Fernando Mora, Sportradar: “The industry is moving from expansion to optimisation, and execution will define the next phase”
Fernando Mora, Business Development Executive, iGaming at Sportradar Brazil, outlines the company’s vision for ICE Barcelona 2026, highlighting its growing focus on igaming and the role of AI-driven personalisation in shaping sustainable, data-led growth.
Exclusive interview.- As ICE Barcelona 2026 approaches, Sportradar is set to showcase a significantly evolved proposition that reflects both the maturity of the global gaming industry and the company’s strategic expansion beyond sports betting. In this interview with Focus Gaming News, Fernando Mora, business development executive, igaming at Sportradar Brazil, discusses what attendees can expect from the company’s dual-format booth, the increasing convergence of sportsbook and casino environments, and the shift from rapid market expansion toward optimisation and execution. Mora also shares insights on the integration of IMG ARENA, the monetisation of premium sports content, and how artificial intelligence is enabling hyper-personalised, efficient and responsible player experiences across verticals.
What can attendees expect to see at Sportradar’s booth during ICE Barcelona 2026?
At ICE Barcelona 2026, Sportradar will present a presence that reflects the evolution of its business and its growing focus on igaming alongside sports betting. For the first time, the company will feature two complementary booth formats: one highlighting its broader technology and content ecosystem, and a dedicated space focused specifically on Gaming and igaming solutions.
This dedicated area will demonstrate how Sportradar supports operators across marketing, player engagement, retention and casino personalisation, while also highlighting its roadmap for game development. Attendees will see how Sportradar is investing in the creation of new casino games, including customised and client-specific experiences designed to meet operators’ individual needs.
Visitors will also experience how data, analytics and technology are applied to create more cohesive and engaging casino environments that are seamlessly connected with sportsbook journeys. ICE provides an ideal platform to illustrate how these integrated capabilities help operators improve efficiency, differentiate their propositions and generate long-term value across verticals.
What do you believe will be the dominant themes or topics driving the conversation across the exhibition floor at ICE Barcelona 2026?
From Sportradar’s perspective, ICE Barcelona 2026 will reflect an industry that is moving from expansion to optimisation, particularly within igaming. While market entry and regulatory discussions remain relevant, the focus is increasingly on execution: how operators can scale efficiently, remain compliant and build sustainable business models in highly competitive environments.
As competition intensifies, attention is shifting toward the practical application of technology and content to drive measurable value. Personalisation, automation and real-time decision-making are becoming core requirements, enabling operators to improve engagement, retention and player lifetime value. The ability to transform data into actionable insights, supporting smarter CRM activation, tailored content and optimised player journeys, will define success in the next phase of market maturity.
“Personalisation, automation and real-time decision-making are becoming core requirements, enabling operators to improve engagement, retention and player lifetime value.”
Fernando Mora, business development executive, igaming, Sportradar Brazil.
Last November, Sportradar completed the acquisition of IMG ARENA. How will the integration of this premium content portfolio be demonstrated at ICE Barcelona 2026, and what new content-driven products or features are being prioritised for 2026?
The acquisition of IMG ARENA represents a strategic milestone for Sportradar, significantly strengthening its premium sports content portfolio and reinforcing its position at the intersection of data, media and betting. At ICE Barcelona 2026, this integration will be demonstrated through how high-quality sports rights are combined with Sportradar’s technology and global distribution capabilities.
Rather than positioning content as a standalone asset, the focus is on converting premium rights into differentiated, monetisable products. This includes enriching live and in-play experiences, expanding micro-market offerings and enabling operators to activate content more effectively across multiple touchpoints — from odds and streaming to fan engagement tools.
Looking ahead to 2026, priorities centre on extracting greater value from this content through deeper automation, more sophisticated data layering and increasingly personalised user experiences. By embedding IMG ARENA’s rights within its broader ecosystem, Sportradar is creating a more connected and efficient model that supports engagement, performance optimisation and sustainable growth at scale.
How is Sportradar leveraging new technologies, like AI, to move beyond simple data delivery towards creating the hyper-personalised experiences that modern players demand?
Artificial intelligence is enabling Sportradar to move beyond data delivery and toward orchestrating intelligent, personalised experiences across sportsbook and igaming environments. Today, innovation is defined not by the volume of data, but by the ability to interpret and apply it in real time to create meaningful engagement.
Through machine learning, advanced analytics and automation, live sports and player interaction data are transformed into actionable insights. This allows operators to act faster, engage players more intelligently and deliver highly tailored experiences, from personalised content recommendations and dynamic game positioning to more effective CRM activation and smoother cross-vertical journeys.
AI also plays a critical role in performance optimisation and operational efficiency. Real-time decision-making supports faster content activation, more responsive player experiences and improved risk management, ensuring personalisation is delivered responsibly, at scale, and in line with transparency, integrity and long-term sustainability.
“Today, innovation is defined not by the volume of data, but by the ability to interpret and apply it in real time to create meaningful engagement.”
Fernando Mora, business development executive, igaming, Sportradar Brazil.
Following ICE Barcelona 2026, what are your strategic priorities for the first half of the year?
ICE Barcelona is a major milestone in the global gaming calendar and an important moment for industry dialogue, alignment and visibility. For Sportradar, the first half of the year is firmly focused on execution, scale and value creation.
Building on our expansion into adjacent sectors, igaming remains a natural and highly scalable evolution of the business. From the perspective of igaming, my area of responsibility, a key priority for 2026 is advancing the roadmap, with a strong emphasis on the development of new games, including customised and client-specific solutions tailored to operators’ needs.
By combining sports data, technology, analytics and content, Sportradar continues to build more integrated sportsbook and casino journeys, supporting personalisation, operational efficiency and sustainable growth as regulated markets mature.
