This June, the United States, Canada and Mexico will host the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
For sportsbooks, it marks the biggest betting moment the Americas have ever seen, as millions of casual fans tune in alongside seasoned bettors.
Latin America has long been defined by its deep-rooted passion for football, with 72% of the region actively interested in the sport. Now, that same momentum is accelerating across North America, where football (soccer) has become the third most-watched sport in the region.
For sportsbooks, this growing and passionate audience presents a major commercial opportunity. A 2026 industry report found that 62% of respondents plan to wager on the World Cup, with 29% placing their first bet, signalling both record handle potential and a rare chance to engage new players.
That’s where SBC Summit Americas comes in.
Across two days of conference content, the event will deliver World Cup-focused and adjacent sessions designed to help sportsbooks refine their product, marketing and trading strategies ahead of kick-off.
Below, we highlight the most essential sportsbook panels our event attendees should prioritise as they prepare for football’s biggest betting moment.
A Brief Look at the 2022 World Cup
When it comes to preparing for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the 2022 tournament provides a crucial reference point.
- More than 20 million Americans placed bets on the 2022 World Cup, generating an estimated $1.8 billion in wagers.
- Colombia’s average daily betting spend rose by 84% during the 2022 World Cup, increasing from $649k pre-tournament to $1.19m.
- A staggering 82% of Brazilian intended to bet on the 2022 World Cup.
- OpenBet recorded 12 million bets placed on USA fixtures alone, accounting for approximately $100 million in stakes.
- 78% of bettors said it was important to wager legally, underlining growing consumer demand for regulated markets.
- The tournament proved effective at attracting younger audiences, with 14% of Millennials and 11% of Gen Z placing bets during the World Cup.
What Does This Mean for 2026?
The 2022 data indicated a playerbase that is both enthusiastic and ready to bet, and as we prepare for the 2026 edition, the landscape across the Americas has only improved.
Football’s popularity is at an all-time high, the number of regulated sports betting markets in North America has grown from 32 to 38, and key Latin American jurisdictions, such as Brazil and Peru, have reached full regulation. Added to this, the 2026 World Cup’s regional hosting removes the time zone challenges that previously limited engagement.
Growth, Player Retention and Sportsbook Integrity
A recent report suggests that 70% of fans plan to wager online during the World Cup, while 37% expect to bet more than usual. In host markets such as the United States, that figure rises to 51%, underlining the opportunity for local engagement.
However, while demand is rising, these figures also point to increasing operational pressure.
Higher betting volumes leave less room for error, and with millions of potential bettors in play, sportsbooks must be fully prepared, not only to acquire players but to convert them into long-term, loyal customers.
SBC Summit Americas will feature a series of panels designed to help sportsbooks drive sustainable growth while remaining compliant, protecting both brand reputation and the integrity of football itself.
World Cup 2026: Turning the Global Stage into Long-Term Growth
Day One | 15:50-16:30 | Leaders Stage
Exploring how intuitive product design and long-term marketing strategies can turn first-time bettors into high-value, lifetime players.
What it means for your sportsbook:
- Learn how to convert first-time bettors into long-term customers.
- Build marketing strategies that transition players into domestic leagues and post-World Cup events.
- Understand how to balance short-term spikes with long-term value.
- Explore approaches that resonate across the US, Canada and Mexico while remaining locally relevant.
Why it matters: With an influx of bet-ready players at your disposal, you’ll walk away with practical strategies on how to turn first-time bettors into lifelong players, helping your sportsbook maximize lifetime value beyond the tournament.
Lines, Limits, and Loopholes: Protecting the Future of Sports Wagering
Day One | 12:00–12:40 | North America Sports Betting & Casino
An in-depth look at how operators, leagues and regulators are collaborating to protect the integrity of sports wagering as legal betting expands across the Americas.
What it means for your sportsbook:
- Learn how real-time monitoring and cross-industry collaboration help identify criminal behaviour.
- Understand best practices for reporting irregular betting patterns and enhance relationships with regulators and governing bodies.
- Explore the role of education in preventing integrity breaches and reinforcing responsible betting behaviours.
- See how proactive integrity measures strengthen player confidence, partner relationships and brand credibility.
Why it matters: As betting and sports become ever more integrated, you’ll gain a clearer understanding of how to strengthen integrity processes, form strong relationships with leagues and regulators and protect the integrity of both sports and sportsbooks.
Confirmed speakers:
- Luke Pergande (Founder & CEO, PropSwap)
- Tony J. Amormino (Chief Executive Officer, Apache Nugget Corporation)
- Mark Hicks (Managing Director, NCAA)
Marketing at Scale: Reaching Fans Wherever the Game Is Played
When the World Cup kicks off in 2026, sportsbooks will be marketing to one of the largest and most emotionally engaged audiences in global sport.
During the 2022 tournament, UK broadcasts alone featured 176 gambling adverts across just 30 matches, averaging nearly six per game.
At the same time, the marketing battleground has expanded far beyond traditional TV. In 2025, social media reached 5.44 billion users worldwide, with platforms like Instagram and TikTok offering sportsbooks unprecedented access to fans before, during, and after every match.
Operators now have the tools to build 24/7 campaigns that blend entertainment, brand storytelling, and real-time engagement at a global scale.
That’s why SBC Summit Americas will host a series of marketing panels designed to help sportsbooks choose the right channels whilst remaining compliant.
Emerging Channels and Formats: Diversifying Your Output
Day Two | 14:40–15:20 | Latin America Marketing & Affiliates
As the World Cup drives unprecedented levels of attention across the Americas, this session explores how marketing is moving beyond traditional platforms, embracing social media, mobile-first platforms and niche content that builds trust and drives engagement.
Why it matters: While this session is not directly focused on the World Cup, its insights are highly applicable in a tournament context. With the tournament set to dominate social feeds and mobile screens across Latin America and beyond, sportsbooks that master emerging channels will be best positioned to turn short-term interest into long-term player acquisition and growth.
Ad Limits, Ad Pressure: Finding the Balance in Betting Promotion
Day One | 15:50–16:30 | North America Sports Betting & Casino
This session examines how advertising rules are evolving across the US and Canada, and the impact of tightened regulations on creating engaging World Cup marketing campaigns.
Why it matters: As sportsbooks balance a surge in World Cup bettors with tighter restrictions on traditional ‘bet now’ promotions, this session offers guidance on building engaging, compliant World Cup campaigns that optimise marketing spend.
Payments Under Pressure: Building Trust at World Cup Scale
During high-intensity betting periods like the World Cup, the payments journey becomes a critical performance factor.
Spikes in traffic, first-time bettors and in-play activity place immense pressure on payment systems, and even minor friction can result in failed deposits, abandoned sessions and lost revenue.
For sportsbooks looking to thrive during the World Cup, ensuring a fast, seamless and reliable payment journey is non-negotiable.
SBC Summit Americas will address this challenge through a selection of targeted payments-focused panels designed to help operators assess readiness, identify vulnerabilities and optimise their payment stack ahead of kick-off.
The Future of Payment Personalisation: Should Players Choose How They Pay?
Day Two | 15:50–16:30 | North America Payments & Tech
This panel breaks down how operators can incorporate personalisation and faster payment journeys to instil loyalty without encouraging harmful spending.
Why it matters: You’ll learn how to streamline payment journeys during peak World Cup demand while maintaining regulatory compliance and responsible gambling standards.
Emerging Payment Methods: Biometrics, BNPL, Open Banking & More…
Day Two | 13:40–14:20 | North America Payments & Tech
An in-depth look at the latest technology shaping the American payments landscape, and how operators can build transparent and compliant payment journeys that are fit for the future.
Why it matters: You’ll walk away with clarity on which emerging payment technologies can enhance your platform and how to adopt them without compromising compliance or player trust.
Final Thoughts
As the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaches, sportsbooks across the Americas face a rare opportunity to acquire, engage and retain a new wave of players at scale. From marketing and integrity to payments and product design, success will depend on how well operators prepare for demand, scrutiny and shifting player behaviour.
SBC Summit Americas brings these critical conversations together under one roof, offering practical insights and real-world strategies to help sportsbooks turn World Cup momentum into long-term growth.
