Can conversational betting become iGaming’s next growth channel? BetCris thinks so
For years, the online betting industry has focused on optimising the same customer journey. Better websites, better mobile apps, faster navigation, fewer clicks.
Yet despite continuous improvements, the fundamental experience has remained largely unchanged: customers still need to know where to go, what market to select and how to navigate increasingly complex sportsbook interfaces.
BetCris believes that model is beginning to change.
This week, the operator launched its new conversational sportsbook experience on WhatsApp, powered by ChatBet and integrated through the Plannatech platform, allowing customers to discover markets, ask questions, receive personalised recommendations and place bets naturally through text or voice.
While the launch introduces a new customer interface, its commercial implications may prove even more significant.
For operators, conversation isn’t simply another engagement channel.
It could become the industry’s richest source of customer intent.
Clicks tell you where customers went. Conversations tell you what they wanted
Traditional digital channels measure behaviour.
Conversation measures intent.
Every question, every request and every interaction provides operators with first-party insights into what customers are thinking before they place a bet.
“Who should I back tonight?”
“Give me something on Liga MX.”
“I only want low-risk bets today.”
“Build me a 300 peso accumulator.”
Those aren’t clicks. They’re signals โ signals that can power better recommendations, smarter CRM journeys, more relevant promotions and significantly more personalised customer experiences.
As third-party cookies disappear and operators increasingly compete on first-party data, conversational interfaces may offer something previous channels never could: understanding why customers behave the way they do โ not simply recording what they clicked.
A new acquisition and retention model
Conversation also changes how operators think about acquisition.
Rather than driving customers into an app before value is created, conversational experiences begin delivering value immediately.
Players can ask questions, explore markets, discuss matches, compare statistics, learn betting terminology or simply talk about football before deciding whether to place a bet.
That changes the role of the sportsbook.
Instead of being somewhere customers visit only to transact, it becomes a sports companion they return to throughout the day.
The result is longer engagement, richer customer relationships and more opportunities to convert intent into wagering over time.
For operators focused on customer lifetime value rather than short-term conversion, the commercial opportunity is substantial.
Why Latin America is leading
There may be no better region to launch conversational betting than Latin America.
Messaging has become the default way consumers interact with businesses, from banking and retail to travel and customer support.
WhatsApp already sits at the centre of daily communication across the region.
Rather than asking customers to leave those conversations and enter another application, BetCris is bringing the sportsbook directly into that environment.
The experience has been developed specifically for Spanish-speaking audiences by native Spanish-speaking AI specialists and product teams who understand regional football culture, slang, abbreviations and natural language.
Whether customers write formally, mix English and Spanish or send voice notes during live matches, the platform is designed to understand betting intent the way customers naturally express it.
‘We’re investing in relationships, not just transactions‘
Betcris Automation Supervisor Hazel Zuรฑiga Gutierrez said the launch is intended to shift its relationship with customers beyond simply facilitating bets.
“The most exciting part of this launch isn’t that customers can place bets through WhatsApp,โ Gutierrez explained. โIt’s that we’re creating a completely different relationship with our players.
“Customers don’t only want to bet. They want to ask questions, compare opinions, understand markets and talk about sport. By giving them a conversational experience, we’re creating value before, during and after every bet.
“That has the potential to change how operators think about engagement. Instead of measuring sessions, we can begin measuring conversations. Instead of simply acquiring customers, we’re building ongoing relationships with them.”
‘Innovation only matters if operators can deploy it quickly‘
As the technology partner behind the launch, Plannatech said the conversational interface was designed to integrate with BetCris’ existing platform rather than replace it.
“Operators are under constant pressure to innovate, but innovation needs to fit within existing commercial realities,โ said Sean Hulse, head of product at Plannatech.
“One of the strengths of this project was proving that conversational experiences don’t require operators to replace their sportsbook platform. Through open architecture and seamless integration, BetCris was able to introduce an entirely new customer interface while continuing to leverage its existing technology stack.”
“As AI becomes more deeply embedded within iGaming, platforms will increasingly be judged not only by what they provide themselves, but by how easily they enable operators to adopt the next generation of products.”
‘Conversation is becoming the new customer journey‘
ChatBet co-founder and CEO Josh Swerdlow believes conversational AI will become an increasingly important differentiator for operators as customer expectations continue to evolve.
“For years, operators have optimised clicks, funnels and conversion journeys,โ he commented. โWe believe the next competitive advantage won’t be measured in clicks, it will be measured in conversations.
“Every conversation tells an operator something traditional interfaces never could: what the customer actually wanted. That’s incredibly valuable because intent is the foundation of personalisation.
“Consumers already expect conversational experiences from companies like OpenAI, Google and Apple. They won’t lower those expectations when they open a sportsbook. They’ll expect exactly the same simplicity, intelligence and natural interaction.
“For us, the opportunity isn’t simply conversational betting. It’s conversational CRM, conversational acquisition, conversational retention and conversational gaming. We believe conversation will become the primary relationship between operators and players over the next decade.”
The next commercial battleground
Every major innovation in online betting has eventually become standard, whether that is live betting, cash out, streaming, mobile or personalisation.
Conversational betting may follow the same path.
The question is no longer whether AI will become part of the sportsbook. The bigger question is whether conversation becomes the new customer journey.
If it does, the operators that learn to build relationships, not simply transactions, may define the next generation of iGaming.
About BetCris
BetCris is one of Latin America’s leading regulated sports betting and online gaming operators, serving customers across multiple markets with a reputation for innovation, trust and customer experience. The company continues to invest in technologies that simplify, personalise and enhance how players engage with sport and entertainment.
About Plannatech
Plannatech is a sportsbook and casino technology provider delivering scalable, flexible and fully managed sportsbook solutions to regulated operators worldwide. Its platform enables operators to launch innovative betting experiences while integrating seamlessly with leading third-party technologies.
About ChatBet
ChatBet is the company behind the conversational sportsbook.
Purpose-built for regulated iGaming operators, ChatBet transforms messaging platforms such as WhatsApp into intelligent sportsbook and gaming experiences powered by more than 100 specialised AI agents.
Built by multilingual teams with deep expertise across Latin America, ChatBet understands regional language, football culture, slang, abbreviations and natural player behaviour, enabling operators to acquire, engage and retain customers through conversations that feel genuinely local.