Leading gaming executives discussed the potential of the 2026 FIFA World Cup

As the 2026 FIFA World Cup unfolds across the United States, Mexico and Canada, gaming operators and suppliers are already looking beyond the tournament itself and toward the long-term opportunities it could create for the betting industry.

That was the focus of “World Cup 2026: Turning the Global Stage into Long-Term Growth,” a panel held on June 10 during SBC Summit Americas in Fort Lauderdale. Moderated by SEM and Ascend Global Director Phil Canavan, the session featured Rob Pryce, Chief Revenue Officer at Xtremepush; David Bretnitz, Vice President of Sales, Americas at Kambi; and Aviv Sher, CEO of Codere Online.

Throughout the discussion, the executives emphasized that the World Cup represents far more than a short-term spike in betting activity. Instead, they argued that the tournament offers operators a rare opportunity to acquire new customers, educate casual bettors, and create sustainable long-term engagement across multiple sports.

“The gauge of success,” Pryce explained, “shouldn’t fully be that we got X percent of the handle on the World Cup. The metrics people should start looking for are: what’s the long-term value of these new people versus my baseline? What percentage can I convert over to NFL, to La Liga, and all that?”

The panel explored the unique scale of the World Cup and the way it reshapes betting behavior, particularly in North America, where soccer betting still occupies a much smaller share of the market compared to Latin America and Europe.

Canavan opened the discussion by describing the World Cup as one of the few sporting events capable of genuinely transforming nations, recalling how Italia ’90 helped reshape football culture in England and contributed to the rise of the Premier League era.

Education becomes central in North America

For operators, however, the challenge is not simply maximizing visibility during the tournament. It is ensuring that newly acquired users remain active long after the final match.

Pryce noted that North American betting handle for the tournament is expected to reach approximately $4 billion, nearly double the estimated figures from four years ago. But while football betting is already deeply rooted culturally in Latin American markets, operators in the United States still face a substantial education process.

“We’ve seen people particularly launch free-to-play games and educational content from about two months out,” Pryce said. “In North America, it’s all about informing people about the games, the teams, the players, what’s exciting.”

According to Pryce, some operators were signing up between 20,000 and 25,000 users per day in the buildup to the competition, underscoring the scale of interest surrounding the event.

The executives agreed that onboarding and education have become increasingly important as sportsbooks attempt to engage newer bettors, particularly younger audiences entering the market through soccer rather than traditional American sports.

For Kambi, Bretnitz said preparations effectively began at the end of the previous World Cup cycle, with a strong focus on personalization and AI-driven betting experiences.

“AI has been a big focus for Kambi,” he said. “Being able to build and have a relevant product offering more than anything.”

Bretnitz argued that the World Cup presents a major opportunity in the United States precisely because many bettors remain unfamiliar with soccer wagering markets. That makes accessibility and simplicity essential for operators trying to convert casual viewers into regular sportsbook users.

“A lot of people don’t know what parlays are. They don’t know what player props are,” he said. “If you can explain it, whether it’s through small messaging, push notifications or onboarding, you grab a whole new customer base.”

Beyond bonuses and promotions

The conversation repeatedly returned to the idea that operators cannot rely solely on bonuses and promotions to retain users. Instead, the panelists stressed the importance of user experience, personalization and product engagement.

“There will be some operators where the World Cup becomes a risk if they just go down the bonusing road,” Canavan said during the discussion.

Sher agreed, explaining that Codere Online is attempting to use promotions as tools for engagement rather than simply offering giveaways.

“We are trying to engage the player as much as possible,” Sher said. “Not just checking it out and not using their own money. We want them to understand how sports betting actually works.”

Codere has spent months developing fantasy-style contests, survivor games and ambassador-led campaigns tied to the World Cup. Sher said the company began actively preparing roughly a year in advance, partly because of the enormous demand around tickets and VIP experiences connected to the tournament.

At the same time, operators are preparing for enormous spikes in traffic and betting volume.

“For us it’s very important — stability,” Sher explained. “We are anticipating high volumes during the World Cup, so it’s very important for us to provide customers with a good experience.”

Live betting and player props driving engagement

Another major focus of the discussion centered on live betting and player-driven wagering markets, particularly among younger audiences. Canavan pointed out that Gen Z sports fans increasingly follow individual stars rather than teams, creating strong demand for player props involving names such as Kylian Mbappé, Lionel Messi and Harry Kane.

Bretnitz said those betting products can become an important entry point for newer users.

“If you have something that engages them, it gives them something meaningful and allows them to stick around,” he said. “Even pre-packed parlays where all they have to do is click and it populates in their betslip — it makes it easy for them.”

Pryce added that many North American bettors are still discovering how broad soccer betting markets can be.

“It’s understanding who the key players are,” he said. “Who’s going to win the Golden Boot? Who’s going to get the most yellow cards? Is Harry Kane going to score in the first half? It’s about creating that excitement.”

The executives also emphasized the emotional connection that drives sports betting behavior, particularly during international tournaments.

“People bet because they have a connection,” Pryce said. “Whether it’s their national team, their city, their college, it’s emotional. That’s really important.”

Sher noted that national identity significantly affects betting engagement patterns. Interest in Spain, for example, tends to decline sharply once the national team exits a tournament.

Long-term retention remains the ultimate KPI

The panelists differed somewhat on how much domestic soccer growth in the United States will influence long-term sportsbook performance.

Bretnitz believes the continued growth of MLS and domestic soccer culture will naturally increase awareness around international football and soccer betting.

“The World Cup only helps build additional engagement and awareness,” he said. “I think you’ll see a lot more excitement around domestic soccer.”

Sher was more cautious, arguing that soccer is unlikely to surpass entrenched American sports such as the NFL, NBA or MLB.

“I think eventually it’s about time spent,” he said. “Baseball, football, basketball — they already cover almost the whole calendar.”

Even so, Sher acknowledged that stronger engagement with sports overall benefits betting operators regardless of which leagues dominate culturally.

As the session concluded, the discussion returned to the broader implications of the World Cup for the betting industry. For operators and suppliers alike, the tournament is increasingly viewed not simply as a temporary surge in betting activity, but as a long-term opportunity to build sustainable player ecosystems.

“It’s not just about getting someone into soccer betting,” Pryce concluded. “It’s about whether they carry over into your NFL, your hockey, your other products. That’s where the overall strategy matters..”