AI will separate the next generation of sportsbook platforms from the rest of the market, according to new FIRST.Bet co-CEO Ian Bradley.
Artificial intelligence will separate the next generation of sportsbook platforms from the rest of the market, according to new FIRST.Bet co-CEO Ian Bradley, who said the supplier is investing heavily in the technology to enhance its offering.
Bradley took on the role in June and is now working alongside founder Tom Light. Despite having only been with the company for a matter of weeks, Bradley has already zoomed in on the importance of AI to future development at FIRST.Bet.
Speaking to NEXT.io, Bradley said as well as more “obvious” applications such as modelling, pricing, and risk, AI’s use and potential in sports betting does not stop at trading.
“AI is changing the whole product lifecycle: how quickly an idea gets to market, how we personalise the experience, and how much operators can extend the platform themselves,” he said.
“AI is accelerating product development across the board, not just in terms of how fast we build, but also in terms of what we are able to build in the first place. That is why it is a serious area of investment for us.
“We already have a dedicated AI team accelerating delivery and building tools internally. Just as importantly, we support our partners in building their own products on top of our SportOS API.
“The businesses that win will be the ones that turn that speed into a real advantage, and that is exactly where we are focused.”
Bradley talks up World Cup opportunity
Bradley also described the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup as the biggest test of a sportsbook platform. He said this was particularly the case given FIRST.Bet’s presence across Latin America.
“For a sportsbook business, the World Cup is the moment everything is judged on,” he said. “It is the biggest event in the calendar, it brings millions of casual bettors in alongside regular players and, for us, given our strength across Latam, it lands right in our core markets. So it matters enormously.”
Bradley said success would not simply be measured by uptime, but by helping operators convert a surge in tournament activity into long-term customer growth.
“The World Cup is both a proving ground and an acquisition moment,” he said. “Get it right, and operators feel the benefit for the rest of the year.”
Why make the move to FIRST.Bet?
Bradley joined the supplier after serving his non-compete following his exit from DraftKings, where he worked for more than six years as senior vice president and managing director of the operator’s B2B segment.
As to why he made the move to FIRST.Bet, Bradley said he was looking for an opportunity to influence an entire business rather than a single product.
“At DraftKings, I built a brilliant team, and together with people across every department, we made a real difference to the product and the margin,” he said. “But my remit there was the sportsbook. What I wanted next was the chance to shape a whole business across product, technology, trading, and commercial.
“So, when Tom and his partners showed me what they had built at FIRST and where they wanted to take it, it was exactly that: strong technology, a strong team, and the room to build on real success. That is what made the move the right one.”