With ICE Barcelona 2026 (19–21 January) approaching, OKTO outlines how payment infrastructure is redefining performance in regulated, high-volume iGaming markets. New research from the next-gen Payment Service Provider indicates that the rapid growth and convenience of betting and other online platforms across Latin America has shifted consumer expectations toward a more secure, personalized, and instantaneous service.
According to the preliminary findings* of research conducted across consumers of iGaming, trading and other online services in Latin America, 41.2% describe their online gaming and consuming behaviour as ‘almost exclusively spontaneous’ (ie. unplanned); a reality that has dramatically increased expectations in terms of platform experience. 29.4% respondents would simply abandon a transaction if a deposit or withdrawal was not completed within 30 seconds, while 17.6% expect ‘near instant’ completion in under five seconds.
Payment flexibility also plays a decisive role in platform choice. The findings reveal that 58.8% respondents consider their payment method crucial, while 17.6% would not consider a transaction unless their preferred method were available. Other player priorities initiated by the research include: best odds and gaming options (35.3%), confidence in the brand in terms of compliance and transparency (23.5%), and overall user experience (11.8%).
As record numbers of Latin Americans engage with digital commerce, gaming and sports betting this World Cup year, the cost of failing to meet user expectations has never been higher. In the event of an incomplete transaction, 17.6% respondents would either desist completely or switch to an alternative platform, while 35.5% would cease to use the original platform in the future.
“Our preliminary survey findings are shedding some really important insights into how people are looking to ‘Play Differently’ regarding digital transactions,” explains Edward Chandler, Global CEO for OKTO. “The window for capturing and maintaining a user’s interest is growing smaller, which means precision and trust become some of the most valuable assets in digital commerce. With transactions becoming increasingly ‘spur of the moment’, and the cost of a poor experience being terminal (many players will never return to the platform), the importance of a seamless, prompt user experience has never been more critical.”
Interestingly, in a World Cup Year, if choosing to bet on a match, respondents displayed their patriotism: 35.3% would bet on their national side irrespective of the odds, compared to 23.5% who would carefully study the statistics before deciding, and 5.9% who would choose a team entirely at random. It is also likely to be a World Cup of ‘occasional’ gamblers; 58.8% respondents admit that, while having no plans to bet on this year’s event, they would certainly place a bet ‘if they felt inspired’ during the tournament.
With full multi-country survey results set for release shortly, OKTO has already noticed three critical areas that define the modern Latin American user: spontaneous engagement, fragile trust, and the personalization gap.
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Spontaneous engagement: OKTO’s data reveals a significant proportion of users now transact spontaneously — often while multi-tasking or traveling. This coincides with research from EBANX, which found that mobile-first, instant payment methods like Brazil’s Pix are growing at 35% annually – specifically because they meet the population’s increasing demand for speed and convenience.
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Fragile trust: In Latin America, trust – especially when dealing with financial matters – remains scarce. OKTO has already seen from their survey findings that one negative experience is often enough for a user to switch platforms permanently. This ‘high friction-low trust’ environment was also found in MDPI’s research, which notes that 52% of people in the region report little to no confidence in the financial system.
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The personalisation gap: Finally, OKTO has found that while users crave tailored experiences, many feel underserved. A recent global Mastercard report also revealed that while 67% of e-commerce organizations prioritize personalization, only 35% have a cohesive strategy in place. Mundo do Marketing in Brazil reported that personalization in apps increases purchase intent for 59% of Brazilians.
Chandler comments, “This demonstrates the opportunity for merchants to apply latest trends and insights at the infrastructure level, turning payments into a controllable, predictable engine for performance rather than a source of friction or risk.”
In 2026, the stakes for getting payments right have never been higher. Latin America has a record eight nations qualifying for the World Cup – Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, and Uruguay. On top of that, the newly regulated betting market in Brazil is expected to be responsible for 10% of all bets placed on the World Cup this year.
“As the region prepares for this historic event, merchants must keep up with a population that is playing differently,” He concludes. “With our new report coming out soon, we hope to show that redefining the payment experience from a routine transaction into a genuine differentiator is how brands will win in this complex market.”
OKTO will be showcasing this approach at ICE Barcelona 2026 (19–21 January, Fira Barcelona Gran Via), where the team will meet with iGaming operators to discuss how payment performance directly impacts conversion, liquidity, and player trust in regulated, high-volume markets. Visitors can find OKTO at the Clarion Lounge (2A40 & 2A70) to explore how AI-native, precision-engineered payment infrastructure performs in live iGaming environments.
