this market are first-time gamblers,” notes John Basias. “So the integration needs to be fast, intuitive, mobile-first, secure and educational.
“At Betano, we continuously optimise the registration, verification and payment processes to reduce friction while maintaining high standards of compliance and security. Brazil is currently the only country that requires facial recognition for betting accounts, and we were pioneers in implementing this process.”
Campos points out that in large audience matches, such as a potential semi-final or final involving Brazil, traffic can spike dramatically within just a few minutes. “That is why we conduct regular load tests and simulations to ensure that the platforms of Ana Gaming’s three brands operate safely, quickly and reliably.”
Intuitive process
Ana Gaming is working out the details with the product and operations teams. The dates when betting opens for the group stage will be announced on the brands’ official channels. “Our goal is for users to have access to betting options well in advance so they can plan ahead before the tournament begins,” says Campos.
For Ana Gaming, onboarding is a priority, especially since the World Cup attracts a new audience, many of whom are placing their first bet.
“Our goal is to balance simplicity and security. The process is designed to be intuitive, with clear steps, simplified navigation and quick validations. This reduces friction in the registration process without compromising regulatory and security requirements, such as identity verification and fraud prevention,” he explains.
“We also invest in educational content within the platform to explain how markets, odds and control tools work. This helps users bet in a more conscious and informed manner. We also have an FAQ section and a blog with relevant information, as well as real-time support via chat,” says Campos.
100% proprietary platform
Almir Ribeiro says that the BetMGM platform’s onboarding process was designed to provide users with a smoother, faster and more intuitive experience, especially during an event like the World Cup, when many people will be trying online sports betting for the first time. “The launch of the proprietary sports platform marks a major milestone for BetMGM in Brazil. This gives us greater technological autonomy to continuously improve the user journey, from sign-up to the in-app experience.”
According to him, the company has made significant investments in technology and preparations for large-scale events, such as the World Cup. “Our technology platform is 100% proprietary, which gives us complete autonomy to evolve quickly and adapt the user experience to the dynamic behaviour of Brazilian users. In addition, we have a local team that closely monitors the market and enables us to respond extremely quickly to customer demands,” he says.
The company is developing special experiences for the World Cup, combining entertainment, interactivity and real-time engagement throughout the tournament.
Skyrocketing traffic flow
“The platform’s readiness is one of our top operational priorities ahead of the tournament,” says John Basias.
Major sporting events such as the World Cup can cause traffic volumes to skyrocket in a matter of minutes, especially during high-profile matches. “To prepare for this, our teams conduct extensive stress tests and scenario planning well in advance. This ranged from infrastructure resilience and payment processing capacity to fraud prevention, expanded customer support and real-time trading performance,” says Basias.
“The goal is simple: every customer should have a fast, secure and seamless experience, even during the most intense moments of the tournament,” he summarises.
Responsible gambling
Another point highlighted by the interviewees concerns responsible gaming. More than just complying with the regulations of the Secretariat of Prizes and Bets (SPA), operators view this issue as a matter of fundamental importance.
“This is an issue that has been part of Flutter Brazil’s strategy even before the World Cup,” says Garcia. “We were pioneers in making Responsible Gambling a strategic pillar of our business and our communications, with campaigns and initiatives focused on player protection, self-protection and safety.
“We recently launched the ‘Vini Senior’ campaign, featuring Vinicius Jr, one of the world’s top football stars and a standout player for this year’s World Cup. It conveys messages about balance, self-care and responsible gaming in a lighthearted and relatable way.”
To further reinforce the concept of responsible gaming, Flutter has organised a meeting between its two brands at the Northeast Cup. Sport Recife, sponsored by Betnacional, and Fortaleza will face off in the regional tournament semi-finals. Betfair will serve as a one-time sponsor for the decisive stage. The goal is to spread the message about the importance of responsible gambling.
“The Flutter Brazil ecosystem was built with the goal of raising standards of integrity, security and accountability in the gambling industry. By integrating the sponsorships from Betnacional and Betfair at a time of enormous visibility, regional appeal and decisive importance in a successful competition, we reaffirm that responsible gaming and balance are not just empty words, but integral parts of our operational philosophy and the DNA of our communication,” says Garcia.
Setting limits
“Responsible gaming is particularly important during major tournaments, when many newcomers try their hand at betting for the first time. Our role goes beyond entertainment. We actively promote safe and responsible play through educational initiatives such as ‘Não Mete o Loco‘ [Don’t Go Crazy]. We were the first regulated operator in the country and pioneers in openly addressing responsible gaming,” notes Betano’s director.
“During the tournament, we will further reinforce messages about responsible gaming, setting limits and treating betting as entertainment. This ensures that every new customer knows that they are in control of their own limits from day one,” says John Basias.
Academy
At EstrelaBet, responsible gambling is approached from an academic perspective. In partnership with FUMEC University, it develops pioneering initiatives to prevent problem gambling. It uses state-of-the-art technology to provide a safe experience and psychological support to users.
Fraga says that “it is always important to provide information about responsible gaming and to talk about it”. Whether or not the World Cup is taking place, the message must be clear and effective: gambling is entertainment. No one should be fooled by messages that portray gambling as an investment. “We always make this clear to our customers.”
VBET is developing targeted communications and educational initiatives aimed primarily at new users. “We want to emphasise the importance of gambling in a responsible, balanced and safe manner,” says Fabio Tiberia. “We believe that sustainable growth in the industry is only possible through responsibility, transparency and user protection.”
At BetMGM, a commitment to responsible gaming is practically a mantra. “Our goal is to ensure that users clearly understand how the platform works and what control and security tools are available,” notes Ribeiro. And above all, betting should be viewed as a form of entertainment, never as a source of income. “The challenge is to provide an intuitive and accessible experience without compromising on security, transparency and responsible gaming practices,” he concludes.
Original article: https://igamingbusiness.com/sports-betting/brazil-betting-operators-ready-biggest-world-cup-ever/
