DATA.BET's Peter Ivanov on Virtual Sports in Latin America and Esports in Africa

Peter Ivanov, the Head of Product (Trading Stream) at DATA.BET, has been at the forefront of strengthening the company's virtual sports offering, with a recent push into Latin America. He discusses why virtual sports requests come from regulated markets first, how the company rebuilt its bot-vs-bot virtual football for Latin America, and the unique advantages that game-engine fixtures bring to the table.

Ivanov explains that regulation in markets like Brazil strips away tools operators used to compete with, leaving content as the key differentiator. This is why virtual sports requests come from regulated markets first; operators need better content to compete. DATA.BET customized its bot-vs-bot virtual football for Latin America, focusing on teams, leagues, and playing patterns that matter to that audience, such as Brazil's top-tier league and South America's premier club tournament.

One of the main appeals of virtual sports is the controlled nature of the product. Virtual sports fixtures are actually played out in game-engine, with no players or team news to influence the outcome. This addresses concerns about manipulation in traditional sports and esports, while maintaining the same level of entertainment for players. Virtual sports also fills the gap in sports betting during off-peak hours or between seasons, running at volume with fixtures scheduling themselves, prices coming off the engine, and settlement happening on its own. This automation ensures consistent performance, with turnover growing 2.5x year on year in DATA.BET's portfolio throughout 2025.