bet365 adds World Cup collectible game via Playbook Fusion
Table of contents
- Playbook Football™ World Cup launches on bet365 across the UK, Brazil and the Netherlands, with a market-exclusive Brazilian version called Seleção365.
- The collectible squad-building title has been one of bet365’s top titles since going live earlier this year.
- The launch arrives as bet365 enters France, Alberta, and expands its US footprint, in a broad push ahead of the World Cup.
Playbook Fusion has launched Playbook Football™ World Cup with bet365, timed to the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup later this month. The release expands an existing partnership under which the original Playbook Football™ title has ranked among bet365’s top titles since going live across the UK, Brazil and the Netherlands earlier this year.
The World Cup is probably the most lucrative commercial window in the sports betting calendar. The tournament draws record handle volumes across global markets and has prompted a wave of product launches from operators seeking to deepen engagement beyond traditional match betting.
For bet365, the Playbook Fusion title adds a persistent, progression-based layer to its gaming portfolio that sits alongside its sportsbook rather than competing with it.
How the game works
Playbook Football™ World Cup gives bet365 customers a squad-building experience structured around the tournament.
Players assemble international squads and complete daily and weekly challenges to earn rewards and International Player Cards, which can also be purchased and unlocked through pack drops. Daily campaigns and content drops are scheduled throughout the competition.
The format is designed to drive daily return visits to bet365 for the duration of the tournament, distinct from standard free-to-play predictors or virtual sports products.
Playbook Fusion, founded in 2024, positions itself at the intersection of sports betting and video game design, with its content live with tier-one operators in the UK, Brazil and Nigeria.
In Brazil, the product launches in a fully rebranded, market-exclusive configuration under the name Seleção365, due to go live shortly after the global release. The bespoke branding shows bet365’s deeper investment in the Brazilian market, one of several territories where the operator has been actively expanding its product portfolio.
What both sides say
Steve Rogers, Founder and CEO, Playbook Fusion, said:
“It’s an exciting milestone to have Playbook Football™ World Cup live as we look forward to the start of the greatest football tournament in the world later this month. Playbook Football™ has already proven its appeal with bet365’s global audience, and we are confident that this new release will tap into the anticipation and energy surrounding this summer’s competition to deliver an unmissable player experience.
“We’re thrilled to be evolving our partnership with bet365 to bring Playbook Football™ World Cup to an international audience and look forward to working with their team on future seasonal events and promotions.”
Paul Cumbo, Head of Gaming, UK and Europe, bet365, said:
“Playbook Football™ World Cup is a strong addition to our gaming portfolio, giving customers a more interactive and progressive way to engage with football during the tournament.
“The product has been well received by our customers across multiple markets and reflects a growing appetite for experiences that go beyond traditional formats. We’re looking forward to seeing how Playbook Fusion continues to evolve the experience with new and engaging features in the future.”
bet365 in expansion mode
The Playbook Fusion launch arrives during one of the most active periods of expansion in bet365’s recent history.
The operator launched its sportsbook in France last week under an ANJ licence, becoming the first major international operator to enter the French market in over a decade and positioning itself to capture World Cup volume from day one. The regulatory clearance had been confirmed in April.
In North America, bet365 entered Alberta’s regulated iGaming registry ahead of the province’s 13 July market launch, adding a second Canadian province to its footprint after Ontario.
It also launched its sportsbook and casino in Michigan in April, its 17th US jurisdiction. In a separate operational change, the operator ended credit card deposits across all US markets from 13 April, requiring customers to fund accounts via debit card or Apple Pay.
Football is the most bet-on sport globally, and major tournaments consistently generate handle spikes that can define an operator’s annual performance.
For suppliers, securing placement inside a global operator’s portfolio ahead of a World Cup is among the most valuable positions available. For Playbook Fusion, the partnership delivers that reach across multiple regulated markets simultaneously.
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