News
Big Betting Brands to Build on New Revenue Streams in 2021
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Rain, shine, regulation issues or pandemic, it seems nothing stops the UK sports betting industry from moving forward with new plans to evolve and find additional ways to turn a profit.
That being said, there’s no question that 2020 has been one of the more challenging years, even for the giants of the UK sportsbook sector. Beyond the lockdowns of physical betting shops as well as football and other major sports leagues shutting down for three months, regulation is always a concern. This is especially true when it comes to the protection of underage and problem gamblers.
For instance, recently, the Gambling Related Harm All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) called for a ban on gambling advertisements in the UK. The issue the APPG has isn’t specifically related to the ads themselves, but the serious negative effects they may have on individuals who are trying to distance themselves from the industry due to gambling-related problems, addiction or any other reason.
Still, even with the ongoing pandemic and the threat of tightening regulations, UK bookmakers, particularly the industry’s big bookies like BetFred, William Hill, Ladbrokes and Coral, to name a few, continue to push forward with the hopes of making 2021 a more profitable year than 2020.
Betfred Hopes to Make it Big in the US Betting Market
Taking a look at Betfred, this isn’t an operator that is keen to put all of its eggs into one basket and is quick to find new revenue streams whenever given the chance. For instance, it jumped on the mobile betting bandwagon years back when it became available and now the brand holds one of the most downloaded betting apps in the UK market. Meanwhile, Last year (2019), it entered the US betting market with big plans for its Betfred USA operations.
Even though Betfred USA had not yet launched online when everything shut down due to the pandemic, once Iowa casinos reopened and they launched in Colorado, the sport that has brought Betfred the biggest action in the US market has been MMA. While this certainly pales in comparison to the big US team sports such as the NFL, NBA and MLB, once these are back in full swing next year, the company expects to see an uptick in volume.
William Hill Intends to Merge its Retail and Online Businesses
William Hill is another big bookie making the news. William Hill is set to merge retail and online businesses according to a recent announcement made by the UK operator. Phil Walker, William Hill’s UK online managing director has announced that he will take over responsibility for the UK Single Market Division and will work alongside the head of the retail division, Nicola Frampton, during a six-month transition period before Frampton steps down.
The merger is William Hill’s new plan to overcome regulatory and economic obstacles, including the betting restrictions decision on FOBT in 2019, which resulted in the shuttering of 713 of its betting shops.
Ladbrokes and Coral Re-open Betting Shops
Wasting no time for the opportunity to welcome back profits from their physical betting shops, GVC announced the re-opening of its Ladbrokes and Coral betting shops in England back in June. Since 15 June, all 2,455 shops in England have opened their doors with the ease of the pandemic lockdown in the UK.
That said, new health and safety measures have been put into place to support social distancing and additional hand sanitizer stations. Moreover, there are pre-shop opening checks as well as clear guidance on maximum customer occupancy levels, which are based on the layout and size of each shop. GVC is gearing up to make the most of the remainder of 2020, readying to welcome in a more revenue rich 2021.
All in all, it will be interesting to see what other new steps UK bookies – big or small – will take to ensure that next year is a profitable one.
News
Already Media opens new Warsaw headquarters
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Already Media, the tech-driven affiliate and media company, has opened its new headquarters in the Polish capital of Warsaw.
The office will initially house more than 20 members of Already Media’s 250-strong global team, with a focus on C-suite positions including CEO, COO, CLO, CFO, as well as senior SEO department heads.
Officially opening on July 1, the office provides a base for the company as it continues to pursue a primarily remote-work strategy, hiring on-the-ground talent worldwide, particularly in the emerging markets it focuses on.
Alina Famenok, CEO of Already Media, said: “It’s a proud moment to open our new headquarters in Warsaw. We’re excited to tap into the city’s thriving tech and start-up scene, as well as adding to our team from the huge amount of local talent here. Already Media has expanded rapidly over the last couple of years, and this HQ positions us well to continue what has been a remarkable journey so far.”
Members of the Already Media team – whether they work remotely or are based in Warsaw – enjoy a wide-range of benefits, with a focus on professional growth, health and work-life balance.
The approach has helped the company build a unique culture which contributes significantly to maintaining its edge when it comes to innovation.
It has been a busy few months for Already Media. In March, it acquired iconic affiliate asset PokerListings. In the months since, PokerListings has already significantly ramped up its video content output and launched into additional markets.
News
SiGMA East Europe edition moves to Budapest with Affiliate World
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SiGMA East Europe will hold its third event for the Balkan-Slavic markets in Hungary this September. Powered by Soft2Bet and taking place at the Hungaro Expo in Budapest from the 2nd to 6th of September, the event is expected to attract a 9,000-strong crowd to the expo’s Pavilion E arena.
The event will also be held back-to-back with Affiliate World, which takes place on the 5th and 6th of September in Budapest – making SiGMA East Europe a must attend for operators.
This unique partnership promises an unrivalled networking environment, offering operators the chance to connect with top tier affiliates from a diversity of sectors. With an estimated 5,000 new affiliates expected to participate, this collaboration is set to elevate opportunities for operators and suppliers alike, while also bringing many of the world’s top affiliates closer to the iGaming community. Affiliate World also took place alongside the SiGMA Eurasia event, held in Dubai earlier this year.
Affiliate Announcements
Stase Blitz: ‘For PIN-UP Partners, iGB L!VE is a trove of opportunities and sets the tone for the rest of the year’
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PIN-UP Partners will be attending iGB LIVE 2024 with a mission to be at the vanguard of the affiliate sector and a pledge to set new trends as the industry prepares to bid farewell to Amsterdam ahead of iGB L!VE’s relocation to London in July 2025.
PIN-UP Partners will be using its iGB L!VE presence to build new partnerships and find affiliates as CMO Stase Blitz confirmed: “For PIN-UP Partners, iGB L!VE is a trove of opportunities, as the event brings together the best and the brightest of the iGaming industry. Every year, iGB L!VE delivers for the business, and our team leaves the event with hundreds of new contacts that have the potential to really propel our business forward.”
Looking ahead to what she believes the industry will experience at the show she noted: “We can expect to be part of what will be the biggest edition of iGB L!VE there has ever been which would be the best possible way to say a big thanks to Amsterdam in advance of the move to London in 2025.
“Like everyone in our field we are always looking to identify new affiliates and iGB L!VE provides us with the perfect platform to do exactly that. For our part we will be using our presence on booth 11-D50 to launch amazing terms for our offers alongside some catwalk-worthy merch!”
She added: “One of our goals is to build a strong community: harnessing the power of people who are the greatest influence on any industry – but in particular ours! At iGB L!VE we are planning to host a grand event where we can gather our friends and partners for networking and so much more, so don’t forget to stop by our booth!
“The PIN-UP Partners team is delighted to be a part of the iGaming industry’s greatest event.”