Leonardo Chaves explains how spontaneous betting behavior and payment friction are reshaping platform competitiveness ahead of the World Cup.

As Latin America enters a World Cup year and newly regulated markets such as Brazil gain momentum, player expectations around payments are shifting rapidly. New research from OKTO reveals a region defined by spontaneous betting behavior, low tolerance for friction, and fragile trust, where a single failed transaction can permanently cost an operator a customer. 

In this interview with BNLData, Leonardo Chaves, General Manager Brazil at OKTO, explains how payments have become a strategic differentiator for acquisition, retention, and compliance, and why these themes will be central to discussions at ICE Barcelona.

1. The data shows that more than 40% of users in Latin America gamble in an almost entirely spontaneous way. How does this behavior change the traditional logic of acquisition and retention for iGaming operators?

This is a very telling figure because it shows that iGaming in Latin America is becoming less and less associated with long, planned journeys. The decision to place a bet often happens on impulse, during a break, on a mobile phone, when the user is emotionally engaged with a match. In practice, this drastically reduces tolerance for any kind of friction. It is no coincidence that nearly 30% of respondents said they would abandon a deposit or withdrawal if the transaction was not completed within 30 seconds.

Acquisition is no longer driven only by advertising or bonus offers. It increasingly depends on the platform’s ability to convert intent into action within seconds. Retention, in turn, is no longer built solely through recurring campaigns, but through consistency of experience. If payments work every time, the player comes back. If they fail once, very often there is no second chance.

2. From a payments perspective, what are the main bottlenecks that still prevent a truly instant payment experience in Latin American iGaming?

The bottlenecks are not only related to the speed of the payment method itself, but to the integration of the entire chain. Many operations still rely on payment systems designed for traditional e-commerce, not for real-time betting environments.

Another critical issue is the lack of adaptation to local markets. The preliminary data from our research shows that 58.8% of users consider the payment method decisive when choosing a platform, and 17.6% would not even complete a transaction if their preferred method were unavailable. Instant methods such as Pix in Brazil work extremely well when they are treated as the foundation of the operation, rather than just another option at checkout. When payments fail to keep pace with the user, the platform risks losing not only the transaction, but the player as well.

3. How can payments help build trust in a market that is vulnerable to financial instability? Can a poor experience really cause a user to never return?

The cost of payment friction for platforms is extremely high, and in Brazil, payment is synonymous with trust. A player may tolerate less competitive odds or a simple interface, but delays, failures, or lack of transparency are much harder to accept. The user needs to know how long a transaction will take, what happens if something goes wrong, and whether their funds are protected.

Our study reinforces this point. More than a third of users, 35.3%, said they would stop using a platform permanently after a poor payment experience.

Another key factor is the balance between security and experience. Fraud prevention and KYC processes are essential, but when poorly implemented they create unnecessary blocks and frustration. At OKTO, we focus on layered risk analysis and data-driven decision-making to reduce fraud without penalizing legitimate users. This approach adds a strong element of credibility and becomes a real competitive differentiator for our clients.

4. In a World Cup year and with the Brazilian market newly regulated, what additional pressure does the spike in traffic and new bettors place on payment infrastructures?

Events like the World Cup act as a real stress test for the industry. Transaction volumes surge, peaks are concentrated at specific times, and many users are occasional bettors who are less tolerant of any issues. Even at this early stage, our research indicates that 58.8% of respondents do not plan to bet on the tournament, but admit they might do so if emotionally engaged during the matches. This makes demand far less predictable and more volatile.

The main risks during these periods include processing slowdowns, communication failures with banks and local payment methods, partial system outages, and reconciliation challenges.

To avoid these scenarios, a PSP must operate with active redundancy. Intelligent transaction routing, real load balancing across providers, and clear contingency plans for peak moments are essential. Stress testing ahead of major events and real-time visibility into approval rates and latency are critical to avoid surprises during peak hours.

Part of the market is prepared, especially operators that have already invested in scalability, redundancy, and monitoring. However, many platforms still underestimate the role of payments in this context. In a regulated environment like Brazil, recurring failures also raise compliance concerns and can place operations under scrutiny from regulators and financial partners, creating significant reputational risk.

5. In practice, how can payment data and technologies such as AI be used for personalization without creating regulatory or data protection issues?

Personalization does not need, and should not, violate privacy principles. Payment data, when processed in an aggregated and consent-based manner, provides highly valuable signals about user behavior, preferences, and context.

With AI, operators can identify abandonment patterns, suggest the most appropriate payment method for each user profile, or adjust flows in real time to reduce friction, all while respecting LGPD and local regulations.

The key issue is maturity. Using data responsibly to improve the experience is a competitive advantage. Operators that successfully balance personalization, security, and compliance are the ones truly “Playing Differently” and are more likely to stand out consistently in the iGaming market.

6. ICE Barcelona begins this week and brings together the leading global players in iGaming. How do the findings of this research connect with the discussions expected to gain momentum at the event?

ICE Barcelona takes place at a very symbolic moment for the industry. The research clearly shows that player behavior is changing faster than many operations are able to adapt. When we see that more than 40% of users gamble spontaneously, that nearly 30% abandon transactions when payments take too long, and that trust can be lost after a single negative experience, it becomes clear that the conversation can no longer be limited to product and odds alone.

Events like ICE are essential precisely because they show where the global market is heading and help distinguish real trends from marketing narratives. We will be there to listen to operators, regulators, and partners and to understand how the core pillars of the business are being addressed in more mature markets.

Editor’s note:
The above data has been extracted from the preliminary findings of market research conducted among 600 consumers in Argentina, Brazil, and Chile in January 2026. Full datasets, including responses from B2B respondents (merchants), will be published in due course.