Kaizen Gaming-owned Betano has secured a regional partnership with FIFA for the 2026 World Cup, becoming an official tournament supporter across Europe and South America. The deal marks the third time Betano has partnered with FIFA on a major event — a track record that sets it apart from virtually every other sports betting operator in the world.
Betano made history in 2022 as the first sports betting operator to partner FIFA when it signed on as an official regional supporter for that year’s World Cup. It followed that up with an official partnership for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, and the latest deal continues what has become one of the most consistent relationships between a betting brand and the sport’s governing body.
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The tournament and the opportunity
The 2026 FIFA World Cup runs from June 11 to July 19, with matches spread across venues in Canada, Mexico and the United States. The tournament will feature a record 48 teams following changes to its traditional format — making it the largest World Cup in history and one of the biggest sports marketing opportunities the industry has ever seen.
For Betano, the regional scope of the partnership — covering Europe and South America — aligns directly with the markets where the brand holds active licences, including the UK, Germany, Peru and Brazil. The timing is particularly significant for Brazil, where Betano is already the country’s most visited sports betting platform with 426 million monthly visits, and where World Cup fever is expected to drive an unprecedented surge in betting activity.
FIFA speaks to the partnership’s depth
FIFA chief business officer Romy Gai welcomed the deal with language that went beyond standard sponsor acknowledgment. “Since we first partnered with Betano four years ago, we have seen a genuine commitment to sporting integrity, bringing fans closer to our game and finding new, engaging ways to entertain them,” Gai said. “We share these objectives and are glad to have this powerhouse by our side as we look forward to uniting the world through football once again in North America and beyond.”
The emphasis on sporting integrity is notable. FIFA has faced significant scrutiny over its commercial partnerships in recent years, and the decision to explicitly cite Betano’s integrity credentials suggests the governing body views its relationship with the operator as a meaningful standard-setter for how betting brands can engage with football.
Kaizen Gaming’s global ambitions
Kaizen Gaming co-founder and CEO George Daskalakis described the deal as a proud milestone and a reflection of the company’s global evolution. “Partnering with FIFA for the third time is a proud milestone for everyone at Kaizen Gaming and a clear reflection of our global evolution,” he said. “Our focus now is to deliver a thrilling, innovative and secure experience for fans throughout the tournament.”
The partnership arrives at a pivotal moment for Kaizen Gaming, which has been aggressively expanding Betano’s footprint across both European and Latin American markets. A World Cup partnership at this scale — covering two of the world’s most football-passionate regions — is precisely the kind of high-visibility platform that can accelerate brand recognition and user acquisition in markets where Betano is still building its presence.
