The 2026 World Cup will be jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, marking a significant reformative event for the sports betting industry, especially for Codere Online, which has deep roots in Latin America.
Alberto Telias, the Chief Marketing Officer of the company, shared valuable insights in a recent interview, discussing strategies for multi-country operations and how to retain new users, which are particularly practical for those in the betting industry and can help avoid many pitfalls.
Codere Online currently focuses on five core markets—Mexico, Panama, Colombia, Argentina, and Spain—all of which have national teams participating in the tournament. Telias mentioned that this means running five different marketing strategies simultaneously during the event, launching products adapted to each locale.
🔴The World Cup, occurring only once every four years, presents a short-term traffic surge that operators can leverage to benefit from new exposure and users, sustaining profits over the subsequent four years.
Compared to the 2022 Qatar World Cup, Codere has already established a strong foothold in markets like Mexico, with more refined products. In the first quarter of this year, Codere's net gaming revenue reached 64.4 million euros, a 13% increase from the previous year, setting a new quarterly record, with a significant contribution from Mexico, where active user numbers increased by 20%.
⚽️Localized approaches, treating each market individually
Codere's marketing strategy firmly avoids a one-size-fits-all approach. For example, in Mexico, for first-time casual bettors, they have organized gamified activities, such as collecting team jerseys or props, making it more interesting and accessible for newcomers.
In Spain, Argentina, Colombia, and Panama, they also adjust their strategies based on local brand positioning and consumer demands.
Telias emphasizes that this market-specific approach has been proven effective over the past eight years and will continue during and after the World Cup. For practitioners, investing deeply and customizing offerings in new markets provides confidence during international expansion. In terms of business operations, gambling taxes in Mexico and VAT on deposits in Colombia pose significant challenges to the industry. Telias candidly states that for established players like Codere, these issues must be resolved before the World Cup.
Before this high-traffic period, it is crucial to streamline internal costs and profit models. Only by preparing calculations in advance can one avoid being hindered by regulatory or other marketing issues. Otherwise, one might find that although traffic increases post-World Cup, profits do not follow.
⚽️Retention is crucial; it's vital to keep new users engaged.
The influx of new users during this World Cup, many of whom may be new to sports betting, converting this traffic into long-term users is key. Telias, having experienced four World Cups and seen extensive data, specifically points out the reactivation phase after the matches as the real test of skill.
On one hand, there is a need to meticulously maintain the database of new users acquired through the World Cup, using targeted activities to reduce their churn; on the other hand, it's also essential to continually offer fresh features to keep regular users engaged, ensuring the platform always feels innovative.
Thus, the budget cannot be solely spent on acquisition; significant effort must also be dedicated to personalized promotions and ongoing operational activities to significantly enhance retention rates.
Looking at the bigger picture, the 2026 World Cup provides a collective exposure opportunity for the entire Latin American betting industry and even the global betting industry. Industry data indicates that the global betting amount for this World Cup is expected to exceed 50 billion USD, a significant increase from the 35 billion USD during the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
Codere's practical experience shows that success lies in turning the event's benefits into long-term brand accumulation and user base development.
By sticking to deep localized operations, preparing for external impacts in advance, balancing new and old users, designing specific guidance for newcomers, and focusing on post-event retention as a strategic priority, one can lay out plans for reactivation.
The World Cup will eventually pass, but the user habits and brand recognition accumulated during it will continue to play a role over the next four years. Codere Online has proven through its actions that a prepared operator can always turn each traffic event into a stepping stone for corporate development.
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