Betano has emerged as a leading player in the sports betting industry, becoming the first operator to partner with FIFA. Its journey reflects a commitment to trust, responsible gaming, and strategic market positioning. With a growing sponsorship portfolio and innovative partnerships, Betano is setting new standards in the industry.
Betano has recently made headlines as a tournament supporter of the FIFA World Cup, an event touted as the largest in history. Julio Iglesias Hernando, the Chief Commercial Officer of Kaizen Gaming, sheds light on the company's evolving relationship with FIFA and the broader sports betting industry, emphasizing the importance of trust and responsible marketing.
In 2022, Betano made history by becoming the first sports betting operator to partner with FIFA. Initially, this move was met with skepticism from industry peers. However, fast forward four years, and the operator has secured its position as an official tournament supporter for the FIFA World Cup 2026, covering Europe and South America. This agreement marks Betano's third collaboration with FIFA, coinciding with a tournament that has already shattered commercial sponsorship records.
For Iglesias Hernando, the path to becoming a trusted FIFA partner is as much about building relationships as it is about financial investment. “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 recalls. “But we tried to find a different angle: we are a fully responsible and regulated operator, willing to collaborate and learn, working hard to maintain society’s trust.”
The 2022 World Cup in Qatar was not just a branding opportunity; it served as a learning experience. Betano gained insights into FIFA's communication strategies and discovered how to integrate its brand into the football ecosystem authentically. The FIFA Club World Cup 2025 provided a testing ground for refining activation strategies, preparing Betano for the grand stage of the World Cup.
Kaizen Gaming has experienced rapid growth in recent years. Since Iglesias Hernando joined from William Hill in February 2021, the company has expanded from six markets to over twenty across four continents. It has garnered accolades, including back-to-back operator of the year honors, and now leads Brazil's competitive online betting market with a 23% share.
The company's sponsorship portfolio mirrors its growth. It now includes partnerships with FIFA, UEFA competitions, Bayern Munich, Flamengo, River Plate, FC Porto, and most recently, Tottenham Hotspur. This strategic mapping of sponsorships aims to resonate with local audiences effectively.
“Our sponsorships are a deliberate map of our markets,” Iglesias Hernando states. “The right partnership in the right territory does work that a generic global campaign cannot replicate.” However, the inevitable question arises: what is the return on these investments? While technology provides insights into brand exposure and audience reach, some aspects remain intangible, such as the emotional connection forged with fans during pivotal moments.
Iglesias Hernando is candid about the challenges of quantifying success. He acknowledges, “We won’t always have a clean number to put in front of 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 negotiating deals, trust is paramount. “If there is no trust that the partnership has the potential to be a long-term one, there is no deal,” he emphasizes. “If I don’t trust you, I can’t trust you with my money. It seems quite obvious, but you would be surprised.” He further notes that sound economic logic must underpin any agreement; otherwise, it will likely be short-lived.
The partnership with Tottenham, announced in July 2026, stands out for its unique approach. Betano will serve as the club’s training wear partner for the 2026/27 season, replacing BetMGM, before transitioning to an official betting partnership in Europe and Latin America through 2029.
Interestingly, the Betano logo will not feature on retail training merchandise, making this arrangement a live experiment in the evolving landscape of Premier League gambling sponsorships. Iglesias Hernando is open about the uncertainty: “We don’t know if this is the blueprint for gambling sponsorship in the post-shirt-ban era, but we are willing to try.”
Despite the restrictions on visibility due to the Premier League’s regulations, he argues that the partnership offers invaluable assets, including the association with a globally recognized club and opportunities for engaging activations.
Tottenham boasts a global audience exceeding 600 million, and as Betano’s focus shifts toward Latin America, this partnership strategically bridges both markets.
“The market changed,” Iglesias Hernando notes. Companies that thrive are those that adapt to their regulatory environments rather than lamenting lost opportunities. Betano has embodied this adaptability across various markets, and the Tottenham partnership reflects this capability.
Kaizen Gaming's approach to regulation is proactive. The company operates exclusively in regulated markets, a choice Iglesias Hernando views as foundational to its success. “While others might frame regulation as a burden, for us it’s the entry price to the tier of the market where we want to compete,” he explains. “You don’t get those relationships without a clean regulatory house.”
His main concern is not specific restrictions but rather the uneven application of rules. “A level playing field is non-negotiable,” he asserts. “Implementing restrictive regulatory frameworks in environments where unlicensed gambling platforms remain accessible only drives consumers to them.”
Has tightening regulation ever forced a complete overhaul of strategy? Not quite, he clarifies: “We’ve had to pivot our strategy more than once, but we haven’t had to tear up the commercial model and start from scratch.”
Kaizen’s expansion strategy is methodical. The company recently entered Ghana, its 20th market and second in Africa, where an incumbent holds a significant market share. “We don’t view each market in isolation but as part of a consolidated portfolio,” Iglesias Hernando explains. “The marginal cost of being present in Ghana or Ecuador looks very different for us than for an operator starting from scratch.”
Despite the competitive landscape, he remains optimistic. “We believe Betano can offer a superior product: greater depth in sportsbook and an extensive gaming portfolio that doesn’t yet exist at scale in many territories.” Timing is also crucial: “The time to position yourself in a high-growth market is before the consolidation happens, not after.”
Notably, Betano has chosen to steer clear of the U.S. market for now, observing the challenges faced by other international brands. However, the door remains open for future exploration. “We’re always examining developments while gaining insights from our presence in Ontario, Canada.”
The overarching ambition remains clear: to become a top-three operator in every market where Betano operates.
Iglesias Hernando believes that the sports betting industry lacks a fundamental understanding of marketing principles. “Our industry has amazing technical expertise in the digital space but an appalling lack of knowledge of marketing fundamentals. A large part of our industry still does not get it or simply imitates others,” he critiques.
Looking ahead to 2030, he shares a guiding principle: “Our secret motto is: NO FOMO. No deal is important enough to sacrifice our principles.” Sponsorship serves as a brand development tool for Betano, with clear criteria guiding its decisions.
In an industry often driven by reactive sponsorships, Betano’s deliberate strategy stands out. “Flexibility and curiosity are leading principles for us. We will adapt to the environment, try new things, fail, and learn. Rinse and repeat. There is no other way.”
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