Altenar
Ontario: opportunity knocks
The newly regulated market of Ontario, Canada, is rich with possibilities, with a customer base that is passionate about the world of sports and a demand for betting to match. Antonis Karakousis, Director of Operations at Altenar, discusses the potential of the province and how the company is setting out to provide the market with a best-in-class sports betting offering.
Congratulations on Altenar’s Ontario licence and your debut in Canada! Can you talk us through the licensing process and how long this has been in the works?
We had to meet a list of standards and a variety of requirements, as well as auditing our sportsbook with an independent test lab, but the potential of this province means it was more than worth the challenge. We continue to make worldwide progress as a company and going live in Ontario is proof of that.
Looking to the Canadian market – how do you see the development of Ontario as being a platform for kick-starting regulated online betting across the rest of the country?
Ontario has set the standard for how the rest of Canada can move into regulated gaming. The potential is clear to see: iGaming Ontario, a subsidiary of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, has reported that Ontario’s igaming revenue for the quarter ending June 30 came to CA$162m (£106.1m/€123.9m), the first quarter on record after the market opened in April this year. There were also 492,000 active player accounts within the quarter, which spent an average of $113 per month. There’s a robust, fair regulatory regime in place, along with a knowledgeable sports and betting audience. I am sure the rest of the country will follow Ontario’s example.
On entertainment and engagement – what’s Altenar got in store for Canadian players? What are your team planning to bring to the table to really start making a difference for operators?
Ontario’s sports fans and bettors deserve the best betting opportunities, and we’re excited to now offer them Altenar’s tier 1 product, which includes: competitive parlays and teasers, a bet builder, a variety of player props, boosted odds, official data of North American Leagues, and a native mobile application.
From your experience, which verticals are going to be key for the Canadian market? How popular are the likes of virtuals and esports compared to the more mainstream NHL?
I believe that esports is the next big thing. The NHL and NFL will remain the kings of traditional betting activity, but we have noticed huge growth in esports and this is where the greatest potential lies. It represents a great way to reach a younger demographic and tap into a new audience. It is being taken seriously on all fronts – esports has been mentioned as a possible Olympic sport and was included as a demonstration event at the 2018 Asian Games, which has previously served as a gateway for judo and taekwondo to become Olympic sports.
Talk us through the next 12 months for Altenar – how do you see yourselves getting going in Ontario?
Betting with a licensed provider always means peace of mind and added security. We are proud to be one of the first igaming sports betting providers regulated by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario and we look forward to applying our expertise to help build a trusted and competitive Canadian sportsbook.
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Frederico Caputi brings more than a decade of experience in business development, media planning and events to Brazil office
Altenar, a leading sportsbook and iGaming software provider, has grown its LatAm commercial team with the addition of new Sales Manager, Frederico Caputi.
Frederico brings more than 10 years of experience from strategic roles in sales, business development and affiliate marketing with giants such as Google and Groupon. He also holds vast iGaming and sports betting experience across a varied international landscape, equipping him to offer the deep understanding needed to win in the Brazilian market.
In this new role, Frederico will be based in Brazil and will leverage his knowledge to drive growth for Altenar by fostering relationships with sportsbook operators and partners, negotiating high-value deals and analysing the competitive LatAm landscape from within to inform business strategy.
Altenar began strengthening its leadership team earlier this year with the appointment of Sales Director Sam Hill, who currently focuses on regions including LatAm and Europe. Frederico joins Altenar’s 500-strong employee base as the company seeks to grow its foothold across the rapidly evolving LatAm region.
Charlie Williams, Commercial Director at Altenar, said: “We are delighted to welcome Fred to Altenar at this pivotal time in the industry’s history. His strategic approach and wide-ranging experience means he will bring valuable insights and leverage his contacts to build our position in this highly competitive market.
“Along with a robust and compelling product line-up, it is our people that set us apart and by building such a strong team, we are confident we can meet the needs our operators looking to break into Brazil.”
Frederico Caputi, Sales Manager at Altenar, said: “There couldn’t be a more exciting time to join Altenar, with Brazil’s regulated market inching closer to completion. The potential for Altenar to expand its presence in Brazil and offer localised solutions tailored to the unique demands of the market is immense.
“The market’s untapped potential combined with Altenar’s strong capabilities makes this an exciting time to be involved in the iGaming sector in Brazil. I look forward to working with the wider sales team to drive unprecedented growth for Q4 and beyond.”
Altenar, the leading sportsbook and iGaming software supplier, has upgraded its compelling betting tools offering with the introduction of a new Ganagol game.
The latest addition to Altenar’s software is an alternative form of sports betting which boosts engagement and brand loyalty for operators. Rather than betting on individual events, Ganagol allows players to pay an entry fee for the chance to predict the outcome of a series of events for prizes.
By using the new tool, which is also known as Toto in some parts of the world, players can predict the result of a series of football fixtures, with a clean sweep of correct outcomes winning a large prize, while a specific number of results lands them smaller rewards.
Altenar’s operator partners will also be able to choose the format of the game, including match results or correct scores, to meet their needs, as well as customising the payout structure to allow for weekly prizes or rollover jackpots.
A percentage of the entry fee can be added to the category payments, meaning the prize pot increases in line with the number of participants, adding a sense of anticipation as the potential winnings rise. To add further interest, players can also predict the range of goals scored in the same set of fixtures.
This new release serves as a significant differentiator for operators with an eye on global expansion, with the product particularly popular in LatAm.
Dinos Doxiadis, Sportsbook Product Development Manager at Altenar, said: “This is an uplift of a product that has had great adoption in LatAm.
“The new functionalities give our operators more options to increase user engagement, retention and acquisition. We believe that it is by far the most sophisticated tool of its kind across the industry.”
Mexican bettors demand localization on a different scale. An American approach to sports betting means they differ from other LatAm markets that have moved to decimal or fractional odds. As the population increasingly embraces a mobile-first approach, Altenar’s Sales Manager, Diego Salas, explores why the provider is best placed to meet the unique needs of Mexican operators in the flourishing market.
What is your view of the market at the moment and what makes it so promising?
Over the past three years, Mexican operators have experienced a significant migration from predominantly land-based, brick and mortar operations to an online-focused business model. As a result, more than 70% of sports betting revenue now comes from online customers, with internet and smartphone adoption becoming more widespread across LatAm’s second largest population. The increase in mobile penetration follows the emergence of a younger, more tech-savvy demographic with a median age of 30. They are engaging in sports betting in a more social way.
In keeping with this shift online, we entered 2024 with the release of our white-label mobile app which can be customized and places the sportsbook at its core. Approved across Apple Store and Google Play, it offers accelerated time to market, robust security and options for features such as Early Payout, Bet Builder and Player Specials. The mobile and online channels appeal to a new generation of bettors that require accessible, easy to follow sportsbook products at their fingertips. The app promises an ever-increasing number of sports and competitions with a network of official data partners delivering both quality and speed of data.
How does Mexico differ from its neighbouring markets?
Mexico is a distinct market compared to other Latin American countries and stands out due to its diverse sports culture. It is well known that soccer is the most popular sport in LatAm and at least 90% of bets still come from matches. However, in Mexico, bettors’ tastes are more diverse. Football sits among basketball, baseball, and the NFL as highly popular sports.
Unlike some of its neighbours, Mexico uses an American approach to odds, instead of the European decimal and fractional odds format. Altenar anticipated this difference by offering a flexible, localized platform to cater to specific preferences of Mexican players. Its user interface for Mexican players offers an American odds format to demonstrate provide intuitive navigation.
What will 2024 look like for Altenar in Mexico?
There can be no doubt that LatAm is a major topic of discussion in the industry. The gates are set to swing open to Brazil later in the year and Mexico itself is awaiting some regulatory updates following the legalization of online betting in 2014. As a result, Altenar acknowledges the need for boots on the ground in the continent.
We have just opened a Uruguay office to ensure we can best serve our operator partners across LatAm. We know it is important to them to access people working in the same time zone, who are integrated in their communities. The office will oversee operational aspects and instil confidence in our partners that they will have a team that is more easily accessible than other competitors.
In March and April, we will be at the IV International Gaming Convention in Mexico (12 – 14 March), SAGSE Latam in Argentina (20 – 21 March) and GAT Expo in Colombia (9 – 11 April). Our priorities at these events will be fostering our partnerships in the market and ensuring we are attuned to the regulatory developments across each country. Brazil and Chile are in the process of developing regulations and we are watching those closely, adapting accordingly. We will also be showcasing our flexible platform and features at these events, including our turnkey solution, SSBT and new tools such as Betting Insights, Bet Mentor and Bet Boost. Events are an invaluable way for us to refine our strategies moving forward and we look forward to meeting people over the next month.
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