In a groundbreaking move in 2022, Betano became the first sports betting operator to partner with FIFA, an event met with skepticism from industry insiders. Fast forward four years, and the Greek-founded operator is now an official supporter of the FIFA World Cup 2026, which spans Europe and South America. This partnership marks Betano's third agreement with FIFA, coinciding with a record-breaking commercial program for sponsorship revenue associated with a single sporting event.
Julio Iglesias Hernando, Chief Commercial Officer of Kaizen Gaming, Betano's parent company, credits the company's ascent to FIFA status as a narrative steeped in trust rather than mere financial gain. "When we became the first sports betting operator to partner with FIFA in 2022, many in our industry questioned the move. The conventional wisdom was that FIFA would keep our industry at arm's length," he reflects. "But as usual, we tried to find a different angle to the problem: we are a fully responsible and regulated operator, willing to collaborate and learn, working hard to maintain society's trust to operate."
He describes the 2022 World Cup in Qatar as a dual opportunity for education and activation. It not only allowed the company to grasp FIFA's communication strategies but also to identify how Betano could authentically contribute value and foster trust. With the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States in 2025, Betano tested and refined its activation strategies on a broader FIFA platform ahead of the World Cup.
By 2026, this partnership has transformed into a more structured collaboration. "Three tournaments of experience mean we now approach the partnership with a clear activation framework: how we show up for fans, create meaningful moments around matches, and balance commercial objectives with the responsible gaming principles that a partner of FIFA's stature rightly demands," Iglesias Hernando explains.
He emphasizes that the true value of the partnership extends beyond mere media presence. "The real value of this relationship isn’t just the badge on the broadcast. It’s the permission it gives us to engage with football's international community in ways that feel authentic, and the standard it sets for how we operate everywhere we do business."
Kaizen Gaming's rapid growth has been striking. Since Julio Iglesias Hernando’s arrival from William Hill in February 2021, when the company was active in six markets, it has expanded to over 20 regulated markets globally. With back-to-back accolades as operator of the year, Betano also leads Brazil's competitive online betting scene with a share of about 23%, surpassing Bet365.
The company’s sponsorship portfolio has expanded concurrently, including FIFA, UEFA competitions, and clubs like Bayern Munich, Flamengo, River Plate, FC Porto, and Tottenham Hotspur, following a two-season front-of-shirt deal with Aston Villa.
"Our sponsorships are a deliberate map of our markets," says Iglesias Hernando. "The right partnership in the right territory, with the right club for that audience, does work that a generic global campaign simply cannot replicate."
On the topic of returns from sponsorship investments, he candidly addresses measurement challenges. While technology provides insights into brand exposure and audience reach, some qualitative aspects remain elusive. "We know we won’t always have a clean number to show our CFO for every element of that work, but we know why we're doing it, and the results across our markets continue to validate this conviction."
When discussing what secures or undermines a deal, Iglesias Hernando clearly states, “If there is no trust that the partnership has the potential to be long-term, there is no deal. To me, that's the one-liner non-negotiable. If I don’t trust you, I can’t trust you with my money. It seems obvious, but you would be surprised." He adds that the economic rationale is also critical: "If there is no economic logic behind any deal, it will be a short one."
The partnership with Tottenham, announced in July 2026, stands out for its unique structure. Betano will feature as the club's training wear partner during the 2026/27 season before transitioning to a broader betting partnership across Europe and Latin America through 2029. Unlike other sponsorships, the Betano logo will not be included on retail training merchandise. This arrangement serves as a test case for how gambling sponsorships can function once front-of-shirt visibility declines due to new regulations.
"We don’t know if this is the blueprint for gambling sponsorship in the post-shirt-ban era, but we are willing to try," Iglesias Hernando states.
He dismisses the idea that lower visibility translates to diminished value. “Yes, the Premier League's front-of-shirt restrictions reduce certain visibility. That's just the reality of the regulatory environment in England. Nonetheless, we have secured invaluable assets: the association with one of the Premier League's most globally recognized clubs for the next three seasons, a prominent presence across training wear, and highly engaging partnership activations.”
A significant factor for the partnership's success lies in Tottenham's vast global following, which exceeds 600 million, successfully aligning with Betano’s growing presence in Latin America.
Iglesias Hernando emphasizes the need for operators to adapt within regulatory frameworks rather than lament their restrictions. “We’ve had to pivot our strategy more than once, but we haven't had to entirely overhaul our commercial model,” he explains.
On the expansion front, Kaizen has recently entered Ghana, marking its 20th market overall and second in Africa, a region dominated by an existing competitor with a substantial market share. However, Iglesias Hernando sees the company’s existing infrastructure and market knowledge as an advantage: “The marginal cost of being present in Ghana or Ecuador looks very different for us than for an operator starting from scratch.”
He is realistic about the competition, acknowledging strong local brands with dedicated customer bases, but believes Betano can deliver a superior product featuring a deeper sportsbook and a wider gaming portfolio. He stresses the importance of timely market positioning: “The time to position yourself in a high-growth market is before the consolidation happens, not after.”
The U.S. market, despite Betano's involvement with the upcoming World Cup, is notably absent from its immediate plans. “Steering clear of the U.S. market has been a strategic decision,” Iglesias Hernando states, referencing the difficulties many overseas brands have encountered while trying to penetrate this space. Nevertheless, the situation is not entirely closed off, as he notes that the company is learning from its experience in Ontario, Canada.
Iglesias Hernando summarizes the ambition succinctly: “Our goal is to be a top-three operator in every market where we offer Betano.”
He highlights the value of marketing fundamentals, expressing concern about the industry’s technical expertise overshadowing these basics. “A large part of our industry still does not get it, or worse, they just imitate. They don’t understand the principles behind their actions.”
Looking forward, he offers insight into the company’s guiding philosophy, which he describes simply: “NO FOMO. No deal in itself is important enough to sacrifice our principles and framework. We see sponsorship as a brand development vehicle with clearly defined criteria.”
In a sector characterized by reactive sponsorship strategies, Kaizen’s approach is refreshingly deliberate. “Our plan is to continue to flexibly adapt, test new ideas, learn from failures, and repeat this process. There’s no other way forward.”
