SBC Digital Summit CIS, the new virtual event dedicated to the betting and gaming industry in the CIS, has unveiled an agenda full of essential content for both businesses already working in markets in the region and those considering launching there.

The virtual conference and exhibition on 4 – 5 November 2020 will feature 75 expert speakers – comprising senior executives from operators, regulators, marketing specialists, and suppliers with products and services tailored to CIS markets – sharing insights and ideas on the major issues affecting the growth of the sector. 

One of the main themes of the agenda is in-depth evaluations of individual markets, featuring reliable data and expert insights of the type that are very rarely available to the industry in the region. 

Delegates can benefit from sessions assessing the exceptional opportunities in Ukraine following the introduction of new legislation earlier this year, and the planned regulatory regime that would open up the market in Uzbekistan. There is also a panel examining the success of Georgia’s gambling industry, where international giants such as Flutter, GVC and Betsson have already made substantial investments to enter the market.

In addition to a focus on individual markets, the speakers will provide insights on broader issues affecting the betting and gaming industry across the CIS. 

Some of the region’s most influential operator and supplier executives will be joined by stakeholders from governments and sports governing bodies as they debate the economic impact of developing a regulated gaming sector, how COVID-19 has changed the landscape for the industry, and the relationship between betting and professional sports.  

An operator CEO panel will examine the importance of establishing strong relationships with suppliers and what the future holds for the industry in CIS markets, while a C-level supplier panel will evaluate the relative merits of using a platform provider against in-house management.

Delegates can also expect to gain some invaluable practical insights on topics such as effective marketing strategies in local markets, responsible gambling provision, payments challenges in the region, and the opportunities created by the rising popularity of esports in the CIS. 

Rasmus Sojmark, SBC’s CEO & Founder, said:

“The CIS is one of the most exciting regions for the global gambling industry, with huge growth potential for operators in markets such as Ukraine and Uzbekistan. 

“In conjunction with our partners at Sports Media Holding, we have put together an agenda for SBC Digital Summit CIS that will see the sharing of the essential regulatory and market information that international businesses considering launching in the region really need. 

“There is also a lot to interest established local operators, who can expect to pick up plenty of practical insights and ideas from some of the leading executives in the CIS betting and gaming industry.” 

Lasha Machavariani, CEO and Founder of Sports Media Holding, said:

“SBC Digital Summit CIS is an exciting new event that will finally see the region’s fast-growing betting and gaming industry receive the attention it deserves.

“It also represents a rare opportunity for people across the industry to get hold of some reliable information and insights about doing business here, together with some great ideas about how to make the most of the many emerging opportunities in the region.” 

In addition to the conference, the event will feature an interactive product display area with leading suppliers showcasing the latest sportsbook, casino and payments innovations tailored to local markets, together with a programme of networking roundtables to make it easy for delegates to connect and talk business. 

Click here to register for a free pass for SBC Digital Summit CIS.

International betting operator Betway has extended its partnership with Betgenius. 

The long-term deal will see Betgenius, a subsidiary of Genius Sports Group, power Betway’s in-play product with high quality live betting content, supplying in-play data and trading for a range of sports including football, tennis, basketball, volleyball, and esports. 

More than 300 sports competitions will be covered by the agreement, including the English Premier League, Serie A, and EuroLeague basketball. 

Commenting on the deal CEO at Betway, Anthony Werkman, said:

“Fast and reliable updates are key to providing our customers with the highest quality of experience when placing their bets. We are delighted to continue working with Betgenius and we value this long-standing partnership. This extension will also allow our customers to stay close to the action in the sports that they love.” 

While Global Partnerships Director at Betgenius, Matt Stephenson, added:

“Betway has always invested in a first-rate in-play product for its players wherever they are in the world. With fast, accurate and reliable data and trading, we’re proud to play a key role in driving both customer experience and revenues for our long-term partner.”

Staying with Betway, last month the operator expanded its Latin American esports footprint, entering a partnership with beastcoast, covering the organisation’s Peruvian Dota 2 team. 

AYO.NEWS says:

Accurate, reliable and deep live in-play betting is critical to the success of any sportsbook, especially in the fastest growing vertical of esports, with every millisecond counting, so this extended deal is a resounding endorsement of Betgenius. 

‘AYO.NEWS says’ features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pentagon Digital Limited or its affiliates or associates. 

All original content featured on this site is © Pentagon Digital Limited, 2020.

Crypto casino and sportsbook Cloudbet has made history by adding support for PAX Gold – effectively allowing customers to bet online with gold. 

Each token of PAX Gold (PAXG) is backed by one fine troy ounce (t oz) of a 400 oz London Good Delivery gold bar, stored in Brink’s vaults by the Paxos Trust Company, meaning that by owning PAXG you actually own the real physical gold. 

Discussing the news a Cloudbet spokesperson said:

“Tokenisation allows individuals to express their spending habits through the assets they choose to hold, rather than having to use currencies to which they hold no philosophical or economic attachments.

“In this case, we’re empowering players that want to own gold with the means to place bets with a gold casino or a gold sportsbook.”

PAXG is the third major stablecoin to be integrated by Cloudbet, after USD Tether and USD Coin. While PAXG’s value is tied to the price of gold, while USDT and USDC are fixed on a 1-to-1 basis with the US dollar. By using stablecoins, customers can avoid being exposed to the notorious market swings of other cryptocurrencies, but still benefit from fast transactions and low fees. 

Cloudbet relaunched an improved site in April, which introduced new features including esports and politics betting, easy credit card coin purchases, and stablecoins. The site also accepts Ethereum (ETH) and Bitcoin Cash (BCH).

In June, the operator demonstrated how its cryptocurrency business model allows it to offer more competitive prices by launching an English Premier League campaign, which saw its sportsbook charge no margin on pre-match bets for all games left in the season. 

AYO.NEWS says:

Tokens backed by real-world assets, primarily gold, are starting to gain real traction around the world, and are making ownership of the world’s premier precious metal much more accessible. 

In July, the Universal Protocol Alliance (UPA) launched ‘Universal Gold’ or UPXAU – a token backed by the Western Australian government-owned Perth Mint. Meanwhile, AgAu, the Swiss silver and gold electronic money system, announced it had secured investments from “high-profile bankers and commodity trading experts”, as it aims to launch both silver and gold backed tokens. 

‘AYO.NEWS says’ features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pentagon Digital Limited or its affiliates or associates. 

All original content featured on this site is © Pentagon Digital Limited, 2020.

Gambling and entertainment solutions provider 888 Holdings PLC has announced a partnership with sports betting services provider Sportradar. 

The deal will see 888sport use Sportradar’s data and risk management solution, Managed Trading Services (MTS) Return Guarantee for its tennis offering – with the solution being gradually rolled out across 888’s international markets. 

MTS is a flexible solution that can be utilised across any sport and specifically tailored to the required service levels. It draws on a hybrid combination of top experts and the latest technology, including AI-derived pricing algorithms, to both protect and enhance sportsbook operations.

Commenting on the partnership SVP, Head of B2C at 888, Guy Cohen, said: 

“We are excited that this partnership with Sportradar will enhance our tennis offering for fans around the world. We are committed to providing continuous improvements for all our players and look forward to a gradual rollout across our international markets.”

While Business Development Manager, Management Trading Services at Sportradar, Nick Soye, added: 

“888sport are an innovative, forward thinking brand, with strong aspirations for exponential global growth. It goes without saying that we are truly excited by the prospect of delivering our MTS for tennis with such an established operator in the sports betting market. We’re confident our bespoke risk management solution will play an important role in the overall growth of the 888sport brand.”

Staying with Sportradar, last month the company appointed tech veteran Chuck Robel to its Board of Directors. 

All original content featured on this site is © Pentagon Digital Limited, 2020.

This week’s Betting on Sports Europe – Digital is set to provide invaluable insights on the industry’s hottest topics, as 120 expert speakers share their ideas for the future of the sector. 

Delegates at the virtual conference and exhibition on 21 – 22 October can expect to learn the answers to key questions, including:

How to approach the industry’s biggest challenges

The opening day’s Leadership track will examine how operators and suppliers can respond to the perfect storm of regulatory, reputational and pandemic-induced economic pressures they face in many European markets in 2021. It will address questions such as: How can operators improve governance? Can the industry realistically repair relationships with governments trying to cope with myriad economic problems? Could the imposition of stricter regulatory regimes be avoided by operators working together to drive up standards? 

Kicking off the track is SNAITECH CEO Fabio Schiavolin, with a keynote outlining his vision for the future of the industry in Europe. The SBC Leaders: Operator CEO Panel (sponsored by Sporting Solutions) will then see Betsson’s Jesper Svensson, Danske Spil’s Niels Erik Folmann and BetFirst Group’s Alexis Murphy engage in a detailed discussion about how to tackle the biggest threats to the industry’s long-term growth.  

What do new marketing restrictions really mean for operators?

With markets such as Italy and Spain having introduced new restrictions on advertising and regulators in other countries considering following suit, operators across Europe are having to re-evaluate how they reach and engage with players. Day one’s Marketing & Affiliation track will examine what that means in practical terms. 

The track’s Thin Line Between Marketing and Enticement session will shine a spotlight on the techniques used to reach players and examine whether it is time for the industry to focus more on social responsibility when developing its messaging. The expert panel includes Petros Troullinos (Head of Marketing Operations, Kaizen Gaming), Vedran Karaman (Global Director of Performance Marketing, Superbet), Neil Banbury (General Manager – UK, Kindred Group) and Vasiliki Panousi (Manager – EU Affairs, EGBA).

What can the industry do to help in the drive against match-fixing?

The battle against match manipulation and the role operators and data suppliers have to play in it is the central theme of the Sports Integrity track on day two of the event. It opens with Protecting the Beautiful Game – FIFA, a keynote by Ennio Bovolenta (Head of Integrity, FIFA), which will see him detail the work of world football’s governing body to promote integrity and educate players about ethical behaviour. 

Further content on the track will see experts from throughout the betting industry supply chain sharing best practice on integrity. A key session will be Market Forces – When Are Bets Too Risky to Take? (sponsored by Kambi). Gilles Maillet (Director of Sports Integrity, FDJ), Gustaf Hoffstedt (Secretary General, BOS) and Oliver Lamb (Head Sportsbook Controller, Kambi) will evaluate if there is a correlation between identified match fixing and particular betting offers, and whether sportsbooks should limit markets or even stop taking bets on low level sports that appear vulnerable to spot fixing. 

Does mass market maths still work?

A number of bookmakers pulled out of the UK in 2019, as intense competition and increased compliance demands made it ever more difficult to succeed using standard mass market trading strategies. 

During day two’s Trading track, a panel featuring Matt Scarrott (Director of Sportsbook, BetVictor), Marco Blume (Trading Director, Pinnacle), and Philippe Joos (Head of Product & Innovation, Napoleon Sports & Casino) will assess whether bookies need to rethink their mass market trading strategies, in light of tighter restrictions on advertising and enhanced compliance checks. 

Is esports the right sponsorship option for sportsbooks? 

As the relationship between football and the gambling industry comes under ever more scrutiny, some operators are looking for alternative sponsorship opportunities. Among the options is the rapidly-growing esports sector, but does it offer good value?

The Perfect Partners session (sponsored by Neosurf) will assess how sponsorships of esports leagues and teams have evolved as the industry has surged in popularity around the world. Part of the second day’s Betting on Esports track, the panel includes Julian Tan (Head of Digital Business Initiatives & Esports, Formula 1), Serge Vardanyan (CEO & Founder, WIN.GG), Steven Salz (CEO & Co-Founder, Rivalry), Adrian Figallo (Co-Founder, World Pro Racing) and Eirik Kristiansen (CEO, PixelBet). 

In addition to the eight-track conference, the event will feature an interactive product display area with leading suppliers showcasing the latest sportsbook, payments, and marketing innovations. There will also be a programme of networking roundtables to enable further exploration of the most thought-provoking topics, as well as make it easy for delegates to connect and talk business with other decision makers. 

Click here to register for your free pass for Betting on Sports Europe – Digital.

New Jersey has smashed the US record for the highest-ever monthly sports betting handle, registering $748.5M for September. 

According to official statistics from the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement, over 90% of the wagers were made using mobile devices, with the US Open golf and French Open tennis tournaments boosting the figures. The big US leagues (MLB, NHL, NBA, and NFL) also put in a strong showing. 

The previous US record was $667.9M set in August, again by New Jersey. In total, the state has taken more than $3.28B in sports betting handle so far in 2020, despite the disruption to sports from the COVID-19 crisis. 

Nevada, New Jersey’s main rival when it comes to sports betting handle, hasn’t managed to get above the $614.1M it recorded in November 2019. 

AYO.NEWS says:

Considering the severe disruption to global sports earlier in the year, when most events were completely cancelled due to the pandemic, it’s fantastic to see American sports betting bound back like this, with New Jersey leading the way. 

The fact that 90% of the wagers were placed on mobile devices should also be a wakeup call to those lawmakers in some US states who are still attempting to protect land-based establishments with ridiculous licensing rules. 

Staying with New Jersey, it’s not just with sports betting that the state has seized the initiative. In September, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) announced an initiative to accelerate the development of esports in the state. 

‘AYO.NEWS says’ features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pentagon Digital Limited or its affiliates or associates. 

All original content featured on this site is © Pentagon Digital Limited, 2020.