In July, Spain's captain Rodri lifted the FIFA World Cup trophy at MetLife Stadium, marking a triumphant return for the nation as they celebrated their second title after five weeks and eight matches. As Spain reveled in its victory, Kambi was also reflecting on a remarkable achievement—it had successfully executed the first fully AI-powered World Cup ever.
Throughout the tournament, which featured 104 matches and over 100 million bets, Kambi's AI technology managed every stage of the pricing lifecycle, from data ingestion to bet settlement. The AI platform achieved flawless operation, maintaining zero downtime, achieving an operator trading margin of 18%, and processing more than one million unique bet combinations during the final.
Kambi's goal was ambitious: implement AI throughout the World Cup experience. By the time Spain took to the podium, Kambi had demonstrated that automated trading was capable of handling the scale and intensity of such a pivotal event, all while enhancing the experience for operators and customers alike.
Oliver Lamb, Kambi's Senior Vice President of Trading, stated, "The FIFA World Cup draws global attention in a way that no other sporting event can, and it was the best stress test of the technology we could have asked for." He further noted that the company provided an almost limitless array of betting combinations in a more rapid and seamless manner than ever before.
Kambi's journey toward the 2026 World Cup began with an investment in AI trading technology in 2021. This platform was deployed on a larger scale during the Qatar 2022 tournament and by 2024 had become fully integrated into trading operations. By the upcoming World Cup, Kambi's technology had undergone extensive testing in various top competitions, including the Premier League and Champions League. Currently, AI manages over 70% of bets across Kambi's network, impacting all football and tennis betting.
Lamb describes this evolution simply: it marked a shift from machine-assisted human trading to human-assisted machine trading. Traders can now focus their expertise on areas where human judgment is most beneficial, such as developing new products, while AI oversees the complexities of pricing and risk management. This transition leads to enhanced efficiency for Kambi, ultimately benefiting partners and customers.
"To this point, sportsbook product creation has largely been guided by a trading department’s ability to profitably price and risk-manage certain bet offers," Lamb explained. "AI trading lifts those limitations, while also enabling that existing human expertise to be leveraged more effectively."
The World Cup highlighted the necessity of this complete AI integration. Modern sportsbooks are evolving beyond traditional match results, as bettors demand the ability to create wagers based on specific player performances or in-game moments. Kambi reported that Bet Builder bets during the 2026 World Cup doubled compared to 2022, especially pronounced in live betting, where there were seven times as many live Bet Builders placed, constituting 22% of all live bets.
Player propositions made up 65% of Bet Builders, up from 25% in 2022. Kambi also observed a significant turnover from bets on player shots on target, now the second-largest pre-match betting offer, with popular bets including player scores and assists.
Lamb noted, "Customers seek personalized experiences, extensive player proposition bets and the ability to build highly customized wagers in real-time. Meeting these modern expectations through manual trading is no longer realistic at scale."
AI technology helped Kambi minimize the delay from a customer's selection to bet placement. Its dynamic live delay capability allows for customizable bet delays, enhancing user experience by reducing friction. Between August 2025 and July 2026, Kambi cut live betting delays by more than 40% across the Premier League and World Cup, resulting in increased choices, shorter suspension periods, and quicker bet acceptance, enhancing customer retention and profitability for operators.
Kambi was prepared for the pressures of the 2026 World Cup due to simulations but needed real-world performance evaluation. Independent analysis from Bettormetrics found that Kambi partners either led or shared top positions in key metrics such as time to market, live uptime, and bet delays, outpacing B2C and B2B competitors in World Cup markets.
"All the testing in the world cannot tell you precisely where you stand against the rest of the market on key aspects of the product," Lamb commented, pleased with Kambi's favorable position in crucial metrics.
In the wake of the tournament, Kambi is planning to expand offerings of shots-on-target options and more automated in-play intervals to create further betting opportunities.
Kambi is set to expand AI trading to other sports, including basketball, ice hockey, and American football. The long-term goal is not just to automate established processes but also to develop products that were previously impossible at scale. Kambi envisions a responsive sportsbook capable of delivering the right bet to the right customer at the right time. Lamb believes that with over 70 partners, Kambi has a strategic advantage due to its annual liquidity exceeding €17 billion and billions of bets processed each year, providing valuable data for pricing, risk management, and product development.
"The term AI is everywhere across the world of technology, and the betting and gaming industry is just one where its impact is being felt," Lamb stated. He emphasized that leveraging AI involves more than just hype; it requires robust systems and human expertise to maximize benefits.
Kambi aims to transform the stress-tested performance from the World Cup into innovative, on-demand experiences for partners and their customers.
