Altenar
One year on: Showcasing Altenar’s Ontario success
Twelve months ago, Altenar made a name for itself as one of the first major European sportsbook providers to go live in Canada’s nascent regulated province of Ontario.
With the market now in its second year of being regulated, we spoke to Altenar’s Head of Sales, Antonino Barra, to hear more about the success Altenar’s market-leading technology has brought to Ontario, as well as the award-winning provider’s expectations for the year ahead.
It is almost a year since Altenar entered Ontario. How have you settled into the region and how has the product been received?
We’ve been live in the region with a big-name operator since the early days of the market being regulated back in early 2022. Overall, business has been fantastic – we can see how much demand there is for sports betting in Ontario thanks to the influx of very successful teams across a wide range of sports, including the Canadian Football League.
When we went live in the market back in April 2022, we envisaged a bright start for us, and it has presented a significant opportunity to develop and implement our bespoke trading and pricing models for Canada’s most popular sports. Without a doubt, we have one of the best trading teams in the industry and we’ve got some fantastic case studies to back it up. All in all, it’s been an excellent first year and our products have been incredibly well received.
What is attractive about the region from a sportsbook point of view?
Ontario loves sport, so it has been a great experience for us so far. Teams such as the Toronto Blue Jays, Toronto Raptors and the Ottawa Senators are all well supported, and this is evidenced in the extensive popularity we’re seeing when it comes to sports betting on some of Canada’s best-loved sports.
According to iGaming Ontario’s first year’s performance report, Basketball was the most popular sport to bet on, accounting for 29% of all wagers, followed by soccer (15%), football (13%), hockey (9%), and baseball (8%). Sports categories include bets on a variety of athletic activities, including but not limited to professional leagues. Having such a diverse range of sports has proven to be a fantastic challenge for our trading teams and we’ve really enjoyed becoming localised experts on North American sports!
Did you set any targets for your first year in Ontario and did you achieve them?
Being able to provide a full solution to players in Ontario, with one of the most comprehensive sports betting propositions available, was also another OKR we put a lot of effort into achieving. A crucial differentiator was to provide a bespoke provision of ad hoc services that could be tailored to exactly what Canadian players have been looking for. So far, it has been great to see all of these vital targets reached and we look forward to surpassing them.
What advantages does Canada offer as opposed to LatAm or the US?
When we compare Ontario to the LatAm region, we must understand that the market is less granular. The legal framework allows space to offer different business plans and enables us to have been one of Ontario’s true pioneers.
In LatAm, it is easy to be overpowered by certain operators who hold too much sway, given some jurisdictions have big name operators holding up to 75% of market share. The retail vs. online split is also hugely different, in that Canada is hugely online-first, while in LatAm – retail will always be the flagship brand.
Looking at comparisons with the US, the cost can be hugely prohibitive in comparison as you have to go through the licensing process for each new US state. As a result, the bureaucratic hurdles involved in making that happen require a vast provision of resources, as well as the risks involved in the land-based lobby slowing down any launch process.
On the other hand, when examining the situation in Ontario, it becomes apparent that the regulatory framework is remarkably flexible, offering a highly convenient platform for sportsbooks venturing into the North American market for the first time. This aspect serves as a significant incentive for numerous European brands to establish their presence in North America prior to expanding further south. The market’s favourable reputation stems from its commendable ability to provide tailored conditions that are exceptionally conducive to growth.
How does the next 12 months look? Do you expect to branch into other provinces as they come online?
Absolutely. As it stands, Ontario is the only province that currently offers a licence and is open for entrants, but we will look to target all provinces as they slowly come online. The next couple I expect to follow suit are Alberta and British Columbia, and we’ll be first in the queue for those. The current status regarding lotteries is that they have a monopolistic hold over these provinces, just like we’ve seen with land-based and tribal influence in the US. Of course, Canadian lotteries have a vested interest in seeing themselves hold onto the market so this will be an interesting development to keep an eye on.
For 2023 to 2024, we’ll be focused on solid growth and helping new operators develop and grow their operations to become verifiable contenders.
Finally, given the economic outlook over in Europe – and indeed, the likely contractions faced, there’s plenty of fortune awaiting on the western side of the Atlantic, so we’d certainly encourage brands looking for a better outlook to set foot in here – it’s a place to be watched with interest.
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Widget leverages behavioural data to suggest intelligent, personalised prompts
Altenar has launched a brand new Bet Suggestions widget to enhance user engagement through intelligent, trend-led selection prompts.
Through the innovative feature, additional suggestions sourced from commonly paired selections based on real betting behaviour are displayed after the player adds a bet to their betslip.
The Bet Suggestions widget draws on aggregated data from previous activity and helps users discover relevant and popular combinations, creating a more dynamic betting experience for the player and increased revenue for operators.
Bet Suggestions is the latest feature released by Altenar this year to improve engagement, following on from other well-received enhancements such as Bet Cards and Slice Markets, which contributed to the company winning an award for the Most Innovative Sportsbook Feature.
Antonis Karakousis, Director of Operations at Altenar, said: “At Altenar, our focus is always on creating smarter, more engaging experiences for both players and operators. The Bet Suggestions widget harnesses real betting behaviour to deliver intelligent, relevant prompts that keep users engaged while helping operators maximise the value of every interaction.”
The post Altenar releases new Bet Suggestions feature to boost engagement appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Altenar has extended its longstanding partnership with Nordplay Group to support the launch of the Onerush brand in Sweden with its award-winning sportsbook technology.
Nordplay Group’s legal entity Buccone Trading Limited recently acquired a licence to operate in Sweden and has quickly gone live with Onerush, powered by Altenar’s sportsbook module. Through Altenar’s fully-managed sportsbook solution, including a vast number of customisable features, 24/7 customer support and advanced reporting tools, the operator is now in a strong position to succeed in the market from launch.
The deal is an extension of an existing partnership which has seen Altenar’s sportsbook being used to great success by the Frank & Fred and Jubla brands in Sweden.
The agreement demonstrates Altenar’s strength as a long-term partner with expertise to help new entrants localise and stay a step ahead when attracting new audiences.
Sam Hill, Sales Director at Altenar, said: “We’re delighted to launch the Onerush brand in another positive step in what is already a successful partnership with their team and brands.
“Our best-in-class sportsbook offering and features will allow Onerush to differentiate their product offering from the competition and establish themselves as a market leader and provide the best user experience to their customers.”
Nicolas Lund, COO at Nordplay Group, said: “In Altenar we’ve found a trusted and reliable partner, supporting a wider offering on several of our brands. It’s therefore been a natural choice to bring them onboard for our latest brand Onerush in Sweden.
“We’re excited and hopeful to see Onerush well received by the Swedish market and together with Altenar will continue to challenge the mainstream to deliver a leading offering with lower friction and more entertaining experiences.”
The post Altenar partners with Onerush for Swedish sportsbook launch appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Alfred Bashllari Sportsbook Product Consultant at Altenar
Altenar strengthens sportsbook product leadership with two senior hires
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Industry veterans Nikos Zygouris and Alfred Bashllari bring more than three decades of combined experience to build sportsbook provider’s product strategy
Altenar has reinforced its sportsbook product credentials with the appointment of Nikos Zygouris as Head of Sportsbook Product and Alfred Bashllari as Sportsbook Product Consultant.
With extensive experience in iGaming and sports betting, both new hires bring a wealth of knowledge to support Altenar’s consistent focus on innovation and high-performance solutions that deliver more value to operators.
Zygouris joins the company from Campeon Gaming, where he served as Head of Product. Additionally, he holds more than 12 years of industry experience from leading suppliers and operators such as Novibet, Intralot and OpenBet. His passion for product innovation and collaborative working will play a key role in shaping Altenar’s roadmap.
Bashllari brings two decades of product development, operations and M&A experience, having held senior roles at major providers including Sportradar, Betgenius, Scientific Games and OPAP. His deep understanding of the sports betting, gaming and lottery sectors will support Altenar’s strategic decision-making.
Both appointments mark another step forward in Altenar’s evolution as a partner-led technology provider, enhancing its ability to deliver scalable, flexible and market-ready sportsbook solutions for a growing number of operators worldwide.
Antonis Karakousis, Director of Product at Altenar, said: “As we expand into new markets and push the boundaries of what our sportsbook can deliver, it’s vital that we continue to invest in product leaders. Nikos and Alfred bring a wealth of experience and strategic thinking that will directly support our long-term goals. We’re excited to welcome them aboard.”
Nikos Zygouris, Altenar’s Head of Sportsbook Product, said: “I’m delighted to join the product team at Altenar following what has already been a hugely successful year for the provider. They continue to prove that they are on the pulse of the industry and attuned to what the customer needs. I look forward to contributing to Altenar’s ambitious plans going forward.”
Alfred Bashllari, Sportsbook Product Consultant at Altenar, said: “Altenar’s commitment to product excellence and its approach to exceeding expectations really stood out to me and is one of the reasons I’m thrilled to join the team. I’m excited to see how we can drive forward innovative solutions that help our clients grow.”
The post Altenar strengthens sportsbook product leadership with two senior hires appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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