Betsson Establishes Malta-Based Foundation to Coordinate Global Charitable Initiatives

Betsson Group has established a Malta-incorporated foundation designed to unify and expand its charitable activities across its global operating footprint. The move represents a structural shift in how the Stockholm-listed operator approaches corporate social responsibility, replacing a historically fragmented model of ad-hoc initiatives with a coordinated framework intended to generate longer-term community impact.

The foundation will serve as a central hub for Betsson's existing charitable, community, and sports-related projects while creating infrastructure to develop new initiatives and replicate successful programs across multiple markets. According to Jesper Svensson, Betsson Operations CEO, the foundation strengthens the company's ability to leverage its sports partnerships and athlete relationships to support community objectives. The operator has emphasized that sport will remain a strategic focus area for foundation activities.

One of the foundation's flagship early initiatives is Boosting Up, a five-year program operating in Peru that combines football engagement with English-language education and nutritional support for 22 children in Lima. The project reflects Betsson's deepening commitment to Latin America, a region that has become the company's largest by revenue. In its Q2 2026 results, Betsson reported that Latin American revenues rose 32 percent year-on-year to EUR 112 million, underscoring the strategic importance of that geography to the operator's growth profile.

Betsson's historical involvement in Peru includes sponsorship of the country's top-tier football league between 2021 and 2023 and recent partnerships with the Peruvian Volleyball Federation. The operator also conducted major market campaigns in Chile before that country implemented an online betting ban in 2023. The foundation model allows Betsson to maintain and deepen these relationships while developing scalable community programs that can extend into additional markets.

Jonna Danlund, Betsson's director of ESG, stated that the foundation will prioritize developing sustained partnerships rather than one-off charitable activities. This represents a notable philosophical shift toward impact measurement and relationship continuity, aligning with broader industry trends toward formalized responsible gambling and community engagement frameworks.

The foundation operates as a legally separate entity from Betsson Group and incorporates a governance structure including a Board of Administrators and Supervisory Council. This separation provides institutional oversight and accountability mechanisms for charitable activities and spending. The structure also potentially offers the operator regulatory clarity in markets where charitable activities and gambling licensing intersect.

From an industry perspective, Betsson's foundation launch reflects a maturing operator approach to community engagement and corporate responsibility. As operators expand into regulated markets globally, particularly in Latin America and other emerging jurisdictions, formalizing charitable commitments through independent foundations has become an increasingly common strategy for demonstrating long-term local commitment and building stakeholder relationships. The move also allows operators to coordinate ESG narrative across dispersed markets and leverage sports sponsorships more systematically for community benefit.