Tag: Marketing & affiliates

Ontario report

iGB’s new report on Ontario offers exclusive insight into Canada’s most populous province – the first to regulate betting and igaming.

When the Ontario market opened in April this year, it wasn’t quite brand new ground.

Anyone in the industry could tell you that the grey market in Canada’s largest province had been thriving for quite some time.

Still, bringing the province from grey to white offers certainty and new opportunities for many.

Six months on, we have a sense of the spoils available. Operators – excluding the lottery – brought in a combined CA$267m in the three months ended 30 September.

The biggest challenge in the province, however, may be marketing rules. Operators can offer bonuses, but may not promote them. As Marese O’Hagan writes in our progress report, that’s been difficult, but it hasn’t seriously dampened excitement about the jurisdiction.

And for now, those complying with the rules still need to compete with some unlicensed brands, which continue to do busin..

Read more

Sportradar to provide data for XLMedia affiliate sites

Sportradar has entered into a multi-year sports betting data partnership with affiliate giant XLMedia.

Under the deal, Sportradar will serve as the official sports data provider to XLMedia through the delivery of a range of digital products and services.

XLMedia will leverage Sportradar’s real-time sports data products for North American and international sports properties across its owned and operated digital properties including SportsBettingDime, SaturdayTradition, SaturdayDownSouth, CrossingBroad, EliteSportsNY and Canadian Sports Betting.

Sportradar will also provide a selection of visualisation tools such as widgets and live match trackers to help enhance XLMedia’s editorial content.

In addition, Sportradar will supply betting odds and insights to support XLMedia with a rising demand for sports betting across its network of websites.

“This partnership highlights Sportradar’s ability to be a one-stop shop for exclusive betting data and sports content for XLMedia’s high quali..

Read more

ATG chief slams bonuses as “embarrassing”

Hasse Lord Skarplöth, CEO of Swedish state-affiliated horse racing operator ATG, has said that bonuses are “embarrassing” and “drive gambling addiction” in a blistering critique of the common industry practice.

Bonuses are the practice of offering free or extra bets to consumers in order to attract or retain players to their platforms; with the method sometimes coming under criticism as an inducement that helps contribute to negative social responsibility outcomes.

Sweden has a stringent bonus regime, only allowing operators to offer one bonus per player at sign-up, worth no more than SEK100. This has been criticised by the Swedish Moderate Party – which have called for the rules to be reformed:

Hasse Lord Skarplöth

“This would make it easier for gaming companies to retain customers in the licensed market and have long-term relationships with the players, both of which increase consumer protection,” said the party.

Much of the industry has also opposed the bonus ban. However, as ..

Read more

Following the numbers on free-to-play

There’s no shortage of businesses in the free-to-play space, but Tally’s focus on data – perhaps influenced by its top executives’ time spent outside of gambling – makes it stand out. Fresh off a $4m funding round led by Acies Investments, Daniel O'Boyle speaks to CEO Brad Vettesse and COO Rupert Huelsey about the business.

There are some tried-and-tested business models for free-to-play betting-related games to bring in money without taking any real bets.

Some products offer paid unlockables, such as features or extra credits, which players can use real money to access.

Brad vettesse

Others exist as as entertainment in itself, usually used as a way to keep players coming back to betting sites, acting more as a piece of acquisition or retention software for operators.

But perhaps not enough attention has been given to the typical business model of most free-to-use products and services these days: gathering customer data.

So, is this type of data still a mostly untapped reso..

Read more

Dutch minister defends sponsorship transition timeline

Dutch minister for legal protection, Franc Weerwind, has defended the timeline of the country’s sponsorship ban, amid further questioning on the subject from MPs.

In July, the Dutch government announced a number of measures to curb gambling advertising, following severe pressure from MPs. Many forms of ads will be banned from the start of next year, while gambling sponsorships in football will be banned from 2025.

When asked about the upcoming sponsorship ban, Weerwind said that the two-year adjustment period set out for the ban is a “reasonable” length of time.

“That is why a period of two years has been provided for the entry into force of a ban on sports sponsorship,” he said.

“In view of the serious importance of addiction prevention and the special importance of sport, I consider this a short, but reasonable period of time.”

He was questioned in parliament last week (23 September) by Mirjam Bikker, a member of political party ChristenUnie.

The questions mostly dealt with foo..

Read more

Fitzdares partners with Fulham FC

Fulham FC has named bookmaker Fitzdares as the club’s official betting partner.

Under the terms of the agreement the new partners intend to launch a messaging campaign that “will bring a sense of fun into the game”.

Fitzdares allows players to place bets in numerous ways, including online, through text and by phone. It also operates a private club in Mayfair, where members can watch live sport.

“This partnership has its roots in the 19th century and we are bursting with excitement to finally join up with London’s original football club, said Fitzdares CEO William Woodhams.

“Dare I say, the only place better to watch football than The Fitzdares Club is at the Cottage. We will be adding a Craven Cottage Pie to our menu immediately to bring a taste of West London royalty to Mayfair.”

Fulham sales director Jon Don-Carolis added: “We are delighted to welcome Fitzdares as Fulham FC’s official UK betting partner.

“Our organisations are proud of our heritage and embrace innovation while ..

Read more

English football must distance itself from the Pogos

iGB op-ed: Zak Thomas-Akoo argues that in the wake of criminal scandals regarding offshore operators based in the Philippines, the continued association by English football clubs with the sector could be a ticking time-bomb for scandal.

Most fans of Premier League clubs probably couldn’t tell you much about the Pogo sector, but it has become deeply embedded in top-flight English football.

A Philippines Offshore Gambling Operation (Pogo) is a Philippines-based gambling site that broadcasts games of chance to other jurisdictions – usually elsewhere in Asia. Almost by definition, this comes without approval by local authorities in the operator’s target markets. While China has been the highest-profile target, a number of Pogos also specialise in the Korean or Vietnamese markets.

The sector is also widely believed to be infiltrated by criminal organisations and has been linked to crimes such as human trafficking, slavery and prostitution, with the situation getting so bad that a senator..

Read more

Betway fined £400,000 for marketing on “children’s webpages”

Online gaming operator Betway has been fined £408,915 ($463,178/ €467,776) by the Gambling Commission for marketing on “children’s webpages”.

The regulator determined that the Super Group-owned brand was marketing on the children’s pages of the West Ham United Football Club’s website, breaching Commission rules on socially responsible advertising.

The Commission said that the operator’s logo – which linked to its website – appeared on a page on the West Ham site which offered the option of printing off a picture of a teddy bear for children to colour in. It was visible on this page between 14 April 2020 and 6 November 2021.

Additionally, between 24 October 2021 and 15 November 2021, a similar logo that linked to Betway’s homepage was featured on the “Young Hammers at Home” page of the club’s site.

GC director of enforcement, Leanne Oxley, said the regulator had no reason to believe Betway was targeting children deliberately, but that the rule breach was still serious.

“Protecting ..

Read more

Betegy to ramp up US push following Yolo investment

Betegy has closed an investment round led by Yolo Investments – the venture capital arm of the Yolo Group, which operates the Sportsbet.io brand.

Betegy – which provides data visualisations, automated on-air and retail graphics, and casino marketing assets to operators – intends to use the funds to continue its scaling in the US. The announcement follows a previous funding round led by JKR Investment Group, which was announced in 2020.

iGB spoke to both Betegy founder and chief executive Alex Kornilov, and Yolo Investments founder and GP Tim Heath to discuss the deal and how Betegy plans to further adapt its products for the US market, and the startup funding sector as a whole.

What encouraged you to invest in the business; what do you think that Betegy brings to the market that wasn’t on offer before?

TH: Betegy’s great innovation is to automate the previously time-consuming process of turning reams of data into world-class content. We know the product works because it’s been succ..

Read more

Brazilian operators risk being punished for government inaction

iGB op-ed: Daniel O’Boyle argues that Brazil’s latest crackdown on sponsorship punishes operators that believed they had a clear pathway to launching before the winter.

Five matches into the season, the Premier League – and European club football in general – is well and truly back.

But the big moment of anticipation in the football world this year is still to come, when those domestic leagues will, of course, stop this winter, for the 2022 Fifa World Cup.

However excited those in Europe may be, surely no nation can match Brazil in its enthusiasm for the World Cup.

So naturally, the event has long been the circled date on the calendar for the launch of regulated sports betting in Brazil.

Operators had surely hoped that the months in the build-up to the event would be a time to prepare to get their licensed operations up and running, putting the finishing touches in place to take bets on the World Cup.

But instead, it might be close to the exact opposite.

With the opening match n..

Read more

USA Today publisher Gannett alters Tipico deal, removing exclusivity

US media giant Gannett has altered its affiliate partnership with Tipico, removing exclusivity for the operator.

Gannett – which owns the country’s leading newspaper by circulation, USA Today, as well as a large network of local newspapers – had signed a deal with German market leader Tipico last year, as the operator looked set to expand in the US.

The operator committed to $90m in media spend over the five-year agreement, while Gannett would also receive referral fees for customers that placed bets after being directed to Tipico from Gannett properties.

That agreement replaced Gannett’s partnership with MGM-Entain joint venture BetMGM, meaning the media business would promote Tipico odds instead of BetMGM’s.

Read the full story on iGB North America

Read more

SuperBook to launch retail sportsbook at Orioles stadium

Sports betting operator SuperBook Sports has announced a new partnership with MLB team the Baltimore Orioles that will involve the building of a retail sportsbook sports lounge at the club’s Oriole Park at Camden Yards ballpark.

SuperBook does not currently have a Maryland sports wagering licence and the deal will be the operator’s first foray into the state’s regulated sports betting market. As such, the partnership will be subject to the relevant approvals from the Maryland Lottery & Gaming Control Commission (MLGCC).

Active in Nevada since 1986, SuperBook’s online brand has expanded as sports betting has grown to other states. In June, the operator expanded into Tennessee through a platform partnership with International Game Technology (IGT).

TJ Brightman, Orioles chief revenue officer lauded the deal in a statement: “The Orioles are thrilled to partner with SuperBook to enhance our gameday experience with the introduction of their first-ever on-premise sports lounge,” he said.
..

Read more

Want To Keep Up To date with our latest news and information? Please enter your email address below to be added to our mailing list

Bookielink.com is operated by Intraseculink Ltd, Registration Number: HE356617, 176 Athalassas Avenue, Office 401, 2025, Strovolos, Nicosia, Cyprus. BLUEINIC B.V. with Registration number 140279 and registered address at Abraham Mendez Chumaceiro , Boulevard 50, is licensed under Antillephone N.V. ,holder of Gaming License #8048/JAZ of the Central Government of the Netherlands Antilles. BLUEINIC B.V. is licensed and regulated in virtue of license number #8048/JAZ2016-030 granted by the Government of Curaçao to BLUEINIC B.V. The license was issued on ‎08-06-2016.

Bookielink.com © 2024 All rights reserved.