Connect with us
European Gaming Congress 2024

Press Releases

BtoBet: Coming Out Successfully From The Current Sportsbook Scenario

Published

on

Reading Time: 5 minutes

 

  • Short-term mitigation plans could shape up a new industry on the long term

As the iGaming industry is adapting to the live sport events shortfall that has now taken the iGaming industry by storm, not everything is doom and gloom. Alessandro Fried, BtoBet’s Chief Executive Officer, discusses the interim measures that operators are adopting to mitigate the gap created in the sportsbook vertical, and how eventually the industry will morph into a more diverse scenario based on the decisions that operators are taking at the moment.

 

In what way will the current situation impact the industry?

Everyone is expecting live sport events to surely resume shortly. They will be back, and with them the sports betting vertical will pick up where it left and bounce back. At this point in time the Italian top league clubs are all set to resume their training in a couple of weeks, whilst in Germany teams have already resumed with their preparations to final sprint of the Bundesliga.

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

However, it is true that the industry has undoubtedly been impacted. No one has ever imagined a scenario where live sports on practically a global level would be made unavailable. The pandemic and its consequences, with governments and authorities alike putting in place extraordinary measures imposing social distancing in order to curb the outbreak, has disrupted mostly those bookmakers who throughout the years have based their business activities on a retail network. The same applies for the retail casino outlets, with Las Vegas as the primary example, literally closing down its doors for business.

It is with this in mind that I expect a major shift in operators’ strategies in the immediate to short term, with retail licensees seeking to migrate their business activities to the digital mediums, thus also mitigating for any future downturns in terms of retail customers.

 

Turnover from live sportsbetting is a major problem for most operators. However, have other verticals seen an increase in player engagement?

The current circumstances related to live sport events has had its major toll on those operators who have based their offering primarily on live football events, with the top leagues generating an ever increasing revenue stream as this form of gambling is nowadays being considered as an extension to the events themselves. Such are the number of followers that these events produce. However, the scenario has changed abruptly, and live sport events that on a daily basis averaged into hundreds of events have now been reduced to merely a handful. Live betting now comprises of football events in Belarus and Nicaragua, table tennis in Russia, and racing from the United States, Hong Kong and Australia. Which all in all amount to a rather limited content portfolio and will not make up for the loss of revenue that other major sport events generate.

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

Undoubtedly this translates directly to a significant loss in terms of turnover, with many industry experts expecting as much as 70% or even higher in terms of loss. On the other hand, and this needs to be highlighted, operators and suppliers alike have been agile in identifying new means of how to diversify the players’ engagement across a broader portfolio of verticals.

One of the major verticals that has seen a major bump on the immediate term has undoubtedly been virtual sports, which nowadays is accounting as much as 40% in terms of operators’ turnover. The same can be said with reference to the esports vertical and online casino vertical, with certain operators doubling their turnover in these verticals over a relatively short period of time.

 

How will the current situation impact the industry for the short term and the long term?

I reiterate that live sport events are resuming sooner rather than later. And I expect a high player engagement, if not actually higher, once the situation normalises itself. Does this mean that the industry will resume in its steps before the Covid-19 pandemic ensued? I highly doubt so. Even though there are few historical episodes which provide us with the required data as to how we will emerge from this situation, I expect the new more diversified content approach endorsed by the operators to stick also for the long term.

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

Operators are now seeing the opportunities that reside in other verticals. Since sport events have been cancelled, sportsbetting players have turned their focus to alternative betting products, be they virtual sports, esports, and online casino amongst other verticals.

In today’s context, I expect this “cross-selling” to other verticals to become even more determining as we go forward, because the current situation will surely have a lasting effect even on people in terms of their gambling behaviour.

I also expect retail operators to adopt a diversification of their business strategies and move towards the online channels. Does this mean that the brick and mortar experience will be a thing of the past? Certainly not. Retail betting shops and casinos still offer a betting and gambling experience in their own unique way. On the other hand I do envisage an expansion to the digital channels to complement the retail offer, with operators necessitating of a diversification of their revenue stream whilst also being better placed to retain their current fold of players, and acquire new customers through targeted marketing campaigns.

 

You have mentioned that operators are opting to “migrate” their players from sportsbook to other verticals.

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

Sports betting is an activity that nowadays is considered by the players as an enhancement to the real live action. One should also state that the vast majority of players bet on the teams, leagues, and different sports categories which they usually follow, and of which they have a good knowledge and understanding. There is an emotional attachment to sports betting, which in itself is driving operators to seek creative solutions in order to close the gap created by this “live sports void” for the short term.

Not only are they integrating new, innovative and alternative vertical content. They are going to great lengths to ensure a high level of player engagement even on the sportsbook itself, by exploring and expanding markets – such as the props market – that have until now played a rather minor role in the sportsbook vertical.

Most of our partners are realising the benefits that this expanded sportsbook content can have also in terms of retaining their fold of loyal players.

More importantly nowadays we are assisting operators pushing in their bid to create and develop new vertical markets. This is a further indication that eventually we are going to have a better, and stronger scenario, where sportsbook will still reign supreme, but strong gains will be registered in other verticals as operators will seek to diversify ever more their revenue stream.

 

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

How is BtoBet assisting its partners in mitigating the short term effects, and possibly putting in place a strategy for the longer term?

For the past months BtoBet has focused on boosting all its verticals in order to place all operators in the position to determine which strategy they want to undertake for their target players, whether they want to focus on sportsbook, online casino, lotteries, virtuals, e-sports and fantasy sports.

Nonetheless throughout these times we are still investing and pushing to provide bookmakers with the best range of alternative vertical content, whilst at the same time keeping focused on delivering a long term plan ensuring our partners will reap benefits by adapting a player-centric approach.

This is why we have put a strategy for the short term period assisting all our partners with the introduction of special content including:

  • a daily selection of the most important horse-racing events,
  • a new and engaging novelty bet section,
  • extended E-Sports content,
  • a boosted odds fantasy league,
  • and a tennis game based on the outcome of more than 1 million matches.

We will also offer all our assistance to bookmakers and other operators in diversifying their business model by integrating a wider content for the Virtuals, with games from six leading industry providers natively integrated in the Btobet platform; an Online Casino portfolio consisting of an extensive list of over 8000 games from over 100 providers; and a wide selection of Lotteries, Instant Lotteries and Jackpots, with prizes up to €150 million.

Our past investments have also seen us launch a new retail solution, intended to not only boost the betting experience at the brick and mortar level, but also aptly enable operators to transform their non registered players into registered customers through a rapid registration process.

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

I am confident that the current sportsbook shortfall will be just a small blip in the radar for the majority of operators who optimise their business strategies, allowing them to reap major revenue increase opportunities from a wider verticals portfolio on the long term.

 

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Compliance Updates

Stakelogic Secures License to the newly regulated Danish market

Published

on

stakelogic-secures-license-to-the-newly-regulated-danish-market
Reading Time: < 1 minute

 

Industry-leading provider secures license to provide slots and live content in Denmark

Award-winning casino content provider Stakelogic has obtained a license from the Danish Gambling Authority, Spillemyndigheden, to provide its gaming content in Denmark.

The license will allow Stakelogic to bring its premium portfolio of online casino slots and live dealer content to the Danish market, including recent releases like Fire and Gold Cluster Breaker, Super Wheel Game Show, Trident of Legends, and The Watcher.

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

Stakelogic is able to partner up with leading Danish operators, establishing itself as a must-have provider in the country. The move further highlights Stakelogic’s commitment to strengthening its position in the European market and exploring new and exciting regulated markets.

The license also further cements the company’s presence in the Scandinavian markets, having secured a license from the Swedish authority, Spelinspektionen, in 2023 and establishing itself as a popular provider among Swedish players.

Denmark is one of Europe’s fastest-growing markets, with a strong focus on customer care and responsible gambling. Stakelogic is proud to have met all the requirements needed to obtain the license, highlighting its commitment to providing players with the best and safest gaming experiences.

Stephan van den Oetelaar, CEO at Stakelogic, said: “Denmark is one of the fastest growing markets in Europe, and we are proud to have achieved a license to the newly regulated market.

We are grateful to Spillemyndigheden for their support in us and we are excited to take our next steps into the market.”

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

The post Stakelogic Secures License to the newly regulated Danish market appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Continue Reading

Latest News

Discover the Wealth of Legends: ELA Games’ Adventurous New Mythological Title

Published

on

discover-the-wealth-of-legends:-ela-games’-adventurous-new-mythological-title
Reading Time: < 1 minute

 

ELA Games, a modern and trailblazing game development studio, announces the release of its latest game, Wealth of Legends. The slot aims to attract players of various audiences with its unique format, exciting graphics and captivating features.

The 5×5 game pays all ways, giving players plenty of opportunities to win during the base game, keeping the playing experience engaging. Landing a coin symbol in the special zone triggers the Hold & Win feature, which begins three free re-spins. Collect special jackpot coins for a lucrative win!

Wealth of Legends’ other core feature is its Free Spins, which players can enter when landing three Scatter symbols. During this feature, all coins stick in the special zone, giving players the opportunity to collect massive multipliers and get more chances at winning the jackpot.

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

David Fall, ELA Games’ Business Development Manager, commented on the release, “I’m excited to unveil Wealth of Legends and showcase our studio’s commitment to creating exciting gameplay experiences. This game combines our signature art and design with unique gameplay mechanics, and we’re confident it will become a staple game in our portfolio for years to come.”

Wealth of Legends combines a high RTP of 95.3% with unique gameplay mechanics to ensure players can experience a balance between exciting special features and a consistent base game. ELA Games implements its signature high-quality art and design with innovation to create a captivating world filled with Greek symbology.

Wealth of Legends key features:

  • RTP: 95.3%
  • Volatility: Low
  • Format: 5-reels, 5-rows
  • Paylines: All ways
  • Jackpot available
  • Hold & Win feature
  • Free Spins feature

The post Discover the Wealth of Legends: ELA Games’ Adventurous New Mythological Title appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Continue Reading

Latest News

THE UNIT TO STEP UP EXPANSION PLANS WITH OPENING OF NEW YORK CITY OFFICE

Published

on

the-unit-to-step-up-expansion-plans-with-opening-of-new-york-city-office

 

The Unit aims to grow its presence in the Americas with move to new Manhattan location in January 2025 at Bank of Ireland’s NYC Hub


The Unit, a leader in product design and development for sports betting and iGaming, will proudly open its new office in New York City, as part of its long-term global expansion objectives, in January 2025.

The Americas division was established in 2023 with the launch of The Unit’s partnership with online operator PlayStar Casino. The New York City office, located in the heart of Manhattan, will now be the hub for The Unit’s activity in the Americas.

This new base will be located at Bank of Ireland’s NYC Hub, which was launched to help Irish business owners expand their North American operations. The offices at 2 Grand Central Tower are a great asset to Irish companies aiming to expand their operations in the United States and beyond. This is an ideal location for The Unit to grow its footprint in the region.

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

The project will be put into practice by The Unit’s Head of Business Development & Account Management Mark O’Hare, who has relocated to New York and will be responsible for The Unit’s commercial growth in the region.

With product and development teams in Ireland and Moldova, the addition of an American hub is further proof The Unit holds an unwavering commitment to becoming the partner of choice, on a global scale, throughout the industry.

Paddy Casey, Co-founder at The Unit, said: “These are exciting times for The Unit, and with plans in place to exponentially grow our presence in the Americas across the next few years, the start of 2025 will be the perfect time for us to move into one of the most vibrant cities in the world.

“This will be the ideal addition to our existing bases in Ireland and Moldova. The flexible workspace the hub can provide will be integral to our plans and will give us the opportunity to grow the team.

“This is an excellent opportunity for us to touch base with clients in the Americas and strategise further launches. We’re looking forward to mapping out our future in the region with our team on the ground there.

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

“I would like to thank Mark O’Hare for making the move to New York, and I’m sure both he and his team will have the skills and experience to execute our vision for the Americas division across the long-term.”

Tania Sheikh, Manager of NYC Hub for Bank of Ireland, said: “We are very pleased to welcome The Unit to the NYC Hub. The facilities we can provide have helped businesses scale up and connect with their partners, and we are proud to offer that opportunity to The Unit.

“We look forward to hosting The Unit and wish them well in their endeavors to grow their business here.”

The Unit has solidified its strong track record of building world-class, scalable and efficient products for the sports betting and iGaming sector in recent years.

As The Unit embarks on this exciting period of growth, the company remains committed to delivering exceptional products and services to its clients. With its experienced team, best-in-class product development capabilities, and focus on innovation, The Unit is poised to shape the future of the sports betting and iGaming industries.

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)
Continue Reading

Trending

Get it on Google Play

Fresh slot games releases by the top brands of the industry. We provide you with the latest news straight from the entertainment industries.

The platform also hosts industry-relevant webinars, and provides detailed reports, making it a one-stop resource for anyone seeking information about operators, suppliers, regulators, and professional services in the European gaming market. The portal's primary goal is to keep its extensive reader base updated on the latest happenings, trends, and developments within the gaming and gambling sector, with an emphasis on the European market while also covering pertinent global news. It's an indispensable resource for gaming professionals, operators, and enthusiasts alike.

Contact us: [email protected]

Editorial / PR Submissions: [email protected]

Copyright © 2015 - 2024 - Recent Slot Releases is part of HIPTHER Agency. Registered in Romania under Proshirt SRL, Company number: 2134306, EU VAT ID: RO21343605. Office address: Blvd. 1 Decembrie 1918 nr.5, Targu Mures, Romania