OKTO interview: “Playing differently in a World Cup year as payments reshape iGaming in Latin America” | Yogonet International
Summary
Payments have moved from back-office plumbing to a strategic growth lever for iGaming in Latin America. In an interview at ICE Barcelona, Edward Chandler, Group CEO of OKTO, explains how mobile-first habits, faster networks, and demanding user expectations are forcing operators to prioritise frictionless, localised and personalised payment journeys.
LatAm users are increasingly spontaneous: many decide and act in seconds. Instant methods such as Brazil’s Pix are rising fast, and platforms that don’t offer familiar local options or deliver instant, reliable transactions risk abandonment. The 2026 World Cup will amplify these dynamics: operators must be ready to convert spontaneous, emotionally driven bettors and ensure both deposits and payouts are fast and dependable.
Chandler highlights missed opportunities around personalisation (especially within payments), the need for real-time orchestration and tokenisation, and the long-term necessity of deep localisation, security and responsible design to win in the region by 2030.
Key Points
- Payments are now a frontline product differentiator in LatAm iGaming, not a back-office function.
- Mobile-first, high-end device adoption plus faster 4G/5G networks create a “now-or-never” betting behaviour.
- Speed matters: ~29.4% of users abandon transactions over 30 seconds; 18% expect under five seconds.
- Local payment methods (e.g. Pix) and domestic card enablement are critical to conversion and trust.
- One failed payment can cost a user: 35.3% would stop using a platform after a single poor payment experience.
- World Cup 2026 is a peak moment — platforms must handle surges, simplify low-value bets and ensure quick payouts.
- Personalisation across the payment journey is underused: ~60% of users feel their experience lacks personalisation.
- Winning platforms will focus on intelligent orchestration, localisation, security and responsible personalisation to build lifetime value.
Why should I read this?
Short version: if you care about growing or keeping players in LatAm, this is a must-scan. Payments now make or break first impressions and peak-event conversions — and the World Cup will expose any weak links fast. Read this to avoid the obvious mistakes (no local methods, slow flows, hit-and-miss payouts) and pick up practical priorities: speed, local options, tokenisation and smarter payment data use.
Context and Relevance
This interview matters because Latin America is one of the fastest-growing iGaming markets and its consumers behave differently from mature markets: they favour instant gratification, familiar local payment rails and highly reliable flows. The rise of Pix and mobile-first usage is part of a broader shift toward instant payments and real-time orchestration globally. Operators, payment providers and product teams should treat payment design as central to acquisition, retention and responsible growth strategies.
Author style
Punchy: the piece is direct and market-focused — it cuts to what operators must change now. If you work in product, payments, or ops for LatAm iGaming, the takeaways are immediately actionable and worth prioritising before peak events like the World Cup.
Source
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Article Date: 2026-01-28T07:21:19+00:00
Article URL: https://www.yogonet.com/international/news/2026/01/28/117218-okto-interview-34playing-differently-in-a-world-cup-year-as-payments-reshape-igaming-in-latin-america-34
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