FIFA Adds Betano as Regional World Cup 2026 Sponsor, Extending the Gambling Industry’s Growing Presence at the Tournament

FIFA announced on May 18 that Betano, the sports betting and iGaming brand of Greece-based Kaizen Gaming, has been signed as a regional sponsor for the 2026 World Cup across Europe and South America. Betano was the World Cup’s first-ever betting sponsor four years ago when Kaizen signed a Europe-only deal for the 2022 tournament in Qatar. The new agreement expands that geographic footprint and comes as the 2026 tournament prepares to kick off across the United States, Canada, and Mexico on June 11.

The 2026 World Cup is expanding from 64 to 104 matches, with a field growing from 32 to 48 teams, making it substantially larger than any previous edition. For Betano and FIFA, that scale represents a much bigger activation platform than previous deals. Financial terms were not disclosed, though regional deals of this nature typically involve category exclusivity in specified territories.

Betano’s Position in Key Markets

Betano has established itself as one of the most visible betting brands in Brazil, which is one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing sports betting markets following the country’s regulated launch in January 2025. The company also has a significant presence across Europe, including strong market positions in Greece, Portugal, Romania, and Germany. Adding South America to its World Cup sponsorship territory gives Betano maximum visibility during the tournament in its most strategically important markets outside of Western Europe.

For bettors following the World Cup, the tournament is expected to generate record betting handle in the United States given how much legal sports betting has grown since the Supreme Court’s Murphy v. NCAA ruling in 2018. Major U.S. operators like DraftKings, FanDuel, and BetMGM will be activating heavily around the event. FIFA’s willingness to add gambling sponsors also signals a broader strategic shift toward monetizing the sport’s connection to the betting industry globally, even as some host country regulators and advocacy groups express concern about the pace of that integration.