Kambi Declares AI-Traded World Cup a Success, Explores Prediction Market Entry
Kambi declared its first entirely AI-traded FIFA World Cup a success on Wednesday, reporting that its automated system priced, managed, and settled markets across all 104 matches without manual intervention. The result completed a commitment the company made in April, when AI was handling 60% of bets across its network.
Kambi’s Turnkey Sportsbook partners processed more than $1.14 billion in tournament stakes and over 100 million bets, recording an 18% operator trading margin. The platform recorded no downtime, and average turnover per match rose approximately 20% from 2022. Live Bet Builder products accounted for 22% of live bets, up from 3% during the 2022 tournament, while Bet Builders represented 35% of all pre-match and live bets.
Kambi reported Q2 revenue of $52.3 million, up 13.5% year over year, while adjusted EBITA more than doubled to $8.7 million. The company raised its full-year adjusted EBITA guidance following the tournament.
Kambi is now evaluating prediction-market entry, including partnerships and an internally developed product. However, CEO Werner Becher said licensing risks prevent an immediate US launch, as the company holds licenses in more than 70 jurisdictions. Becher noted that prediction markets took close to 30% of US sports-betting volume during the tournament, but tied that share to states without legal sportsbooks. He said Kambi would serve partners if prediction markets receive clear legal and licensing recognition in the US.
The exploration comes after the World Cup drove prediction-market volume to a $44.8 billion monthly record in June and sportsbook operators launched proprietary exchanges. Kambi could enter as a technology and trading supplier rather than building a consumer-facing exchange.