“In 2026, BETBY will continue expanding in Latin America, as well as increase its focus on Asia”

As 2025 comes to a close, global sportsbook software provider BETBY is closing the year following a period of expansion and product development. Over the past 12 months, the company focused on select regions and continued developing its sportsbook and esports offerings.

During the year, BETBY entered newly regulated markets in Latin America, securing GLI-33 certification and obtaining licenses in Brazil and Peru, where it was among the first licensed providers. The company also expanded its esports portfolio, introduced additional AI-driven features, and opened a new office in Athens.

In an exclusive interview with Yogonet, Juan Pablo Barahona, LATAM Regional Director at BETBY, reflects on a year that saw the supplier strengthen its footprint in key regions, achieve major licensing milestones in Latin America, and reinforce its brand positioning through high-profile initiatives and partnerships.

Looking back at 2025, how would you assess the year for the company? What are some of the major takeaways/highlights, achievements, or lessons learned over the past year?

2025 was a very positive year for BETBY. We grew in the right regions, innovated by launching several industry-first products, and our work with Magnus Carlsen helped elevate the brand and how the industry perceives us.

Starting with our strategic expansion plan, Latin America was a big focus. We secured GLI-33 certification and obtained licenses in Brazil and Peru, being among the first licensed providers in Brazil. It was a milestone for us, and it showed how far we’ve come. To support the region properly, we also built a local team across account management, sales, and integrations, led by me. In Europe, we opened a new office in Athens, which strengthened our presence there.

On the product side, our esports offering grew with several new, localized titles, and our AI-driven features expanded into new areas like entertainment markets and betting tips. One thing we learned this year is that innovation works best when it keeps things simple for operators and improves the experience for bettors, so that’s exactly what we tried to do.

Besides that, our work with Magnus Carlsen was another highlight. The second phase of our global campaign, “Leaders Choose Leaders”, helped us connect with the industry in a more creative way, and his presence at ICE Barcelona and NEXT Valletta earlier this year created a moment that people in the industry genuinely paid attention to.

Overall, 2025 showed us that growth comes from staying close to our partners, listening to what they really need, and delivering in a way they can rely on every day.

Which issues and trends would you say dominated the conversation this year? Any specific trends, markets, or technologies that you believe will drive change in 2026?

Three topics were everywhere this year: Bet Builders, AI, and esports. Operators want more flexible combinations in Bet Builders, they want AI to simplify UX and daily operations, and they want new forms of content, especially around esports and always-on engagement like e-sims.

Looking at 2026, AI will definitely stay at the centre of the discussion, whether it’s for personalising the sportsbook experience, generating smarter betting tips, or helping operators manage risk much more efficiently. Europe is rolling out its first AI regulation, the EU AI Act, and the technology itself is advancing quickly. It will influence everything: trading, personalisation, content creation, and even safer gambling.

When it comes to specific markets, Latin America will continue to be a very active region. After the progress in Brazil and Peru, other countries are moving in the same direction. Chile is debating an online gambling law, Uruguay is studying a licensing model, and in Mexico, the conversation around updating regulation is resurfacing. The region is clearly gaining momentum.

In esports, the three big titles — Counter-Strike, League of Legends, and Valorant — will remain dominant, but mobile games like Free Fire, a battle-royale shooter, are rising fast. Another interesting trend is co-streaming, where creators collaborate with game publishers and tournament organizers to broadcast events for their audiences. It’s changing how younger fans watch and engage with competitions.

What can we expect from the company in 2026? What are the main challenges and opportunities you see in the gaming industry in the upcoming 12-month period?

In 2026, BETBY will continue expanding in Latin America, as well as increase its focus on Asia. These regions offer big opportunities for operators willing to localise their products and for suppliers that can support them with flexible, scalable technology, something BETBY is prepared to do.

Apart from that, we will also keep growing our team. This is actually one of the biggest challenges in the industry: finding people with the right experience. iGaming talent is still limited globally, so building strong teams requires a lot of effort and patience.

Product-wise, our direction is clear: launch more localized, user-friendly features and improve what we already have. Our esports vertical, which already accounts for around 15% of our total GGR, will continue expanding. And our investment in AI will keep increasing, because it helps both us and our partners to reduce workload while improving risk management and personalisation in terms of accuracy and speed.

More broadly, the challenge for the whole industry is balancing innovation with stability. Operators want new features, but also reliability and fast delivery. The companies that can do both at the same time, and build products that add real value to the end user will have a competitive edge next year.