Sports Betting Guide to G2E 2019 by SBC Global

SPORTS BETTING

GUIDE TO AN OFFICIAL PUBLICATION BY

OCTOBER 2019

BETTING'S BIG HITTERS William Hill CEO Joe Asher talks live streaming PointsBet's Johnny Aitken on disrupting the market Jeffrey Gural hails FanDuel's retail revenues COUNTING THE COST: CUOMO'S AVERSION TO MOBILE IN NYC

DOWNLOAD THE G2E MOBILE APP POWERED BY: Switch on your bluetoothÂ® and navigate the show floor with interactive maps Scan Exhibitor QR codes to cast your vote for the exhibitors that are featuring your favorite new products; see live rankings on the Hot Hits Leaderboards Get help from anywhere with live chat View personalized exhibitor, session and product recommendations See the schedule of education sessions and special events

GET IT TODAY FOR FREE SEARCH G2E IN THE APP STORES OR VISIT

G2EMOBILE.COM APPLE AND THE APPLE LOGO ARE TRADEMARKS OF APPLE INC., REGISTERED IN THE U.S. AND OTHER COUNTRIES. APP STORE IS A SERVICE MARK OF APPLE INC., REGISTERED IN THE U.S. AND OTHER COUNTRIES. GOOGLE PLAY AND THE GOOGLE PLAY LOGO ARE TRADEMARKS OF GOOGLE INC.

PRESENTED BY:

8-13 Key information for sports betting •T he complete guide to the show floor at G2E • An A-Z list of sports betting based exhibitors • Sports Betting Symposium schedule at a glance

15-25 Finding the right SBS session

CONTENTS

OCTOBER 2019

• • • • •

ribal gaming on pace to outstrip commercial casino revenue by 2030 T Adapting to the unique challenges facing the US payments market Why responsible gambling lessons learned must land across the pond The data crunch: Battle lines being drawn over live sports data AGA research: Sports betting boosts NFL’s centennial season

27-29 The Big Interview

• William Hill: Live streaming is the future for mobile betting in the US

31-33 The Debate

• Andrew Cuomo: The last hurdle to mobile betting in New York?

34-39 State-by-state guide

• Chasing Nevada: The 'other 12' states with legal sports betting

42-47 Regular SBC Features

•6 of the Best: Westgate LV Resort & Casino's Jay Kornegay • CEO Watch with Johnny Aitken: Utilising the power of PointsBet

49-51 Hall of Famers

•C ompliance the key to long-term industry success for Art Manteris • Dennis Drazin: Horse racing to exploit the sports betting crossover • Former NJ governor Chris Christie maps out blueprint for future states

53-65 Expert Commentary • • • • •

enjie Cherniak: Sending the right message to US college athletes B Jeffrey Gural: The “wrong place” to rival Meadowlands retail revenues Andrew Ashenden: Live streaming on the horizon for US sports bettors Ray Lesniak: Winning the battle for legal sports betting Lee-Ann Johnstone: Key factors for those eyeing the US affiliate market

67-75 Products in Focus

•M azooma’s PASPA driven product roadmap gets mobile focus • How SBTech is helping lotteries keep pace with the competition • Top five things to know about IGT’s PlaySports platform

77-78 Upcoming Events

• US return headlines SBC’s ambitious expansion for 2020

The SBC Sports Betting Guide to G2E is brought to you by SBC - Sports Betting Community: EDITORIAL TEAM: Andrew McCarron, Luke Massey, Craig Davies, Ted Menmuir, Joe Streeter, Chris Murphy, Erin Gallagher, Liam Machin, Matthew Ramirez SALES TEAM: Rasmus Sojmark, Alyona Gromova, Conall McCabe, Neil Judson DESIGNED & DELIVERED BY Better Mags (bettermags.co.uk) All material is strictly copyrighted and all rights are reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part without the written permission of Sports Betting Community Ltd. Although every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this publication, Sports Betting Community Ltd cannot be held responsible for any errors it may contain. Sports Betting Community Ltd cannot be held responsible for the loss or damage of any material, solicited or unsolicited. The views in the publication are not necessarily the views of Sports Betting Community Ltd or those of the advertisers. Produced and published by Sports Betting Community Ltd REGISTERED ADDRESS: Sports Betting Community, 103-105 Brighton Road, Coulsdon, Surrey CR5 2NG, UK TEL.: +44 (0) 161 367 1250 EMAIL: sales@sbcgaming.com WEB: www.sbcgaming.com

sbcmagazine.com 3

Korbi Carrison Event Director, G2E

elcome to Global Gaming Expo (G2E) 2019, the largest gathering of global, commercial and tribal gaming professionals in North America! On behalf of the entire Global Gaming Expo (G2E) show team, we thank you for joining us.

You’ve waited all year to join more than 27,000 gaming industry professionals, who as a community come together in a journey to evolve business knowledge and practices, ensure business success, foster relationships and find inspiration. Sports betting has seen rapid expansion across the U.S. and many more jurisdictions are considering it nationally. As a result, G2E’s Sports Betting Symposium (SBS) continues to grow and be an important feature at the event. This year’s SBS will address legislative issues, business strategies, partnerships and the intersection of wagering and payments. Here are just a few highlights as to what you will find at G2E this year: · G2E’s Expo Hall – compared to last year, there are an additional 12 sports betting exhibitors. Together with returning exhibitors 17,000 square feet is dedicated to sports betting. · Exciting Speakers – every day will feature speakers converging to discuss the latest in sports betting, including National Hockey League (NHL) Commissioner Gary Bettman and other notable guests. · G2E Mobile App – download (or update!) the G2E Mobile App, powered by Konami. As you explore the expo hall, this is your most valuable resource, with information updated on an ongoing basis, booth-to-booth GPS navigation, Ask G2E for on-demand responses to your questions and personalized recommendations of exhibitors, education sessions and special events. This year, we’re launching direct messaging in our Mobile App, where attendees will be able to reach out directly to exhibitors to set up appointments and begin conversations. We hope you enjoy your time at G2E and accomplish all of your business objectives. Thank you for being here!

4 OFFICIAL SPORTS BETTING GUIDE TO G2E • OCTOBER 2019

Korbi Carrison Event Director, G2E

Bill Miller

President & CEO, American Gaming Association

Welcome to Global Gaming Expo (G2E) Las Vegas, the world’s premiere gaming trade show and educational program. The American Gaming Association (AGA) is proud to host G2E, working with our partners at Reed Exhibitions to bring you the must-attend event for the global gaming industry. G2E continues to be the industry platform to highlight innovation, connect with other gaming-entertainment professionals, keep pace with the fast-paced and evolving market, and discover solutions to boost business operations and growth. Sports betting continues to be a major factor powering our industry’s growth over the past 18 months since the Supreme Court’s ruling on Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992. With more than a dozen states having legalized sports betting, it is more important than ever that we get sports betting right. G2E, with the second annual Sports Betting Symposium, will showcase the regulatory and industry developments surrounding this new landscape and the massive opportunities ahead. Featured voices like NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, international operators and suppliers and other industry-leading executives will provide attendees with insight into how this new market can be rolled out in a thoughtful and responsible manner. The next five years will be more transformative for gaming than the last three decades. AGA is focused on creating a future where gaming earns more popular support across America, communities continue to view us as a valued partner for spurring growth and improving lives, and regulators collaborate with us on needed innovations to better serve our guests. We invite you to visit the AGA booth by registration to meet our team, learn more about AGA’s priorities, and hear the latest policy updates in Washington. We hope you have a productive week at G2E 2019. Sincerely, Bill Miller, President & CEO American Gaming Association

sbcmagazine.com 5

600 GUESTS

TUESDAY 15 OCTOBER 2019, 9PM â&#x20AC;&#x201C; LATE ROCKHOUSE, VENETIAN, LAS VEGAS

Vegas Baby is taking place on the 15th October, the first day of the Global Gaming Expo (G2E). You will experience an incredible evening with 600 industry executives from operators, suppliers, affiliates, regulators and media. You are guaranteed to network and do business with like minded betting industry professionals.

HEADLINE SPONSORS

For more information please visit: www.sbcevents.com

INTRO Luke Massey Head of SBC Media

ow that Corbi and Bill have made formal introductions to the event, I’m here to hone in on the heart of this sports betting guide, proudly brought to you by SBC Magazine. So, for me it's less about the increased number of sports bettingbased exhibitors, less about the mobile app (however nice it looks) and less about the raft of top speakers ready to rock this year’s Sports Betting Symposium (SBS). Nevertheless, both of INEVITABLY, my esteemed colleagues MOBILE BETTING have chosen to namePLAYS A KEY PART. check the appearance of PUT SIMPLY, THE NHL Commissioner Gary NUMBERS MAKE A Bettman in the second MOCKERY OF THOSE annual SBS, so I feel STATES KEEPING IT somewhat obliged to do OFF THE TABLE the same. Three mentions in as many pages - no pressure Gary. Interestingly enough, he will be speaking alongside William Hill US CEO Joe Asher, the subject of our 'Big Interview' on driving customers from established retail outlets to online, a misconception over the in-play opportunity, the future for mobile betting in the US and his response

to New Jersey surpassing Nevada for sports betting handle. Fittingly, we then move seamlessly from talk of a state enjoying the steady stream of profit from mobile betting to one whose governor has been accused (by industry commentators much more knowledgeable than I) of using ‘constitutional amendment’ as an excuse for his own personal aversion to gambling expansion. Speaking of industry commentators, we have an almost endless stream of experts lined up to discuss integrity concerns in college sports, the imminent addition of live streaming to the licensed US sportsbook and key advice for those eyeing a new era for affiliates, as well as Ray Lesniak's own account of winning the legal battle for sports betting. You can see more of this high-level commentary each and every day on our free-to-read news portal SBCAmericas. com. In fact, the journalists behind the site have provided a good chunk of the content you can find in this very guide. Inevitably, mobile betting plays a key part. Put simply, the numbers make a mockery of those states keeping it off the table. However, despite the increasingly obvious discrepancy between the two, we’re not willing to give up on mobile’s brick and mortar counterpart just yet, particularly in light of FanDuel’s impressive retail returns at the Meadowlands. Just down the road from the racetrack, Betting on Sports America will make its second outing at the Meadowlands Exposition Center from 28-30 April. A key date for your diary in 2020, but don’t take your eyes off this week. Let’s have a great G2E!

sbcmagazine.com 7

SCIENTIFIC GAMES

1116

Scientific Games Corporation

1133

Aristocrat Technologies

1150

Everi

1256

Konami Gaming, Inc.

1335

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* MEDIA TOWER

1216

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2016 2116

2018 2118

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AGA BOOTH

3926

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4618

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SPONSORED BY: NOVOMATIC

Efficient and Secure Payments Strategies to Drive an Improved Payment Experience

Federal, Tribal and State-Specific Update on the Sports Betting Rollout in the U.S.

CASE STUDY: The Hidden Value of Risk Management and Secondary Play On The Responsible Gambling Casino Floor

Evaluating Outsourcing In Tight Labor Market: Examine the Cost of Turnover and Hiring by Supplementing Your Team

Casino Floor Innovations: The Slot Machine is Still King

*As of September 19, 2019 - Schedule Subject to Change

G2E WELCOME RECEPTION - VENETIAN BALLROOM F

A Multi-Generational Approach to Customer Service

Brave New Gaming World: Transforming Our Industry Via Today’s Cloud

NIGA NETWORKING RECEPTION NIGA BOOTH, BOOTH #5229

Human Interaction vs. Automation: When is Self-Service Bad Service?

2019 | EDUCATION OCTOBER 14-17 EXPO HALL OCTOBER 15-17 SANDS EXPO, LAS VEGAS

5:00 PM – 6:30 PM

3:00 PM – 3:45 PM

2:00 PM – 2:45 PM

12:00 PM – 2:00 PM 12:15 PM 2:00 PM

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Powerful Women Affecting Powerful Change

G2E EXPO HALL OPEN

SPECIAL EVENTS STAGE

Platinum Sponsors:

10:00 AM – 5:00 PM

TITIAN 2301

TRIBAL GAMING

KEYNOTE PRESENTATION: THE AGE OF DISRUPTION: EVERYTHING HAS CHANGED AND NOTHING IS DIFFERENT SCOTT STRATTEN, PRESIDENT OF UNMARKETING - SPECIAL EVENTS STAGE

OPEN TO ALL G2E EDUCATION BADGE HOLDERS

G2E EDUCATION NETWORKING BREAKFAST - VERONESE 2501

VERONESE 2406

NON-GAMING GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES

9:00 AM – 10:00 AM

VERONESE 2404

OPTIMIZING GAMING OPERATIONS

G2E WELCOME FROM BILL MILLER, PRESIDENT AND CEO, AMERICAN GAMING ASSOCIATION (AGA) - SPECIAL EVENTS STAGE

VERONESE 2402

Track Sponsor:

MARKETING & ANALYTICS

8:45 AM – 9:00 AM

7:45 AM – 8:30 AM

LOCATION

GAMING LEADERSHIP

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15

SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE

12 OFFICIAL SPORTS BETTING GUIDE TO G2E • OCTOBER 2019

TITIAN 2303

TITIAN 2203

SECURITY, SURVEILLANCE & COMPLIANCE

Artificial Intelligence on the Slot Floor: Optimizing Slot Mix and Product Placement to Maximize Win

Ante Up on Guest Service Automation

The Playbook for a Reinvented Sports Book

The Economics of Esports

Tribal Gaming Protection Network: Recent Updates and Activities on Casino Security and Surveillance

TITIAN 2301

Tribal Gaming Protection Network: Cybersecurity and IT Risks - Securing Your Property in the 21st Century

Finding the Right Partner - An Interactive Exhibit Hall Tour 1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

Executive Viewpoints: A League Commissioner and Leading Executives Discuss New Business Partnerships

SPECIAL EVENTS STAGE

Platinum Sponsors:

*As of September 19, 2019 - Schedule Subject to Change

CASINO ENTERTAINMENT AWARDS - VINYL SHOWROOM, HARD ROCK HOTEL

GLOBAL GAMING WOMEN - 10TH ANNUAL KICK UP YOUR HEELS FUNDRAISER - THE WYNN LAS VEGAS

AGEM AWARDS - AGEM BOOTH #3700

Roundtable Discussion Sports Betting Talks (2): BELLINI 2004 Getting Responsibility Right | Lessons Learned: Successes and Pitfalls Overcome of Opening Sportbooks in New Jurisdictions

Roundtable Discussion Leadership Talks (5): BELLINI 2103 #MeToo Movement - The Legal Landscape | Diversity & Inclusion | Powerful Ways to be a More Relevant, Influential and Impactful Leader | Dare to Lead: What it Takes to be a Great Leader | Encouraging Future Leaders

SPONSORED BY: DESIGN COLLECTIVE BY CINTAS

Roundtable Discussion FinTech Talks (3): BELLINI 2002 The Role of iGaming in Driving Payments Innovation | Cashless and Cardless Systems | Secure and Efficient Payment Strategies

Sports Betting In Indian Country: The Rules, Regulations and Best Practices for Tribal Gaming

TITIAN 2301

TRIBAL GAMING

TITIAN 2301

DESIGN COLLECTIVE FASHION SHOW - SPECIAL EVENTS STAGE

Your Customer Database Continues to Grow but How Do You Turn That Data into Useful Information?

Should Casinos Have A Specific Strategy Just For Millennials?

The Long Arm of the GDPR: What it Means for Non-European Companies

SPONSORED BY: DESIGN COLLECTIVE BY CINTAS

Roundtable Discussion Tech Talks (6): BELLINI 2101 Graph Database Technology | Virtual Reality Immersive Entertainment | Artificial Intelligence Across Gaming | VR in Gaming | Using Guest Engagement Technology to Increase Revenue | Digital Marketing: Moving to an App-Based World

Presented By:

Breaking Out of Your Lane: People Who’ve Proven Everything is Possible

Presented By:

Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard Inspired by Chip Heath and Dan Heath

LUNCH BREAK

Interactive Workshop: Understanding the Ecosystem and Evolution of Esports

DESIGN COLLECTIVE FASHION SHOW - SPECIAL EVENTS STAGE

Roadmap to a Scalable Future Focused on Incremental Revenue

2019 | EDUCATION OCTOBER 14-17 EXPO HALL OCTOBER 15-17 SANDS EXPO, LAS VEGAS

4:00 PM 5:00 PM 6:00 PM 8:00 PM 7:00 PM 10:00 PM

3:30 PM – 4:30 PM

3:00 PM

2:30 PM – 3:15 PM

1:30 PM – 2:15 PM

1:00 PM

11:30 AM – 1:30 PM

10:30 AM – 11:30 AM

G2E EXPO HALL OPEN

OPEN TO ALL G2E EDUCATION BADGE HOLDERS

G2E EDUCATION NETWORKING BREAKFAST - VERONESE 2501

VERONESE 2406

NON-GAMING GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES

10:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Using Technology to Extend the Casino Floor and Increase Revenue

VERONESE 2404

OPTIMIZING GAMING OPERATIONS

KEYNOTE PRESENTATION: SPECIAL EVENTS STAGE

Implementing Performance Improvement and Motivating Talent Towards a Better Future

VERONESE 2402

Track Sponsor:

MARKETING & ANALYTICS

9:00 AM – 10:00 AM

7:45 AM – 8:30 AM

LOCATION

GAMING LEADERSHIP

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16

SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE

sbcmagazine.com 13

Keeping Staff Safer: Implementing Indoor Geolocation Systems

Friendly Fraud: Managing Your Risk

Real-World Ways to Personalize Guest Service From Hollywood to Silicon Valley: Creating Innovative Content and Experiences for Today’s Consumers

Sports Betting Partnerships: Lessons Learned and Future Opportunities

*As of September 19, 2019 - Schedule Subject to Change

Getting Mobile Rollout Right

National Indian The Pearl River Resorts Gaming Commission: Sports Betting Journey: NIGC FAQ Panel An Interactive Discussion

Esports, Mobile Gaming and Sports Wagering: What Role Does the Tribal Gaming Regulator Play?

Non-Gaming Products National Indian and Services for Customer Identification Gaming Commission: Today’s Generation of Using Facial Recognition National Guidance Consumers: Threats, Technology: The Future is Now on the Issues Opportunities, or Both?

2019 | EDUCATION OCTOBER 14-17 EXPO HALL OCTOBER 15-17 SANDS EXPO, LAS VEGAS

Implementing Cashless and Cardless Systems

11:30 AM – 12:15 PM

Digital Marketing: Moving to an App-Based World

Mobile First Player and Guest Experience: Transforming the Operations of a Casino Resort

Understanding Your Customers: Using Demographic and Psychographic Analytics in Marketing

10:30 AM – 11:15 AM

12:30 PM – 1:15 PM

Exploring New, Non-Traditional Methods to Monetize Your Gaming Floor

Maximizing Opportunities to Communicate Effectively Under Normal Circumstances and Under Pressure

G2E EXPO HALL OPEN

SPECIAL EVENTS STAGE

10:00 AM – 3:00 PM

TITIAN 2301

Platinum Sponsors:

KEYNOTE PRESENTATION: PRETTY INTENSE – HOW DRIVE AND DETERMINATION FUEL DANICA PATRICK’S SUCCESS DANICA PATRICK, ENTREPRENEUR AND FORMER PROFESSIONAL RACECAR DRIVER - SPECIAL EVENTS STAGE

TITIAN 2203

TRIBAL GAMING

9:00 AM – 10:00 AM

TITIAN 2303

SECURITY, SURVEILLANCE & COMPLIANCE

OPEN TO ALL G2E EDUCATION BADGE HOLDERS

VERONESE 2402

NON-GAMING GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES

G2E EDUCATION NETWORKING BREAKFAST - VERONESE 2501

VERONESE 2404

OPTIMIZING GAMING OPERATIONS

7:45 AM – 8:30 AM

LOCATION

Track Sponsor:

MARKETING & ANALYTICS

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17

SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE

SPORTS BETTING SYMPOSIUM G2E Sports Betting Symposium offers three days of educational content on the Special Events Stage. Topics will range from legislative issues to business strategies, including ample opportunities to engage with sports betting exhibitors to begin or refine your sports betting strategy.

G2E2019.COM/SPORTSBETTINGSYMPOSIUM PLATINUM SPONSORS:

Tribal betting

TRIBAL GAMING STILL ON PACE TO OUTSTRIP COMMERCIAL CASINO REVENUE BY 2030

AFTER POSTING ITS HIGHEST EVER annual gross gaming yield this year, the American tribal gaming sector appears well positioned to address some significant challenges ahead, not least of which is the ongoing tussle over access to new land

n mid-September, Vice Chair Kathryn Isom-Clause and Associate Commissioner E Sequoyah Simermeyer of the National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) released the tribal gaming sector’s fiscal year 2018 gross gaming revenue numbers. At $33.7bn, and ahead by 4.1 per cent year-on-year, it represented the highest revenue yield in Indian gaming history and the seventh consecutive year of growth. Moreover, unlike previous years, all of the NIGC’s administrative regions experienced positive growth in FY 2018. The Portland Region showed the highest growth, with an 8.2 per cent increase, followed by the Oklahoma City Region with a 7.3 per cent increase. “The GGR calculation process is an example of the partnership between tribes and the NIGC to ensure effective regulation for a successful tribal gaming industry,” said Isom-Clause. “These numbers reaffirm the industry’s health as a stable economic driver for Indian Country.” “The annual GGR tells a positive story about Indian gaming’s economic success and the industry’s ongoing

contribution to a strong economy,” added Simermeyer. “It also tells the story of how collaboration among tribes, industry and the regulatory communities can build a strong reputation for reliability and integrity in the GGR calculation.” Tribal gaming’s continued rise has been tracked consistently by the American Gaming Association (AGA) and was featured again in the current iteration of its State of the State 2019 survey of the commercial casino industry. “Perhaps the biggest challenge facing tribal gaming is how to continue the phenomenal success of the last 30 years,” it noted with some cautious optimism. And the sector does face challenges ahead, as the AGA reported. “Recent developments are raising questions

Federal, Tribal and State-Specific Update on the Sports Betting Rollout in the U.S. • Tuesday 15th October • Special Events Stage

about the future growth of tribal gaming and whether the sector can continue to grow at such a rapid pace. “An August 2018 ruling by the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in California underscored legal concerns over how tribal governments can participate in internet gaming and online sports betting, given that the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act’s (IGRA) scope is restricted to gaming activities that occur on tribal reservations.” Another major concern for tribes, said the AGA, is the difficulty of obtaining new land. “During the Obama administration, the US Department of the Interior placed more than 500,000 acres of land into trust for tribes,” it reported. “That led to the approval of several major tribal casino projects in California and Washington, among other states. By contrast, under President Donald Trump, the process of taking land into trust for tribal gaming and other purposes has come to a grinding halt.” Meanwhile, Jason Giles, Executive Director of the National Indian Gaming Association (NIGA), was cited by the AGA as claiming that compact negotiations and other legal issues are likely to complicate the rollout of sports wagering. However, Giles expressed optimism that tribes will eventually emerge as leaders in the sports betting marketplace, pointing to the example of now-ubiquitous ticket-in ticket-out (TITO) technologies for electronic gaming devices, which were pioneered by tribal casinos ahead of adoption by the commercial gaming industry. Despite the challenges and the complexities around sports betting, it would require a brave speculator to bet against tribal gaming’s seemingly inexorable growth, especially given its function as an economic driver of increasing significance. On current evidence, the Indian nations are firmly on pace to exceed annual commercial casino revenue before 2030. •

sbcmagazine.com 15

Gaming will never be the same.

Deposit

KYC

Withdrawal

Payments Strategies

ADAPTING TO THE UNIQUE CHALLENGES FACING THE US PAYMENTS MARKET NEIL ERLICK, EVP OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

at Paysafe Group, breaks down some of the key issues his company has faced post-PASPA SBC: How much have you leaned on experience from other markets? NE: We have over 20 years of experience in supporting global gaming operators. It’s one of our biggest assets. Our expertise spans mature European gaming markets and the Canadian provincial lottery space to online casino brands in New Jersey, and now US sports betting. When supporting US sportsbooks, our experience globally - and particularly in the New Jersey online casino market - has proven invaluable. It’s certainly true that the US market poses unique payments challenges. Given the fragmented regulatory landscape, card declines by card issuers remain a significant problem. Operators need to tailor their payment offerings according to the market, and that’s where our experience can really help. SBC: What have been some of the major challenges in setting up a payment system in the US for sports betting? NE: Card acceptance rates are arguably the major challenge. Close to a fifth (19 per cent) of US sports bettors we surveyed in Q1 2019 had experienced a card decline when wagering online. We and our acquiring partners, such as Worldpay, are working closely with the card brands to educate them on the post-PASPA market and help raise approval rates. In tandem, operators are also diversifying their payment offerings to include digital wallets like Skrill and prepaid e-cash solutions like our paysafecard product as well as ACH. It’s

important for operators to give players choice, so that a card decline is never an excuse for not wagering. SBC: Where do customers appear to be heading towards in terms of alternative payment methods (APMs)? NE: While credit and debit cards – favored by 32 per cent and 31 per cent of players we surveyed, respectively – are two of the most popular payment methods for online wagering, APMs are also seeing significant uptake. They are commonly used by players when faced with a card decline. Over a third (35 per cent) of such players will turn to a digital wallet like Skrill, according to our research. Online cash vouchers like paysafecard are also popular, with our research revealing that more than a fifth of bettors (22 per cent) have used this method after a card decline.

Efficient and Secure Payments Strategies to Drive an Improved Payment Experience • Tuesday 15th October • Special Events Stage

ACH, online bank transfers, and operators’ branded prepaid cards are also popular alternatives to traditional cards. Overall, a diverse payment offering, with a mix of cards and alternative payments, supports operators’ player acquisition. Around a quarter (23 per cent) of sports bettors we surveyed cited payments as key differentiator when choosing a brand. SBC: How vital is open communication between operators, payment firms and regulators as the market continues to develop? NE: Relationships are everything. Given the issue of card declines, there needs to be very open lines of communication between operators, payments providers, card issuers and regulators. At Paysafe, we believe in transparency and open communication. Given our expertise, operators rely on our advice, and really value it to optimise their payments offerings. • We spoke to Erlick just a few weeks before his appearance at G2E, where he will join the Sports Betting Symposium panel titled ‘Efficient and Secure Payments Strategies to Drive an Improved Payment Experience’.

sbcmagazine.com 17

MALTA

0 2 0 2 H C R A M 6 2 5 2 TAL N E N I T N O INTERC

MALTA

1,500

Delegates

100

Speakers

Exhibitors

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT WWW.SBCEVENTS.COM

Responsible Gambling

WHY SAFER GAMBLING LESSONS LEARNED MUST LAND ACROSS THE POND

receivers within the state legislature offenses enough time to get into slots and get the sports regulation touchdowns over the line. Barbadoro converted the thirdand-super-long by rejecting DoJ’s interpretation; DoJ granted enforcement forbearance at least until the end of 2019. However, an appeal was submitted a couple of months later and the “game” might go all the way back up to the Supreme Court…

IT IS 14 MAY 2018, which may be offseason, yet the

sights of the gambling industry are on a nine-bodied punt returner called SCOTUS, writes GVC’s Martin Lycka. Will the most honorable punt returner catch the ball thumped many moons ago by the 1992 PASPA punter?

he ball has been hanging in the air for what feels like a lifetime and… then it’s caught, and the punt returner is off. The first few gunners are left in the dust; but the long return is stopped just yards short of the Capitol (firmly in the state-by-state regulation territory). The first play has been successful but many more are to come. Yes, 14 May 2018 was the day when the modern US sports betting regulation was born. Since then 13 US states have launched betting markets; five others have laws approved. US regulation is thus seemingly on a Tom Brady like led charge that knocks down opposition in one state legislature after another. Nonetheless, the defense he is marching up against

is seeking to stop or at least slow down the sports regulation offense. Third and long conversions might be required… The new First Down line lies in New Hampshire. In November 2018, the Department of Justice changed its heart on the scope of application of the Wire Act. The new interpretation is that the Act applies to all types of interstate gambling, not just betting. The New Hampshire Lottery challenged the interpretation before a New Hampshire judge, Paul Barbadoro. The goal was to give wide

Risk Management and Responsible Gambling • Tuesday 15th October • Special Events Stage

The judicial battles will go on. At the same time, the US betting market has a shot at becoming the world’s biggest. Just like in Hamilton’s case, it is however vital not to throw that shot away; the US market is “young”, somewhat “scrappy”, most definitely “hungry” and requires a “lot of polish”. The regulatory “diamond in the rough” needs gentle but steadfast touch of an experienced jeweller to make sure that the lessons the industry has learned elsewhere will land across the pond and potential issues be avoided. Every market is unique and no patronizing is called for; I would however suggest that there is a lot to learn from the responsible gambling and sports integrity programs global gambling industry has put in place. I believe that applying these lessons will ensure past mistakes will not be repeated and that the US market will have the luxury of going down the path of steady “third and 2” conversions as opposed to regulatory Hail-Marys. This is what I’ll be talking about at this year’s G2E. • Martin Lycka is the Director of Regulatory Affairs at GVC Group. He will be joining the Sports Betting Symposium session covering 'mission critical' information about the management of risks related to operating online gambling products, in particular sports betting products.

sbcmagazine.com 19

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Data & US sports

THE DATA CRUNCH: BATTLE LINES BEING DRAWN OVER LIVE SPORTS DATA THE ROSTER OF MAJOR SPORTS PROPERTIES entering into

official data partnerships to commercialize their live data has attracted plenty of attention in recent months, not least because of the arrival of the major US sports leagues into this arena writes David Lampitt, MD of Sports Partnerships at Sportradar

hese data deals have been growing in number, value and geographic reach, a process that has mirrored the rapid growth of Sportradar’s own business supplying this data to media companies and sports betting operators around the world in realtime. As the market for live betting data has expanded and matured, we’ve seen significant divergence in the approaches being adopted by both the data supply companies and the sports rights holders to the management of their data partnerships. As a pioneer and market leader in this space, Sportradar takes its responsibilities seriously in trying to ensure that the market develops in a way that is healthy, safe and sustainable for all concerned. So, in sharing our views on the live data market for betting, we hope to debunk a few common myths and help further the understanding of this ecosystem that is often misunderstood.

Official vs open-source Let’s start by emphasizing that Sportradar is a major supporter of official data deals and invests more into official data partnerships than anyone else, providing significant revenues back into sports organizations both large and small. We recognize there are numerous ways of structuring data deals and we respect the fact that different rights

Sports Betting Partnerships: Lessons Learned and Future Opportunities • Thursday 17th October • Special Events Stage

sbcmagazine.com 21

Data & US sports

holders adopt different approaches. We aim to help rights holders deliver the best commercial value for their data in the long-term, firstly by obsessing about quality and secondly by adopting deal structures that align with the following four principles: 1. maximizing reach and engagement for the sport; 2. providing sustainable and repeatable revenue streams; 3. i ncorporating robust integrity measures that can be applied as widely as possible; 4. promoting a healthy, vibrant and competitive market where data suppliers compete strongly, price fairly and innovate. The key question then is the ‘how’ and that is where we’ve seen a number of issues arising recently. This is at least partly caused by the legal position in relation to sports data because sports data does not have the same legal status as other media content and rights. In simple terms, it is not directly ‘own-able’ or protectable as a product of intellectual property (myth #1 busted). The issue, therefore, ultimately distils down to whether there should be one single source of data on a sporting event (often referred to as ‘official’ data) or whether multiple suppliers should be allowed to collect, store and use data from that event in parallel (referred to as ‘open source’ data). It is natural that certain sports lean towards the former option, instinctively feeling that being the ‘single source of truth’ on their competitions is both philosophically and commercially attractive. The difficulty is that intellectual property, database and competition law generally align with the latter, meaning that open-source data is also perfectly legitimate, even if it may not be as fast, reliable or detailed as the official version. This often leaves data supply companies in an uncomfortable middle ground between their sports partners on one side and the legal and commercial realities of their competitors and their sportsbook customers on the other. On a superficial view it may seem that the interests of these organizations will always be divergent. The sports are of course keen to

maximize revenues and exercise a level of control over the live data on that sport; in the middle, data supply companies are competing for access to that live data to provide services to their customers in a very competitive market; and on the downstream side, bookmaker customers naturally want product choice, value for money, as well as multiple sources of data for failover reasons. Whilst those interests may seem hard to reconcile, it is our clear view that they can be mutually compatible (myth #2 busted) as long as official data arrangements are structured in a way that does not seek to exclude healthy competition in favor of information monopolies.

The importance of competition for integrity and innovation So, what does this mean in practice? It means that it’s entirely appropriate for rights holders to award an official betting data license to a preferred data supplier (if they wish to do

22 OFFICIAL SPORTS BETTING GUIDE TO G2E • OCTOBER 2019

so, of course) provided that other data suppliers are able to obtain a suitable alternative supply (whether official or open-source) that allows for meaningful competition at this layer of the market. There are numerous different ways of achieving this and we see rights holders creating new arrangements for their data deals on a regular basis. The US leagues have played a part here, bringing the commercial rights associated with sponsoring, as well as extended use of their marks and logos into the scope of benefits to be derived from using their official data. In Europe, the Bundesliga in Germany as well as the European Leagues have led the way on a non-exclusive data set-up, such that there are now more than 30 European football leagues and competitions where data deals have been structured based on openmarket access principles, providing strong commercial returns alongside a competitive supply market.

We don’t advocate for one particular model, as we respect the autonomy of sports to determine what is right for them. The common (and key) factor here is that the models should generally reflect the fact that competition in the market is a fundamental part of a healthy ecosystem. And with good reason – as the benefits and long-term advantages for sports are clear-cut, including those four aforementioned principles: Integrity – multiplicity of supply enhances integrity in at least two ways (i) having multiple data feeds minimizes single point of failure risks; and perhaps even more importantly, (ii) it ensures that the maximum number of data suppliers and their bookmaker customers can be brought into contractual integrity commitments via a structured relationship with the sport (myth #3 busted). We believe that all data supply companies providing data on a sports property should have the opportunity to be accredited by the rights holder (even if they are not the ‘official’ supplier) and thereby be subject to suitability requirements and integrity commitments. Innovation – healthy competition is good for innovation and the sports data business is no different. We welcome the challenge of competing with our rivals as it drives us to find new ways to serve our customers, excite fans, and create value. Sustainable and repeatable revenues – driving revenue streams from a wider base of suppliers (and their customers) should deliver a broader, more diversified and therefore more secure income stream for sports in the short, medium and long term. Maximizing reach and engagement – allowing multiple suppliers to distribute content to the widest range of customers and ultimate end-users, will broaden the base of potential fans. The difficulties arise in the narrow and rare circumstances where all alternative sources and all competition in the market for data are excluded in order to create an information monopoly.

accept that we must go toe-to-toe with our rivals who have ready access to, and therefore supply, open-source data in competition with our officially licensed product. It’s up to us to demonstrate the difference in quality and value of the official feeds to the market. But in doing so we don’t stigmatize open-source data – other data suppliers have sought to do so, but at best they’re being misleading, at worst hypocritical. Open-source data is a legitimate part of the data market and forms part of the business operations of all major data supply companies

competition and foreclose the market to anything other than their single official supply. Thankfully this approach continues to be the exception rather than the rule. Sportradar will continue to support the development of a vibrant and valuable ecosystem for live sports data characterized by integrity, innovation and healthy competition. We know that others, including other companies in our layer of the market, take a different view, promoting exclusivity as a means to exclude competitors or gain market share. Given our strong position in the

(myth #4 busted) – it’s just that some companies are more open and honest about this than others. We’d always rather be up-front and explain these realities even if it may open us up to criticism. This is the key difference between Sportradar’s data partnerships and the Betgenius deal with Football DataCo (“FDC”) for the UK football leagues. There is no suitable alternative data supply available, so rather than promoting a healthy market for competing suppliers, with a focus on innovation and integrity, FDC and Betgenius are seeking to block

global market, particularly in the US, we might have been expected to follow suit. But in the long term we don’t see the benefits of such an approach for our partners, the sports organizations, nor our customers, the betting operators, nor indeed for the data supply market. So, let’s dispense with the use of emotive terms like piracy, stealing and theft when talking about these issues – they are unhelpful, not to mention wholly inaccurate – and instead, focus on delivering a constructive and balanced approach to the challenges of a growing and valuable market. •

The importance of competition in UK football When it comes to our own sports partnerships, such as our international data deals with the US leagues, we

sbcmagazine.com 23

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Executive Viewpoints

SPORTS BETTING BOOSTS NFL’S CENTENNIAL SEASON DURING THE CURRENT

National Football League (NFL) season, a staggering 38 million American adults are expected to place a bet on the sport, according to a recently released study by the American Gaming Association (AGA)

his means that 15 per cent of the US adult population is set to wager on the league as it prepares for heightened engagement in the season ahead, benefiting from the rapid growth of legal sports betting in the country. This figure is only likely to increase as the legislation spreads, with nearly one-in-four (24 per cent) American adults saying they would place a bet on the NFL if it was legal in their state. Bill Miller, AGA’s President and CEO, added: “During this centennial NFL season, more Americans than ever before can wager on football in safe, well-regulated environments. “It is clear that as jurisdictions enact policies to provide a legal alternative to the dangerous illegal market, consumers follow suit and seek the protections they deserve. “Sports betting clearly impacts fans’ enthusiasm for engaging with the NFL. As the legal market grows, it is imperative for gaming and adjacent industries to focus on implementing and promoting legal sports betting responsibly to protect consumers and ensure the viability of legal markets to the continued detriment of illegal operators.” The survey, conducted by Morning Consult, also underlined the impact of legal sports betting on matchday fan engagement, as 75 per cent of NFL bettors revealed they are more likely

to watch a game they bet on and 28 per cent more likely to attend a game they have bet on, while 51 per cent are more inclined to watch pre-game shows and commentary and 63 per cent are more likely to gather with friends or family to watch a game. To further emphasize the scale of recent growth, the survey stated: “This year, seven million Americans say they will bet legally at a casino sportsbook, 1.2 million more than last year, and tens of millions of others will place bets with friends, participate in pools or squares contests or place their bets online.” Supporting the research, the traffic on both FanDuel and DraftKings spiked when the NFL season started at the beginning of September, as supporters

Executive Viewpoints: A League Commissioner and Leading Executives Discuss New Business Partnerships • Wednesday 16th October • Special Events Stage

were eager to place wagers on the sport. In fact, DraftKings reported that the amount of money bet by punters almost doubled on the opening NFL Sunday, compared to the same day last year. The NFL is also aiming to expand its audience and engagement through an enhanced presence on social platforms, strengthening and extending its presence on Facebook and touching down on TikTok. The league has also vowed to deliver more diversified NFL video content to fans worldwide through an increased presence on social media. This includes distributing recaps from all regular season games, as well as playoff matchups and the Super Bowl, plus video highlights from postseason tentpole events like the Pro Bowl, NFL Scouting Combine and NFL Draft. According to the joint announcement from the NFL and Facebook, more than 22 million people watched at least a minute of an NFL recap on Facebook in 2017 and 2018, with 28 per cent of these views coming from outside the US. •

sbcmagazine.com 25

Exclusive Interview

WHY LIVE STREAMING IS THE FUTURE FOR MOBILE BETTING IN THE US JOSEPH ASHER, CEO AT WILLIAM HILL US, told

OF COURSE, RETAIL IN THE US IS VERY DIFFERENT TO THE UK. IT IS A MUCH MORE SOCIAL EXPERIENCE IN THE US, PROBABLY MORE TRANSACTIONAL IN THE UK

SBC Magazine that he is a “big believer” in the power of live streaming. He also explained how US team success is key for the popularity of sports outside of the ‘big four’, before confirming that the company’s core Nevada business will continue to fund its investment in other states SBC: What is the biggest piece of advice you would give to those eyeing up opportunities in the US sports betting market? JA: I don't know if it's my place to be advising them, but my general statement would be that each territory is very different. There's different regulatory requirements and there's different consumer preferences. The fundamentals of the business are similar of course, but there are pretty substantial differences from state to state. SBC: Providing an omnichannel experience is a constant challenge for the biggest betting brands; how has William Hill US been driving customers from retail outlets to online, particularly in Nevada? JA: We are happy to serve the customer wherever he or she wants to bet, so we try to create really good sportsbook experiences for those who want the retail experience and then, at the same time, we have a very easy to use mobile app which allows people to get their bet down outside the sportsbook as easily as possible.

They are different experiences. Of course, retail in the US is very different to the UK. It is a much more social experience in the US, probably more transactional in the UK. SBC: Speaking at BOSA, you said that operators needed ‘stomach for the swings’ when it comes to pricing; what do you see as a healthy margin? JA: The margin in Nevada has been 5

percent for the last couple of years. We've been north of 6 percent in Nevada on average for quite some time. I think that's a healthy margin, although pretty different to the UK. We have to maintain competitive pricing with the offshore, illegal market. SBC: Do you think this 5 or 6 percent figure is a fair amount? JA: It's certainly where the market is in

sbcmagazine.com 27

Exclusive Interview

the US, sure. Obviously, you're always looking to do what you can to increase your margin a little bit because other than gaming tax the rest of the costs are pretty much fixed and so the incremental margin drops to the bottom line. But again, you have to maintain competitive pricing with other outlets that customers can choose including the black market. The theoretical margin on straight bets is 4.55 percent - that's the majority of bets. Then the higher margin on parlays or on futures. A blend in that 5 to 7 range is where the market is.

That's quite granular and it's to be determined how big the market is for this sort of stuff.

SBC: At the same event, you said that there is a misconception over the in-play opportunity, with most still

SBC: The top four US sports have inevitably dominated the sports betting handle; which of the more

SBC: Do you expect player props betting - particularly in-game - to take off in the US? What have you seen at William Hill US so far? JA: It's pretty small. In the Super Bowl there's obviously a lot of prop betting - that's the one major exception. But I think people trend towards the more traditional who's going to win the game, total points scored or is team A going to cover the points spread against team B.

male side? JA: It still wouldn't reach the level of the major team sports in the US, but obviously having a good American player drives interest. You look at the interest in Serena Williams, and even her sister back in her heyday. Serena has always been quite popular from a betting perspective. Sure I wasn't in the business back in the Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe era but clearly having popular American players drives betting interest. And that's a key for other sports as well, for example women's soccer is amazingly popular in the US right now because the team is so good. If the men could field a team to compete in the World Cup then it would become a massive event here. I just can't even imagine what it would be like if the Americans actually had a chance to win, it would be unbelievable. SBC: We are starting to see data and content providers testing the water with live streaming on mobile apps; have you adopted anything like this yet? JA: Not yet in the US. I think live streaming for in-play is going to be really big in the US - one of the big opportunities in US sports, not limited to tennis but for all sports. I'm a big believer in streaming where you can watch the video and place the bet right there in the app. There's no doubt that's where the future is going to be.

fundamentally betting on the outcome of the game; is this something you expect to change? JA: They mostly bet on the outcome of the game, or a defined subset of the game. Next innings in baseball is a pretty popular one. Tennis on the next game or set. I think that's what people in the US like to bet, it's the majority of the in-play betting. When a popular team is down, people like to bet on them to come back and win. But, as with everything, it continues to evolve. For example, will someone make or miss this shot?

European sports do you think can provide the biggest challenge? Might this be tennis? JA: I don't know that I think of it as a European sport, there's quite a bit of tennis in the US. It's a big in-play sport but pre-match and overall betting is not anywhere close to football, basketball or baseball - just not anywhere close. And I don't expect that to change. SBC: Do you think it would be more popular if there were more top players in the US, particularly on the

28 OFFICIAL SPORTS BETTING GUIDE TO G2E â&#x20AC;˘ OCTOBER 2019

SBC: How far away do you think you are on William Hill US? JA: Well, I think a lot of it is driven by the sports leagues and their existing contracts for video. I think it will play out as the TV contracts come up for renewal. I would expect all the leagues to be, as they would with any commercial negotiation, looking at the landscape and seeing how this evolves. But clearly it's going to be a big driver. SBC: Do you think that the actual live footage is imperative for this to be a success, or might some get around the costs by using data-driven animations? JA: It's obviously better if you see the action. The games that people bet on today are those that they can watch on television, right. So, having an animation type feature is better

than nothing, but it's clearly inferior to actually seeing the event. SBC: You said at BOSA that you thought there’s been too much attention on New Jersey; why do you think that? JA: I just think that the US is a big country. There's been a lot of attention around New Jersey. I get it because it was the state behind the litigation which ultimately opened up the market and it's a decent sized state as well. But the market is far bigger than New Jersey. Obviously, the Nevada market is a big market too. Pennsylvania has a much bigger population, but you have the issue around the tax rate. Mississippi is a different market too. There's a lot going on in the US, and a lot of interest in New Jersey perhaps deservedly so - but I think there's been too much focus on one state rather than the broader industry and what's going on elsewhere. SBC: What did you make of New Jersey surpassing Nevada for sports betting handle in May; is this a trend that will continue?

JA: Oh yeah, there's no doubt. You can find quotes from me going back a number of years where I've said that the New Jersey market will be twice the size of Nevada. And that's just based on population, as well as the sports and sports betting culture in the North East.

I THINK PEOPLE TREND TOWARDS THE MORE TRADITIONAL WHO'S GOING TO WIN THE GAME, TOTAL POINTS SCORED OR IS TEAM A GOING TO COVER THE POINTS SPREAD AGAINST TEAM B It has some of the most storied sports franchises in the area in all the sports. The New York Giants, the New York Jets, the Knicks - although they're not quite so good now. You've got the Rangers, Philadelphia Eagles who are an incredibly popular team and big in South Jersey. You've got all these franchises. For three or four years I've been

saying that the New Jersey market is going to be twice the size of Nevada. And it's obviously still going, still ramping up, which it should given the population. So I’m not at all surprised, it would be a bigger surprise if it wasn't the case. SBC: Finally, what does the rest of the year look like for William Hill US? JA: There's a lot going on. We're looking to get Iowa going, and Indiana. There's lots of work going in to making sure that we get live in those states. At the same time, we're working on a new tech platform that we're getting ready to launch in the coming weeks, while focusing on our core Nevada business which is very important because it's funding a lot of the investment in other states for us. And then we're also starting to prepare for the Eldorado Caesars merger because under our agreement with Eldorado we run the sportsbooks for properties they acquire which includes Caesars - both retail and mobile. There's just an amazing amount going on, and I expect it to continue being that way. •

sbcmagazine.com 29

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Big Debate

ANDREW CUOMO - THE LAST HURDLE TO MOBILE BETTING IN NEW YORK?

LEGAL SPORTS WAGERING in New York has finally become a reality, but only in the most limited ‘brick and mortar’ sense. While bettors form queues to place terrestrial bets in the upstate casinos, neighboring New Jersey is enjoying a steady stream of profit from mobile betting

ack in July 2013, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the Upstate NY Gaming Economic Development Act which, following a constitutional amendment to expand casino gambling in November of the same year, allowed for the establishment of four destination gaming resorts in Upstate New York. The New York Times described this approval as "a milestone in the gambling industry’s long, expensive push to tap into the New York market”,

while the original proposal was said to have been championed by Cuomo - then supported by 57 per cent of voters - to boost tourism and economic development in communities across the region. A milestone it may have been, but

“WE NEED THE REVENUE. THERE’S $9BN IN ILLEGAL SPORTS BETTING A YEAR IN NEW YORK. IT’S THERE FOR THE TAKING”

with sports betting now underway albeit restricted to upstate and no movement on mobile betting, New York is losing out on a significant chunk of revenue, at least until the end of 2020. And only then on the back of a whole new bill. By way of example, just take a glance across the border to New Jersey which is revelling in a healthy mobile betting market. Part of that spend is inevitably coming from New Yorkers who’d rather drive across the state line than go upstate to place a bet. DFS and sports betting firm FanDuel put the situation

sbcmagazine.com 31

Big Debate

in perspective when it told the New York Post earlier this year that 25 per cent of its mobile and online bets are made by New Yorkers, up from 10 percent just a few months ago. Cuomo clearly has his reasons for not sharing New Jersey’s alacrity when it comes to embracing mobile wagering. But thus far he has only come up with one publicly aired objection, namely that the state will require a constitutional amendment to make it happen. And that could add three years to the wait. Constitutional amendment is a moot point. Some argue that it would be required to ward off litigation from tribal interests who stand to lose ground if their terrestrial exclusivity is challenged by state-wide mobile

“I’VE NEVER BEEN CRAZY ABOUT CASINOS, BUT LIFE IS OPTIONS. MANY UPSTATE COMMUNITIES, WE HAVE A PRISON INDUSTRY OR NOTHING. SO THE CASINOS, ESPECIALLY THE WAY WE DID IT, THEY ARE HIGH-PAYING JOBS, THEY’RE JOBS WITH MOBILITY, THIS WOULD HELP FORTIFY THE UPSTATE CASINOS” fiscal year, we would be losing out on approximately $75m in revenue, educational funding and both job creation and retention.” Speaking to the New York Post, he cited the revenue benefits being reaped by New Jersey with its mix of terrestrial and mobile wagering. “New Jersey is doing very well with sports betting and the mobile component. We need the revenue. There’s $9bn in illegal sports betting a year in New York. It’s there for the taking.”

"...FANDUEL PUT THE SITUATION IN PERSPECTIVE WHEN IT TOLD THE NEW YORK POST EARLIER THIS YEAR THAT 25 PER CENT OF ITS MOBILE AND ONLINE BETS ARE MADE BY NEW YORKERS, UP FROM 10 PER CENT JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO" betting. But others, including Senator Joseph Addabbo Jr, claim that Cuomo is using the constitutionality issue as an excuse for personal aversion to gambling expansion. Upon confirmation of the Assembly’s failure to green light mobile wagering, Addabbo tweeted: “I have not witnessed a clear reason why NY can’t implement mobile sports betting this year. Just for the remainder of this

Some of Cuomo’s public comments might well be interpreted as coming from someone who sees gambling as a necessary evil. “I’m not a great fan of the gaming industry, but it’s here, it’s real,” he told Albany’s WAMC radio. “States all around New York are doing it; we’ve lost a lot of revenue to the surrounding states. Obviously more people lose in gambling than win, and if there’s not a significant economic

32 OFFICIAL SPORTS BETTING GUIDE TO G2E • OCTOBER 2019

benefit to the state, or a region of the state, then I would rather not do it.” If an outright aversion to gambling was not enough, Cuomo also questions the actual value of sports betting to the state’s economy. In a recent statement to the media he played down New Jersey’s figures, saying: “Sports betting, first of all, does not make you that much money. New Jersey has sports betting, it’s on TV all the time. You can’t turn on the darn TV without seeing it. “They raised something like $13m – $13m is a rounding error in our state. So I don’t even think the economic benefit is there. We have sports betting that you can do through a casino and we are trying to support our casinos, which, you know, we did primarily upstate as an economic development vehicle. “I’ve never been crazy about casinos, but life is options. Many upstate communities, we have a prison industry or nothing. So the casinos, especially the way we did it, they are high-paying jobs, they’re jobs with mobility, this would help fortify the upstate casinos.” While the debate continues to simmer away, only Cuomo and his closest associates can answer why New Jersey has been allowed to steal such a march on New York and why he appears not to regard the movement of betting dollars across state lines as a cause for outright concern. A conservative estimate would suggest that his aversion to mobile is costing the state millions of dollars every month. One would hope that the courage of his convictions is allied to a cast iron reason for saying no to mobile wagering. Only time will tell. But perhaps the most telling comment, and one worthy of the final say for the purposes of this article comes from Addabbo. Quoted in Legal Sports Report he said: “They (Cuomo et al) don’t believe it’s unconstitutional in my opinion. They just don’t want it.” •

“THEY RAISED SOMETHING LIKE $13M – $13M IS A ROUNDING ERROR IN OUR STATE. SO I DON’T EVEN THINK THE ECONOMIC BENEFIT IS THERE”

sbcmagazine.com 33

State by State Guide

DELAWARE POPULATION

967,171 POPULAR SPORTS TEAMS

ONLINE / MOBILE

AUTHORIZED OPERATORS

•D E Lottery through racinos • I nitial License Fee = None

Statewide TAX RATES

50%

•U NIVERSITY OF DELAWARE BLUE HENS

AMATEUR RESTRICTIONS

In-state collegiate teams

NEW JERSEY POPULATION

8,908,520 POPULAR SPORTS TEAMS

• NY JETS • NY GIANTS • NEW JERSEY DEVILS

ONLINE / MOBILE

AUTHORIZED OPERATORS

•C ommercial Casino, Racetrack & Online Operators • I nitial License Fee = $100,000

34 OFFICIAL SPORTS BETTING GUIDE TO G2E • OCTOBER 2019

TAX RATES

Statewide (8/6/2018)

Land-based:

9.75% Mobile:

14.25% AMATEUR RESTRICTIONS

In-state collegiate teams and events

MISSISSIPPI POPULATION

2,987,000 POPULAR SPORTS TEAMS

•O LE MISS REBELS • MISSISSIPPI STATE BULLDOGS

WEST VIRGINIA POPULATION

1,806,000 POPULAR SPORTS TEAMS

•W EST VIRGINIA MOUNTAINEERS

ONLINE / MOBILE

AUTHORIZED OPERATORS

•C ommercial & Tribal Casino Operators

On-premise (2/2/2019)

TAX RATES

11-12%

• I nitial License Fee = None AMATEUR RESTRICTIONS

Collegiate prop betting where one athlete determines the outcome

ONLINE / MOBILE

AUTHORIZED OPERATORS

•C ommercial Casinos, Racino & Online Operators

Statewide (8/26/2019

TAX RATES

Online sports pool players are required to establish an account and may register and fund their accounts remotely, rather than in person at a casino or racetrack venue.

10%

• I nitial License Fee = $100,000

AMATEUR RESTRICTIONS

None

sbcmagazine.com 35

State by State Guide

NEW MEXICO POPULATION

2,095,000

ONLINE / MOBILE

AUTHORIZED OPERATORS

•T ribal casino operators • I nitial License Fee = N/A

N/A TAX RATES

N/A

POPULAR SPORTS TEAMS

•U NIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO LOBOS

PENNSYLVANIA POPULATION

12,810,000 POPULAR SPORTS TEAMS

• • • •

ITTSBURGH PIRATES P PITTSBURGH STEELERS PHILADELPHIA EAGLES PHILADELPHIA 76ERS

AMATEUR RESTRICTIONS

N/A

ONLINE / MOBILE

AUTHORIZED OPERATORS

•C ommercial casino, racino & online operators

Statewide (5/31/2019)

TAX RATES

36%

Online sportsbook players will be required to establish an account and may register and fund their accounts remotely.

• I nitial License Fee = $10 million

36 OFFICIAL SPORTS BETTING GUIDE TO G2E • OCTOBER 2019

AMATEUR RESTRICTIONS

None

RHODE ISLAND POPULATION

1,057,000 POPULAR SPORTS TEAMS

•P ROVIDENCE FRIARS

ONLINE / MOBILE

AUTHORIZED OPERATORS

•R I Lottery through casinos & online

Statewide TAX RATES

Bettors will be required to register online betting accounts in person at the casino facilities.

51%

• I nitial License Fee = None AMATEUR RESTRICTIONS

In-state collegiate teams and events

ARKANSAS POPULATION

3,014,000 POPULAR SPORTS TEAMS

•U NIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS RAZORBACKS

ONLINE / MOBILE

AUTHORIZED OPERATORS

•C ommercial casino & racino operators • I nitial License Fee = $250,000

On-Premise TAX RATES

13-21%

graduated rate

AMATEUR RESTRICTIONS

None

sbcmagazine.com 37

State by State Guide

NEW YORK POPULATION

8,623,000 POPULAR SPORTS TEAMS

• • • • • •

NY YANKEES NY METS NY KNICKS NYC FC NY JETS NY GIANTS

IOWA POPULATION

3,156,000 POPULAR SPORTS TEAMS

• UNIVERSITY OF IOWA HAWKEYES • IOWA STATE CYCLONES

ONLINE / MOBILE

AUTHORIZED OPERATORS

•U pstate commercial casino operators; tribal casino operators

None TAX RATES

10%

• I nitial License Fee = None

AMATEUR RESTRICTIONS

In-state collegiate teams and events

ONLINE / MOBILE

AUTHORIZED OPERATORS

•C ommercial casino & online operators; tribal casino operators • I nitial License Fee = $45,000

38 OFFICIAL SPORTS BETTING GUIDE TO G2E • OCTOBER 2019

Statewide (8/15/2019) TAX RATES

6.75%

Until January 1, 2021, accounts must be established in-person at the casino or racino’s facility; thereafter, accounts may be established remotely.

AMATEUR RESTRICTIONS

Prop betting on in-state collegiate athletes

OREGON POPULATION

4,191,000 POPULAR SPORTS TEAMS

• PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS • PORTLAND TIMBERS • UNIVERSITY OF OREGON DUCKS

INDIANA POPULATION

6,692,000 POPULAR SPORTS TEAMS

• I NDIANAPOLIS COLTS • INDIANAPOLIS PACERS

ONLINE / MOBILE

AUTHORIZED OPERATORS

•O R Lottery through kiosks, retailers & online; tribal casino operators

TAX RATES

TBD

• I nitial License Fee = None

AMATEUR RESTRICTIONS

Lottery: All collegiate teams and events

ONLINE / MOBILE

AUTHORIZED OPERATORS

•C ommercial casino, racino OTB & online operators • I nitial License Fee = $100,000

Statewide via Lottery

Statewide, TAX RATES

9.5%

except at certain sporting events Players may register their mobile wagering accounts at licensed sports wagering facilities or online using mobile applications and digital platforms approved by the commission.

AMATEUR RESTRICTIONS

IGC to approve professional and collegiate events for wagering sbcmagazine.com 39

6 of the Best

READ ABOUT THE ASSORTMENT

of tunes on his playlist despite being a “rocker at heart”, how a book “likely required by school” resonated with him growing up, and why his favorite Broncos-based wager helped him to buy some new golf clubs

BEST HOLIDAY

BEST ALBUM

BEST SPORTING EXPERIENCE

My favorite is Christmas and I enjoy the entire holiday season. As a family, Christmas is the one holiday that we make a collective effort to get together as my kids are young adults now. We’re able to spend time together, enjoy shopping, church, and of course all the holiday food (and some football). Thanksgiving would be a second choice as turkey and football are tough to beat.

This is a tough one as I enjoy a variety of music. Those that have played golf with me know I have an assortment of tunes on my playlist. Led Zeppelin IV always brings a smile to my face as my friends and I have enjoyed many good times with that one on turntable. Rock & Roll, Black Dog, When the Levee Breaks… oh ya. I’m a rocker at heart but I can go in many different directions with music.

Unfortunately, being in the sports gaming business, I haven’t been able to attend too many major events. Originally from Colorado, I did make it back to Denver for game #7 of the 2001 Stanley Cup Finals. The Av’s beat the Devils 3-1 and I was able to enjoy that experience. It doesn’t get much better than your favorite hockey team winning game #7 in the finals. Now, we root for the Vegas Golden Knights. I don’t want to hear about bandwagons. We’ve lived in Las Vegas for 31 years!

42 OFFICIAL SPORTS BETTING GUIDE TO G2E • OCTOBER 2019

THE BEST Westgate LV Resort & Casino's Jay Kornegay

BEST FILM

BEST BOOK

BEST BET

Movie buff I am. I watch movies quite often as it gives me a little time to relax. Again, this is very tough as I have a number of favorites. I’m going to cheat here and list these by category because I can’t narrow down to just one. Action: Braveheart, Drama: Saving Private Ryan, Comedy: She’s out of my league (a great sleeper), Documentary: Free Solo (might be the best athletic achievement I’ve ever seen).

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. I’m more of a non-fiction person but this book always resonated with me. For most of us in our generation, this book was most likely required by your school. It inspired me in a few ways. PonyBoy looking to do more with himself and it gave you the story of both sides of the tracks. I think this made me a Devil’s Advocate at heart. My wife could attest to that.

My favorite “cashed” wager was on the Broncos winning the Super Bowl in back to back years (1997-1999). Those were some good years to be a Broncos fan and I was able to cash in on it to boot. The biggest cashed ticket was on the Vegas Golden Knights to win the division at 100/1 odds. That was a fun wager and it enabled me to buy some new golf clubs. I’m a recreational player and that’s why I’m still on this side of the counter. In other words, I still punch in and out.

sbcmagazine.com 43

SBC AMERICAS • US and Latin America focused gaming industry news portal with no paywall restrictions • News coverage of the betting and gaming industry • 8 unique news stories published daily • 12,500 unique website visits a month • Google News certification guarantees top ranking for editorial, content and, press releases • In-depth focus, expert commentary, industry insight, debate, and opinions • Exclusive features and interviews to profile industry stakeholders • Daily newsletter with today’s articles sent directly to the inbox of all subscribers

For more information please visit www.sbcamericas.com

it www.sbcamericas.com

Sports betting destiny

CEO WATCH: JOHNNY AITKEN POINTSBET HAVING FOLLOWED his

dad around every race track in Victoria, Johnny Aitken was destined for a career in sports betting. Now, just over a year after moving to the US, he has put PointsBet right at the heart of the country’s biggest online market

itken’s entry into sports betting on the operator side coincided with the start of digital wagering in Australia around the late 2000’s, with new start-ups, on-track bookmakers and European entities entering the space to challenge the then monopoly operator (TAB). At this time, he said he was “extremely fortunate” to be introduced to Tom Waterhouse and work with him from the launch of his dot com digital sports betting business, which quickly became one of the biggest brands in the Australian market. Interestingly, the first employee hired to TomWaterhouse.com was Sam Swanell, who is now Group CEO of PointsBet. When William Hill acquired this business along with Sportingbet and Centrebet for just under $1bn collectively, Aitken moved to William Hill as Head of Risk before progressing to run the Trading and Operations departments, reporting into the CEO and overseeing 150 people within

THIS LOVE OF RACING AND SPORTS FLOWED INTO A CAREER PATH IN WAGERING THAT I HAVEN’T DEVIATED FROM SINCE I LEFT UNIVERSITY IN MELBOURNE IN MY EARLY 20’S Trading, Service, Quantitative Analytics and Content teams. However, this was just the start of his PointsBet story. Having seen the substantial advantage it had through

owning its own technology, he admits the lure of reconnecting with Swanell in September 2018 to head up the company’s US division was too strong. Just over a year on, he has grown the PointsBet US team to 50 employees based in Jersey City and managed its launch in both New Jersey (NJ) and Iowa, with more states to come. We took a few steps back to ask him how his industry journey began, the challenges he faced on his path to the PointsBet hotseat, and what the next

sbcmagazine.com 45

Sports betting destiny

12-18 months hold for one of the most disruptive operators to emerge in the US post PASPA.

wagering that I haven’t deviated from since I left university in Melbourne in my early 20’s.

SBC: How did you come to be involved in the gambling industry? JA: Growing up 400 metres from the MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground), I was destined from an early stage in life to be involved in sports in some facet. Of course, originally I harbored ambitions of playing AFL (Australian Rules Football) but every weekend since I was young was spent following my Dad along to pretty much every crevice of the state of Victoria to a horse, harness or greyhound race track. My task was to capture the opening prices from the on-course bookmakers and report back to Dad the book percentage being offered in the betting ring. This love of racing and sports flowed into a career path in

SBC: What key takeaways did you take from previous roles to PointsBet? JA: Modern sports betting is ultimately a technology business. To not have full control of your technology will never truly allow a business to build and maintain competitive advantages in such a competitive space like sports betting, an area PointsBet has focussed on from day one. PointsBet owns and controls its technology inhouse, as well as managing its own trading and risk in-house. I fully understood the power of these pillars PointsBet had setup which gave me ultimate confidence we would win our first deal in the US despite a high level of competition from all other global bookmakers, launch with a bang in New Jersey and expand our

46 OFFICIAL SPORTS BETTING GUIDE TO G2E • OCTOBER 2019

national footprint by getting further opportunities for new market growth. We’ve been able to know when to use the price, product and promotion levers to full effect. Those learnings come from 10+ years in the digital

ALL THE LEARNINGS WE HAVE CAPTURED THIS YEAR IN NJ WILL SPARK CONSISTENT ENHANCEMENTS TO OUR PRODUCT OFFERING TO MATCH THE WANTS OF OUR CLIENTS wagering space in Australia. Bringing this to life, you need to have the best people. That is the major learning from all my previous roles, with the wrong group in the van, you can’t achieve real success. Our teams support and challenge each

other. To clarify what I mean, we’re not challenging ourselves to make each other feel vulnerable but we’re challenging each other to continuously improve, as individuals and as a group. This is at the centre of PointsBet’s DNA; that our people are prepared to go above and beyond to help all members of PointsBet be successful and in turn, deliver a premier betting experience to our clients. SBC: What are the biggest challenges you've had in climbing the ladder to CEO? JA: Learning that you don’t need to monitor every decision made by my team members. For too long early in my career, I was prone to micromanage to ensure military precision with operational performance of business areas I managed. This stems from managing a sizeable trading P&L. You quickly realize that isn’t the long term winning formula. Our focus at PointsBet is on bringing in A-grade talent into the team, shaping the strategy with them but providing them the autonomy to do what they have been hired to do, execute our customer-first strategy. I sit in on all final interviews, to ensure there is both a cultural fit and also to be transparent on what a career at PointsBet is like - always challenging yourself and others to be better. SBC: What were the most memorable moments in your first year with PointsBet? JA: Getting our technology platform tested and approved by the NJDGE by December 2018 to allow us to launch in New Jersey was a momentous occasion for the company and showed that we can match our lofty ambitions with delivering to schedule. The assistance provided throughout the licensing and platform testing by the NJDGE was excellent; they are forward thinkers and have set the ideal commercial model for sports betting that new states should mimic. One of the first bets we struck in NJ was a PointsBetting bet, on the time of first three point shot in seconds being made in an NBA game between Indiana and Atlanta, with a client having $20 per second on the under 100 seconds. Luckily for PointsBet, Trae Young

danced down the court and swished a three at the 20 second mark. Although the client lost $1600 on the bet ($20 x 80 seconds), he said after he’d never watched a game with that much heightened engagement that such a unique bet like that can generate. You can only make PointsBetting bets at PointsBet. But most of all, I’m proud of our people. Both in AUS and the team we have grown in the US, they all fit the PointsBet mold of being customer-oriented, collaborative and always driving the business forward. All the learnings we have captured

betting opportunity has always been that of complete focus. We don’t have to worry about FOBT restrictions in the UK or nuances of the Nordic betting market, we are solely fixated on the US sports betting opportunity. The business was setup from day one with the US in mind, with our pedigree in technology, product, marketing to compliment our obsession with US sports. That won’t change in the future. Via our most recently announced deal with Penn National Gaming, we now have market access in up to 10 states and deliver on another promise we have made to

...OUR PEOPLE ARE PREPARED TO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND TO HELP ALL MEMBERS OF POINTSBET BE SUCCESSFUL AND IN TURN, DELIVER A PREMIER BETTING EXPERIENCE TO OUR CLIENTS

our board, to have a national footprint in the US. We have just launched our first retail sportsbook in Burlington, Iowa at the Catfish Bend Casino. Seeing our branding and our people manage a venue of that caliber with sports on wall to wall definitely is a proud moment for the PointsBet team. Our focus will be to expand on the advantages we possess owing our entire technology platform by establishing a second US operating location in Denver from October, that will act as our primary hub and innovation centre for our technology and product teams. •

this year in NJ will spark consistent enhancements to our product offering to match the wants of our clients. SBC: What does the next 12-18 months hold for PointsBet? JA: Our strategy to the US sport

sbcmagazine.com 47

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Work of Art

COMPLIANCE THE KEY TO LONG-TERM SUCCESS FOR ART MANTERIS ART MANTERIS REFERRED

to the significance of regulatory compliance as a key to success upon his induction to the SBC Sports Betting Hall of Fame

anteris, Vice President of Race and Sports Operations at Station Casinos, said that truly understanding any regulation or law is vital to a successful career in the industry. He explained: “Not only achieving success from a financial standpoint, which is obviously one of our priorities as sportsbook operators, but recognizing early on the importance of policing, protecting and enforcing gaming regulations, and state and federal law, has contributed to my personal longevity. I encourage my colleagues, my friends and those now opening in other jurisdictions to do the same." Boasting a career that spans over 35 years in the gambling industry, Manteris was involved with the first computerized network of sports and race books in Nevada. He has been influential globally on a technological level as well as playing a pivotal role in regulatory change. However, Manteris believes the “colorful characters” in the industry to be the most memorable aspect of his illustrious sports betting career. “There's been a lot of colorful moments, but I think I need to turn that question around and point to the colorful characters,” he added. “Specifically, the array of colorful characters that we've dealt with over the years in Nevada sportsbooks.

“WE'RE PROUD OF WHAT WE DO IN NEVADA, WE'RE PROUD OF THE REGULATORY STRUCTURE IN WHICH WE OPERATE, WE'RE PROUD OF THE INDUSTRY WE'VE CREATED, AND WE'RE PROUD OF THE LUXURIOUS FACILITIES WE'VE BUILT” “They come from all walks of life, different backgrounds, different personalities. Many that I'm thinking about now off the top of my head who shall remain anonymous for now - certainly make the atmosphere at our sportsbooks quite colorful.” The Hall of Fame ceremony was held in Manhattan on 25 April as part of the closing party for the biggest dedicated sports betting conference in the US – Betting on Sports America. Manteris described his induction as a “great honor” and spoke of his pride

on how Nevada has developed over the years. He added: “I'm very flattered to accept the recognition on behalf of the Nevada sports gaming industry. “We're proud of what we do in Nevada, we're proud of the regulatory structure in which we operate, we're proud of the industry we've created, and we're proud of the luxurious facilities we've built. To have our industry recognized on a global stage is quite flattering and very rewarding for me.” •

sbcmagazine.com 49

Drazin the bar

HORSE RACING CAN EXPLOIT THE SPORTS BETTING CROSSOVER FROM THE KENTUCKY DERBY all the way to the

Belmont Stakes, horse racing has become ingrained into US society. The introduction of regulated sports betting, said Dennis Drazin, will only increase its exposure

ith the continual advancement of legalized sports betting in the United States following the repeal of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA), horse racing is tipped to benefit from the influx of punters and opportunities that arise. Dennis Drazin, Attorney at Drazin & Warshaw, PC, explained that the domino-effect of states legalizing could lead to a ‘crossover’ effect between legalized wagering and the horse racing industry. During his induction to the Sports Betting Hall of Fame in April, Drazin explained: “I think there is a lot of crossover that can be developed. Right now we have a healthy horse racing market and we do pari-mutuel wagering. Several years ago we started doing exchange wagering. “But the opportunity now with sports betting lets you cross market by having things such as pick-fours, pick-fives, pick-sixes with several legs being horse races and other legs being sporting events and parlays. It gives you the opportunity to market both at the sports bettors, as well as the horse race wagering public. “A lot of our horse racing fans have been wagering on sports betting

for a long time anyway, albeit it was illegal before but now it is legal in New Jersey and will become legal in many other states in the next several years. “I think that there are a lot of marketing experiences that we can draw upon to get both industries have some synergies and expand its growth

“I DON’T SEE THAT WE’RE CANNIBALIZING EACH OTHER, I THINK WE’RE BOTH GROWING OUR MARKETS AND WILL CONTINUE TO EXPAND”

an instrumental role in the repeal of PASPA, Drazin saw the Supreme Court decision as a victory for New Jersey policy makers. “There were so many memorable moments in the process, but I guess the most significant one that stands out is the day at Monmouth Park when we took the first sports bet,” he added. “Governor Murphy came and placed the first bet, there were thousands of people there, you couldn’t move within the space. It was an overwhelming feeling of satisfaction having accomplished so much in changing a historic landmark for the country.

through both briefs. I don’t see that we’re cannibalizing each other, I think we’re both growing our markets and will continue to expand.” Drazin, who is also CEO of Monmouth Park in New Jersey, was one of the first people to be present at the race track when the first legalized bets were placed back in 2018. Having played

“You know sports betting through the Supreme Court’s decision was a victory for state’s rights and we always believed that state’s rights to have it all should be fulfilled in one moment where everyone came together. We were able to witness the first bet, and with the crowd, it was probably the most magnificent experience during the process.” •

50 OFFICIAL SPORTS BETTING GUIDE TO G2E • OCTOBER 2019

The fun factor

Christie (left) with SBC CEO & Founder Rasmus Sojmark

CHRISTIE MAPS OUT BLUEPRINT FOR FUTURE STATES THROUGHOUT HIS TENURE as the State Governor for

New Jersey, Chris Christie was nothing short of pivotal in the campaign to overturn PASPA. He explains why being “honest, open and transparent” is key for states eyeing a piece of the sports betting pie

s the dust settled on the US Supreme Court’s decision in May 2018, Christie was justifiably lauded after PASPA was deemed unconstitutional, which paved the way for US sports betting to evolve at a pace that very few thought possible. Less than a year later at the hugely successful Betting on Sports America conference, held at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in New Jersey, the former Governor was inducted into the SBC Sports Betting Hall of Fame. Speaking at the ceremony, Christie outlined his personal highlight: “The most memorable moment in repealing

PASPA was sitting in the front row of the US Supreme Court when they announced the case of the NCAA versus Christie,” he said. “Seeing the Supreme Court, their argument and seeing that it was going well was the most memorable moment of the entire thing.

“I FELT STRONGLY ABOUT THE ISSUE AND I NEVER THOUGHT THAT ANYTHING LIKE THIS WOULD HAPPEN BUT I’M THRILLED TO HAVE IT HAPPEN AND I’M HONORED TO BE HERE TONIGHT”

“I felt strongly about the issue and I never thought that anything like this would happen but I’m thrilled to have it happen and I’m honored to be here tonight.” Christie went on to emphasize the importance of states being “honest, open and transparent”, as they work toward the legalisation of sports betting. He added: “Be honest, open and transparent with your people, set up a regulatory scheme that invites people of all different types to come in and participate in the process. “And let people have fun because this is what it’s really all about. I think that for the states that are considering it, your citizens are going to enjoy it a great deal. “I think New Jersey will be the center of sports gaming and of regular gaming as well, because we were the first ones on the block here outside of Nevada to do it and there’s great momentum here – a huge population center here in New York, New Jersey, the Philadelphia area. New Jersey has dominated that market and we intend on continuing.” Christie’s campaign to overturn PASPA spanned over seven years, with his fortitude a key reason the door was eventually opened for states across the US to explore the possibility of regulated sports betting. •

sbcmagazine.com 51

Re-imagining player experiences

VISIT US AT STAND 1116 www.sgdigital.com/opensports

College education

BENJIE CHERNIAK: SENDING THE RIGHT MESSAGE TO US COLLEGE ATHLETES SENDING THE RIGHT MESSAGE from the first

contact with a college athlete is key to stopping the spread of sports wagering scandals around NCAA-organised events in the US

hat’s according to Benjie Cherniak, MD of Don Best Sports (Scientific Games), who spoke on a panel at Betting on Sports America 2019 about college sports – “the forgotten child” of sports wagering in the US which has become, give or take, just as big as the NFL. He told conference delegates in New Jersey that coaches cutting corners in the recruitment process can send a message that it’s okay to “do what you need to get ahead”. “You can form all the committees you want, hire all the third party monitoring companies you want – of which we are one by the way – but it really starts with the culture set from the top of the athletic department at the university,” said Cherniak. He added that it is impossible to compare integrity concerns in the pro ranks with the unpaid college scene, in which it is so hard for traders to set accurate betting lines – particularly in the early part of the season with so many new recruits. Moreover, given that the NCAA does not yet make its data available to betting companies, traders are forced to gather information from TV, radio and internet, something Cherniak admits is a “total cluster and a mess”. It is therefore crucial that both athletes and coaches understand the repercussions of sharing inside

information on the accuracy of betting lines – even just “innocently telling your buddy that someone has an injury” – and the common patterns of corruption. “Most betting-based scandals at college level follow a similar pattern,” Cherniak explained. “A group befriends a player – often a new recruit – and shows them a little taste of the good life to get access to their inner circle. “They might then say ‘listen kid, you’ve got to do me a favour here if

the family, or even potential prison time. These are things, however, that we will have more control of within a legislated environment moving forwards.” One of the legislative leaders in the US post-PASPA has been New Jersey, a state whose wagering ban on any collegiate team based in the Garden State was described by Cherniak as counterintuitive and an “unfortunate reality”. “The reality is that you can’t bet on

MOST BETTING-BASED SCANDALS AT COLLEGE LEVEL FOLLOW A SIMILAR PATTERN. A GROUP BEFRIENDS A PLAYER – OFTEN A NEW RECRUIT – AND SHOWS THEM A LITTLE TASTE OF THE GOOD LIFE TO GET ACCESS TO THEIR INNER CIRCLE" you want me to take you to dinner or here’s a few thousand bucks. I don’t want you to lose the game, but the point spread is -12, so just make sure you win by 9 or 10. Miss a few shots at the end’. “Once you go through this process once, they own you. So there’s an education process as to the consequences of doing it, from being kicked out of school to disgracing

the New Jersey schools in New Jersey, but there’s certainly betting on these schools in other jurisdictions such as Mississippi or Pennsylvania, so it’s not as if the action is disappearing,” he said. “There’s just as much handle on these games coming from the grey markets. It’s just an unfortunate reality that we have to deal with based on existing constitutional requirements.” •

sbcmagazine.com 53

NJ pace setter

THE “WRONG PLACE” TO RIVAL MEADOWLANDS RETAIL REVENUES “OUR COMPETITORS ARE IN THE WRONG PLACE,”

said Meadowlands owner Jeffrey Gural as the racetrack’s FanDuel Sportsbook continues to set the pace for retail sports betting revenues in New Jersey

peaking at this year’s inaugural Betting on Sports America conference in New Jersey (NJ), Gural admitted that the location of the Meadowlands facility delivered a big advantage “right off the bat” to the FanDuel Sportsbook. The operator’s retail revenues subsequently reached just short of $14.5 million for the first seven months of 2019. To put this in context, the William Hill-powered Monmouth Park sportsbook is next on the list for total revenues with $3.46 million. For FanDuel, this total included almost $4.3 million in March alone, as the first March Madness since PASPA repeal in May 2018 brought about a huge betting spike across the Garden State. Handle for online operators in March hit a record $298.28 million. The set up in NJ is such that the opportunity to obtain a licence for online sports betting is limited to the state’s land-based casinos and racetracks. Each can take up to three ‘skins’, which can either be assigned in-house branding or used to house the brand of a mobile sports betting partner. Therefore, the conventional wisdom is that the state is on the road to 42 online sportsbooks, equating to three apiece for the nine Atlantic City

casinos, the state’s three racetracks - Meadowlands, Monmouth Park and Freehold - and the sites of two former tracks, Garden State Park in Cherry Hill and Atlantic City Race Course. While the two active Meadowlands skins - FanDuel and PointsBet - may be blazing a trail online, accounting for just over half of NJ’s total year-to-date

…“THERE'S ONLY 1.5 MILLION PEOPLE THAT LIVE WITHIN 50 MILES OF ATLANTIC CITY, AND THERE'S ABOUT 16 MILLION THAT LIVE WITHIN 50 MILES OF THE MEADOWLANDS" (YTD) revenues, the dominance is even more discernible on the retail side. The aforementioned $14.5 million figure equates to more than 61 per cent of YTD (January to July) retail revenues for sports betting. "Obviously I'm in a unique situation because of the location," said Gural.

54 OFFICIAL SPORTS BETTING GUIDE TO G2E • OCTOBER 2019

"Our competitors in New Jersey are in the wrong place. Simply because there's only 1.5 million people that live within 50 miles of Atlantic City, and there's about 16 million that live within 50 miles of the Meadowlands." Inevitably, the Meadowlands’ clientele includes a significant contingent of New Yorkers, who can quite easily cross over the George Washington Bridge, place a bet and go home. New York laws dictate that you can now bet on sports, but only at four upstate casinos. Gural was speaking on a panel about the ‘future of retail betting’ alongside panelists including OPTIMA Retail Product Director Ivo Dimitrov and Charles Cohen, Vice President of Sports Betting at International Game Technology (IGT). Dimitrov spoke about the importance of bringing the omnichannel approach to the US, explaining that "most of the time they are like silos" - where an operator treats a player as both a retail

the social experience. "All of the casinos have different needs, and there's a trade off," said Cohen. "A lot of the time, the way this trade off is perceived by the operator is a cost equation, because people cost money. Skilled people able to write tickets and take responsible decisions about whether to accept a bet are expensive, and hard to find.

customer and an online customer, rather than under one single profile. Meanwhile, Cohen - whose company supplies self-service betting terminals (SSBTs) to FanDuel as part of a wider technology deal - defined legal sports betting in the US as primarily a retail opportunity with mobile on top, highlighting that there are “something like 1,000 casinos who probably will have a sportsbook in the next 10 years”. However, he cautioned that there

is a balance to be found between the adoption of technology such as the SSBTS, or ‘kiosks’ - which helped FanDuel to eliminate the lines during the football season - and preserving

“I THINK THEY'RE BEGINNING TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT PRICE, BUT ABOUT THE QUALITY OF THE EXPERIENCE”

"A casino that struggles to recruit reasonably well qualified floor managers will find it even harder in sports betting where there isn't an existing pool of expertise and experience. The trade off is therefore often between the lower cost, more automated experience and the high cost, more personal experience. “That's what they're trying to balance. A lot of the retail operations are not competing with online in a legal market, they're competing with the grey market. I think they're beginning to understand that this isn't just about price, but about the quality of the experience.” •

sbcmagazine.com 55

New US experiences

STATS PERFORM: LIVE STREAMING ON THE HORIZON FOR U.S. SPORTS BETTORS ANDREW ASHENDEN, Chief Betting Officer of the newly

merged business, previews the use of live sports streaming, data and AI in the US market SBC: What’s on the horizon for sports bettors in the U.S.? AA: The most notable event on the horizon in my view is that live streaming will start to become prevalent within desktop and mobile sportsbooks and is going to be very popular with U.S. sports bettors. We’re

...LIVE STREAMING WILL START TO BECOME PREVALENT WITHIN DESKTOP AND MOBILE SPORTSBOOKS AND IS GOING TO BE VERY POPULAR WITH U.S. SPORTS BETTORS

already live with bet365 and have many other advanced conversations. With over 20,000 live sports events in our own streaming portfolio, from global tournaments like WTA Tennis and LaLiga soccer, U.S. bettors will be able to ‘watch and bet’ around the clock because great betting sports like these fill important gaps around prime-time US sport, throughout the day, the week and the year. Quite simply, US domestic sport is on for around 12hrs a day maximum and betting is a 24hr activity in every market in the world. SBC: What is the role of sports data in live streaming? AA: When you add sports data to streaming you generate even more ways to engage bettors and get their attention. Data provides important factual context to on-field events, which drives the viewer’s understanding and their buy-in. Bettors are often interested in different data sets to those built for fans in regular broadcasts, and we cater for this in our embeddable Content Player, which provides live streams but also data visualisations, betting specific statistics and more. We’re also building for a world where artificial intelligence can understand patterns in our live game data, and

56 OFFICIAL SPORTS BETTING GUIDE TO G2E • OCTOBER 2019

predict what is likely to happen next to create even greater levels of engagement. Meanwhile, AI can also be used to alert bettors about exciting plays that will specifically grab their attention from the thousands of events unfolding simultaneously around the world in other fixtures. SBC: What does the recent merger of Perform and Stats mean for creating new experiences for U.S. sports bettors? AA: The merger of STATS and Perform has brought together two organisations with very deep, rich datasets, across U.S. and global sports respectively. The business now has the opportunity to create next generation betting experiences utilising the betting expertise of Perform in conjunction with the world class AI capabilities of STATS. The AI capabilities that we have are being applied to our growing data pool to extract more data exponentially and learn what’s important, interesting, informative and insightful from a betting standpoint within that data. Additionally, our AI technologies will also be applied to also assist in the collection of deeper and broader data through advanced optical tracking, which captures the precise movement of players’ bodies. In summary, our combined business will give the industry access to data that is richer than ever before and use that data to derive insights, simulations and analysis more accurately, with boundless applications for U.S. and global bettors across a multitude of sports. • The Stats Perform betting team will be onsite throughout G2E. If you would like to schedule a meeting, please email us at betting.team@statsperform.com.

Flexible technology

SCALABILITY: THE KEY TO SPORTSBOOK SUCCESS Flexibility and the power to scale at high speed are quickly becoming the defining factors in a sportsbook’s ability to deliver on the opportunities that the spread of relevant regulation in the US presents, writes Kambi CCO Max Meltzer

rom a compliance perspective, a sportsbook capable of rapidly adapting to meet new regulatory dynamics is critical for operators aiming to capitalise on this promise. Flexible, robust underlying technology must be a priority. Being faced with an inability to enter a new market or needing to withdraw services due to jurisdictional changes they are unable to reconcile is a position no operator wants to find themselves in. However, for operators investing in trusted B2B providers, markets regulating should never be seen as a barrier. Building a sportsbook on the firm foundations of strong, flexible underlying technology, agile trading teams and software, alongside powerful reporting and compliance tooling remains the ideal means of navigating the opportunities that new regulations present. From Kambi’s perspective, our chief goal is offering our partners the technological cornerstone on which to succeed in regulated markets. Our customers are able to take advantage of our technology to enter new markets at speed, highlighted by our processing of the first wagers in New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Indeed, there is a need for rapid scalability and flexible technology with a view to more than just compliance. At Kambi, we provide our partners with ultimate freedom to unlock

their sportsbook ambitions across all channels. One of the key factors underpinning our partnerships with major operators including Rush Street Interactive and Penn National Gaming is our ability to provide complete autonomy over the front-end, enabling them to build entirely unique user interfaces, control the navigation and ultimately add huge levels of intrinsic value to their brands.

customers and the levers to ensure this is a truly differentiated offering. Driving retention is a big part of the proposition we offer to operators, and through Kambi our partners have the freedom to grow, innovate and be the sportsbook they want to be. It is not just on the front-end where Kambi’s partners have the flexibility to set their offering apart. Kambi’s technology suite enables operators

OUR CUSTOMERS ARE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OUR TECHNOLOGY TO ENTER NEW MARKETS AT SPEED, HIGHLIGHTED BY OUR PROCESSING OF THE FIRST WAGERS IN NEW YORK, PENNSYLVANIA AND NEW JERSEY This is especially true for traditionally brick-and-mortar casinos as they enter the land-based and online sports betting space, with outsourcing the sportsbook function to a B2C brand offering a potentially quick route to market, but also seeing them surrender their database, creative control and opportunities for significant margin to a third party. Penn National is just one operator to recognise this; our agreement with them stretches across both online and on-property, providing an omni-channel experience for their

to set different pricing and risk management strategies on a state-bystate and league-by-league basis, This gives them the freedom to move prices and manage margin, efficiently controlling the competitiveness of their strategy. Combined with our robust bonus tooling, we provide our operators with the scalability, technological freedom and regulatory peace of mind which drives long-term growth. • You can visit Kambi at booth 2230 or book a meeting at sales@kambi.com.

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Racing’s Ray of sunlight

HOW NEW JERSEY WAS WON: THE BATTLE FOR LEGAL SPORTS BETTING NEW JERSEY finds itself at the vanguard of legal sports betting thanks to the tenacity of characters like former Senator Ray Lesniak and to the Garden State’s own residents who turned out in numbers to vote for common sense

ormer New Jersey State Senator Ray Lesniak has always been open about his expectations regarding the potential for legal sports betting to have a transformative effect on the US gaming landscape. But in the long and protracted battle to have PASPA wiped off the statute books he’s faced pushback from Nevada and the state’s own Atlantic City casinos, as well as an uphill struggle to convince policy makers that sports wagering was something to be embraced, not feared. A cursory glance at New Jersey’s sportsbook revenues since the strike down of PASPA vindicates pretty much everything that Lesniak called for. August’s returns (the last figures available to us at the time of publication) revealed further significant year-on-year gains, with the state's total handle poised to surpass Nevada yet again. In all, New Jersey's combined handle had more than tripled from August 2018, the month online sports betting

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Racing’s Ray of sunlight

launched, setting the Garden State firmly on the road to establishing itself as the country's largest legal sports betting jurisdiction. The numbers make for encouraging reading, with New Jersey's sportsbooks accepting $293.6m in bets, up 17 per cent from $251.3m in July 2019. The handle, which was ahead by 207 per cent from $95.6m in August 2018, is highly likely surpass Nevada according to predictions from analysts PlayNJ. com. August's bets yielded $25.2m in revenue, up 174 per cent from $9.2m in August 2018 and up 42 per cent from $17.8m in July. By amassing nearly $250m in revenue since launching in June 2018, sports betting has generated $28.9m in state taxes. "New Jersey has successfully managed to shrug off competition and continue to grow, and at a faster rate than initially expected," said Dustin Gouker, lead sports betting analyst for PlayNJ.com of those August returns. "With new operators launching in September and the NFL season in full swing, New Jersey's upward trajectory should continue, even as neighboring Pennsylvania expands online sports betting." Lesniak’s confidence in New Jersey’s potential has been a leitmotif of the debate and conjecture around

sports betting. Earlier this year, while speaking at the inaugural Betting on Sports America conference he told delegates: “First of all, my expectations were high, and they were met. I knew from the get-go that this is huge - a huge business for New Jersey.” The former senator was clear that sports betting was desperately needed to provide the state’s casinos with a shot in the arm. “Our casinos were dying and Sheldon Adelson (Las

"NEW JERSEY HAS SUCCESSFULLY MANAGED TO SHRUG OFF COMPETITION AND CONTINUE TO GROW, AND AT A FASTER RATE THAN INITIALLY EXPECTED” Vegas Sands CEO) doesn’t understand that young folks are not that much into casino gaming, but they’re into sports betting, and they’re into internet gaming. “And with our casinos dying and also our racing industry suffering, we would have lost horse racing in New Jersey without the infusion of sports betting. We have more acres of horse farms in New Jersey than any state in the nation. “So, it was worth the 12-year battle, and if there were odds placed originally

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of my changes, it probably would have been 5000/1. But I was determined. I realised that PASPA violated the 10th amendment and we continued - we lost eight times in court. But we won and our racetracks are back to life only because of sports betting.” Lesniak was also quick to acknowledge the part played by New Jersey’s citizens, whose votes made sports wagering possible. “It would not have happened without New Jersey residents,” he said. “There’s no other set of taxpayers in the state that would get a referendum that says ‘here’s a federal law that’s about 20 years old and we don’t like it. So, we’re going to pass a state law that directly contradicts it because the heck with the stupid federal law, it’s not even constitutional anyway’. “And you get the citizens to say - by a two to one margin - yeah, let’s go for it. I don’t think any other state would have the residents that would do that, and so, if it wasn’t on the ballot and if the taxpayers and the residents hadn’t voted for it, we wouldn’t have legal sports beyond Nevada today and probably not for years to come. Lesniak also opened up about Atlantic City’s casinos which, he told the conference “...opposed my effort every step of the way for sports

betting because they were taking orders from their Nevada based casinos, which did not want to give up their monopoly. It’s on the record, it’s in the book (Beating the Odds).” Perhaps the most salient point of Lesniak’s challenge to PASPA and his championing of sports betting is that businesses should take a more holistic view of what legal sports wagering can bring to the table. “Let me make this clear, by the way,” he told the conference. “This effort was also to get families in the seats at the racetracks. Atlantic City was dying because we had day-trippers. The average stay in Atlantic City was 10 hours, but the sports bettors will rent rooms, they’ll dine, they’ll go to bars, they’ll shop, they’ll be in an off season attraction. “Nevada’s a different market folks go there to stay. That wasn’t happening in Atlantic City, but sports betting brings that back. Instead of losing 15,000 jobs, we’ve gained 10,000 of them back. So, it’s not just looking at the specific revenue from sports betting.” Further vindication of Lesniak’s

“WE BROUGHT WHAT WAS AN UNDERGROUND AND ILLEGAL INDUSTRY INTO THE LIGHT OF DAY WHERE IT COULD CREATE AND PROTECT JOBS THAT TAKE OUR RACETRACKS AND CASINOS INTO THE GROWING TECH SECTOR” optimism, if needed, came from New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy who also addressed Betting on Sports America. He noted: “For every aspect of the industry – from product marketing, to analytics, to compliance services and everything in between – New Jersey is the place you want to be. “Today we find ourselves in a strong position to provide this leadership. Already, not one year on from when I placed those first legal bets – it’s really only just over 10 months – over $2bn has been waged. We have pumped new life and brought new customers to our race tracks and casinos.”

He continued: “When we undertook this effort there were those that dismissed it as just another cash grab for the state – that we were looking for some sort of a hail Mary infusion of tax revenues. Certainly from a state budget point of view the revenues are welcome but we didn’t delude ourselves into thinking that this was going to be something that it wasn’t. “Over the first nine months of our legal industry the state has realized an average of more than $1.5bn per month in new tax revenue. And believe me it’s welcome revenue for sure. But when we weigh that against a $38bn state budget, it is just a drop in the proverbial bucket. What we did do, however, was much bigger. “We brought what was an underground and illegal industry into the light of day where it could create and protect jobs that take our racetracks and casinos into the growing tech sector. The sports wagering industry – both in person and online – is projected to support thousands of new jobs in New Jersey by 2020.” •

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New era for affiliates

FOUR THINGS TO CONSIDER FOR THOSE EYEING THE US AFFILIATE MARKET

LEE-ANN JOHNSTONE IS THE CEO OF AFFILIATEINSIDER,

a leading UK affiliate marketing agency and training company. Here, she discusses four key things that operators and affiliates will need to consider before jumping back into the US market

he US market has been opening back up slowly and deliberately over the past year with a number of big affiliate acquisitions taking place. Most of us have been hanging back to see what will happen and how the market will engage with affiliates to drive player acquisition. Asides from the obvious lead generation component that an affiliate has played in the digital mix in the past, the US market has an opportunity

to change the future by learning from the past.

This ain’t no “FREE FOR ALL” Those lucky enough to work in the US market pre 2006 before it closed will remember what we vets call the old days. It was a unique situation to be working in. Budgets were pretty much endless, customer acquisition relatively easy, and stringent advertising regulation was practically non existent. It was, let's face it, a little wild.

Today, it’s a very different place. The market is opening up slowly. Each state is going to determine its own rules and regulations. This means a state by state marketing strategy will be required. Along with that, there is customised localisation to consider. It could get a little complex to manage and be akin to running global campaigns across different countries. All states are unlikely to follow the same road map, which is going to make it a specialist area for digital

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New era for affiliates

marketers to strategise around and for brands to consider as part of their wider brand approach. Affiliates who are established over there pre 2006 have long since swapped their business models to focus on deriving offshore revenues. Now, they will have to make a decision to either shut up shop and invest to go one hundred percent local, or simply maintain their current status quo thus not investing their inherent local understanding to aid operator growth. The stringent licensing process which is being rolled out state by state, means that operators will need to determine how best to spend their marketing budget in each state to target the customers they want - and now, thanks to more sophisticated tracking and data, they can do this right down to the postcode of the people they are targeting. This leads me to question what role will affiliates then play in their digital mix? The affiliate channel and purpose may take on another look and feel from what we’ve been used to working with here in the EU. Affiliates will have to consider what they are bringing to the table; they’ll need to be able to offer value and purpose in the bigger digital and brand marketing piece.

Big European affiliates are already making a bid to move into the space with massive M&A deals being done, enabling them to scale fast, get localised resources and hit the ground running to capture market share. It’s safe to say that this is not going to be a “free for all” like it once was, and it’s not going to be the same roadmap or strategy that will be implemented either.

US customers are not yet educated to the sophisticated requirements we see in Europe in terms of offers, bonus mechanics and custom VIP and loyalty benefits. We’re dealing with a new generation of audiences who live a different experience online to what we were all used to marketing to more than a decade ago. The rise of the millenial and Gen-Z culture means these things will need to

BUDGETS WERE PRETTY MUCH ENDLESS, CUSTOMER ACQUISITION RELATIVELY EASY, AND STRINGENT ADVERTISING REGULATION WAS PRACTICALLY NON EXISTENT. IT WAS, LET'S FACE IT - A LITTLE WILD This is a new era, a revolution in terms of how affiliates fit into the digital marketing portfolio for this market, and we’re not going to be operating from the same roadmap we had before.

You’ll have to educate, then sell Similarly, affiliates in this market will need to consider their audience engagement much more. Customer personalisation is advanced enough to allow operators to build custom offers and promotions for segments of their customer base. However, the majority of average

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be considered in the way that brands and affiliates engage with audiences and the messages they market to them in each state. Thinking more around how they watch their favourite sports, as well as where and how they transition to this online experience, will likely be at the forefront of any brand’s mind. They don’t need to be educated about HOW to do it (they know how to interact online), more about WHY and more importantly WHERE. They are at base in terms of exposure and so it’s vital that brands consider exactly how they will engage and build sustainable

relationships with their audiences longer term vs. taking a shorter term view and then suffering with clients getting “over exposure” with multiple brands targeting them all at once with similar offers as we saw here over the past decade.

Affiliates are agile and can innovate customer experience Times have changed and data is now readily available to target users effectively with custom personalisation. Will US affiliates take advantage of this? Will operators use data driven marketing strategies to acquire and convert customers locally to their offers? The market is hardly saturated but there are a number of big brands already actively marketing to US customers and they’ve established themselves well. FanDuel and Draftkings have been doing this for a few years already and as such have built a really interesting community for their players too. Brand lead strategy vs lead gen strategy is going to prevail here. Experiential marketing may play a role as the end user has a big part to play in the conversion from offline to online

THINKING OUTSIDE OF THE USUAL VIRAL MARKETING STUNTS AND BUILDING WELL CRAFTED IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCES FOR CUSTOMERS WILL HELP BRIDGE THE ONE DIMENSIONAL GAP DESKTOP GAMING CURRENTLY OFFERS entertainment. This is where affiliates could really look to innovate and offer value as they will be agile enough to do so around the communities they are adept at building. The widespread availability of new technologies is fast contributing to experiential marketing climbing in popularity as a marketing method of choice to build brands. Thinking outside of the usual viral marketing stunts and building well crafted immersive experiences for customers will help bridge the one dimensional gap desktop gaming currently offers. Innovations like this can help strengthen a brand’s relationship with their player and offer something completely different.

The past should stay there we’ll need to learn from it to build a brighter future The thing that excites me the most from all of this is the fact that

operators, marketers and affiliates will have the opportunity to learn from the somewhat murky past which has built the modern affiliate practices we see today. Everyone will be starting from a place of knowledge. There is an opportunity to change the way we see affiliates in our digital strategy and learn better ways to work with them. Operators can harness their talents and work with their agility to create unique customer experiences around their brand offers. Those that work collaboratively with affiliates will have the opportunity to innovate and offer agile campaigns and user experiences thus building brand strength in localised communities. We can start with a clean slate and really think about digital revolution and affiliate position in that piece. It will be an exciting story to watch and I for one am looking forward to it! •

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Simplify Payments

• Online banking-verified ACH payments • One contract. Every bank. US and Canada. • 15+ years igaming experience • $35 billion+ processed transactions

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Mazooma, Inc. (NMLS ID 1760584) is registered with FinCEN and regulated as a money transmitter by various U.S. state banking departments.

Payment priorities

MAZOOMA’S PASPA DRIVEN PRODUCT ROADMAP GETS MOBILE FOCUS HAVING HONED ITS ONLINE BANKING VERIFICATION TECHNOLOGY FOR ONLINE GAMERS, Mazooma is

meeting the sports betting demand through mobile optimisation, which includes a single-click deposit option for repeat users to improve the in-game experience

e caught up with Mazooma’s recently appointed CEO Justin Ferrabee, who explained the company’s increased mobile emphasis, before outlining how its ability to pull real-time data can provide a bank-level financial snapshot of a customer which, when aligned with wagering frequency, can throw up the right red flags for problem gamblers. SBC: Mazooma has operated ‘verified US payments’ since 2009; how has your product portfolio changed since the repeal of PASPA? JF: The repeal of PASPA has definitely influenced Mazooma’s product roadmap. Priorities for sports betting operators and players differ a bit

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Payment priorities

from traditional igaming, and we needed to adjust our focus to ensure we’re addressing the needs of this burgeoning market. We’ve put a lot of effort into optimizing our payment products for mobile, for example, because nearly 70 per cent of our sports betting volume comes from players using a mobile device. And our single-click deposit option for repeat users, eCheck Select Xpress, was specifically designed to improve the in-game betting experience for sports wagering. SBC: From your experience within the US payments space, what do operators now want in terms of ‘player verification capabilities’? JF: Operators are actively doing everything possible to ensure the safety and security of their players, especially their personal and financial data, and payment providers are expected to play a significant role in this objective.

MAZOOMA’S ABILITY TO PULL CUSTOMERS’ REAL-TIME BANK DATA (AS OPPOSED TO STATIC DATA) IS EXTREMELY VALUABLE One capability that is paramount for payment providers is the ability to link a bank account to a customer to verify that the customer attempting to use a particular bank account for payment is actually the owner of that account. Mazooma does this by having customers sign in to online banking as part of a transaction, which confirms customers’ bank account ownership and access in order to eliminate fraud on deposit and withdrawal. SBC: How can operators work with companies such as Mazooma to make the best use of customer and transaction data? JF: Data is becoming increasingly important to operators, and Mazooma’s ability to pull customers’ real-time bank data (as opposed to static data) is extremely valuable. We can essentially provide a banklevel financial snapshot of a customer, which gives operators more insight into their customers and enables them to customize experiences accordingly.

For example, with tailored marketing campaigns, incentives, or exclusive VIP treatment. Operators can also work with Mazooma on responsible gaming initiatives, using the data we are able to capture to ensure that players’ financial profile aligns with the frequency and amounts they are

68 OFFICIAL SPORTS BETTING GUIDE TO G2E • OCTOBER 2019

wagering, and monitoring for red flags indicative of problem gambling. SBC: Where do you think European technology incumbents are blindsided with regards to US payment provisions? JF: The US payments landscape is dramatically different from Europe’s,

so it is understandable that operators feel a bit overwhelmed when they enter the market. European operators are accustomed to jurisdictions where there are only 5-10 banks, which is a stark contrast to the more than 10,000 financial institutions in the US. Europe also has real-time funds clearing networks, which don’t exist in the US. Credit cards are also not as prevalent in Europe as they are in the US, so operators entering the market encounter low credit card acceptance rates in a country where credit cards are by far the most predominant way payments are made in mainstream ecommerce. Finally, the US doesn’t have national, centralized regulations across the entire country – everything is done state by state, so entering the US market is essentially like entering 50 different jurisdictions. European operators are best served working with a payments provider like Mazooma who has extensive igaming experience in the US, 100 per cent bank support, the technology and processes in place to manage the risk of a non real-time clearing channel, and the required licenses and regulatory framework in place to ensure compliance across the country. SBC: What role, if any, should payment providers have in developing a ‘safer gambling agenda’ for the burgeoning US market? JF: Creating and maintaining a safe gambling environment in the US should be a top priority for every participant in the ecosystem. For payments providers in particular, safeguarding players and their personal and financial data must be prioritized above anything else. Mazooma’s mandate is to grow and innovate but never at the expense of safety and security. Compliance is a significant and comprehensive part of our business.

CREATING AND MAINTAINING A SAFE GAMBLING ENVIRONMENT IN THE US SHOULD BE A TOP PRIORITY FOR EVERY PARTICIPANT IN THE ECOSYSTEM State money transmitter licenses, FINCEN registration, gaming service provider licenses, financial audits, and audits of our Anti Money Laundering (AML), security, and ACH programs are not seen as a burden; they are an integral part of delivering our solutions and a barrier to entry for competitors. As far as safety from a financial debt or problem gaming perspective, we are starting to see regulations

on this front designed to protect players and establish a safer gambling environment. Tennessee, for example, will not allow deposits to be made using credit cards when igaming launches in the state. This will ensure that, as with Mazooma’s bank-based products, players will only be able to use funds they actually have for online wagering. SBC: How do you think the industry will evolve over the next 12-18 months? And what does Mazooma need to do to fit into this ecosystem? JF: State expansion will continue to be a top priority for our operators over the next 12-18 months, and Mazooma will be invaluable to our clients by ensuring that their launches into additional states are completely seamless. That includes having our contracts and licensing in order as well as bolstering our products to guarantee optimal performance in each jurisdiction. Mazooma will keep simplifying payments at all organizational touch points – e.g. product, finance, operations and merchant support – so that

THE US PAYMENTS LANDSCAPE IS DRAMATICALLY DIFFERENT FROM EUROPE’S, SO IT IS UNDERSTANDABLE THAT OPERATORS FEEL A BIT OVERWHELMED WHEN THEY ENTER THE MARKET operators don’t even have to think about payments, and can instead focus on their core businesses and driving players in new states to their platforms. In addition to state expansion, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has announced plans to regulate online gaming and sports betting. When this happens, Mazooma will provide operators access to the Canadian market through their existing integrations. •

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State lotteries

HELPING LOTTERIES TO KEEP PACE WITH THE COMPETITION LOTTERIES ARE “TURNING TO SBTECH” for sportsbook

services when their market share comes under pressure. That’s according to the firm’s Chief Development Officer Andrew Cochrane, who spoke on a panel about replicating the European Lotteries experience at this year's Betting on Sports America SBC: Why is SBTech well placed to join the debate around lotteries providing sports betting in the US? AC: SBTech has been providing sportsbook services to numerous European Lotteries for a number of years and soon we will be propelling a state lottery into the sportsbook vertical in the US. Our omni-channel solution covers online, mobile and a US-centric on-property solution. Essentially, lotteries are turning to SBTech when their market share is under pressure, typically through old legacy technology or where they see the value in giving their players a bestin-class product supported by strong responsible gaming controls. SBC: Do you think sports betting is complementary to the lottery business? From your clients' perspective, how do they see sports betting customers and sports betting products fitting in to their existing offer? AC: We work with a variety of state lotteries, some of which have been in sports betting for a long time, for example Danske Spil. What's interesting about lotteries is that they all have their own goals and objectives, and often differ quite significantly from the private sector. In Denmark, the biggest

challenge with their core brand was they simply couldn't compete on a product level, or certainly from a trading and risk management perspective, with some of the big offshore books like bet365 and Kindred. So, what they did is turn to SBTech to launch a new brand, essentially a challenger brand, to go after a new demographic and start using product as a way of capturing these players. It depends largely on the goals of the individual lottery. The state lotteries also have a different view of what a VIP is, and how they manage their marketing

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State lotteries

promotions, so profit from SBTech's significant investment in responsible gambling tools. We make sure we're providing all of the available tools to ensure they meet their wider CSR objectives. SBC: If you could give one piece of advice to a US lottery about sports betting, what would that be? AC: Take a look at Europe. Look at the market shares of the big lotteries, and see how they're faring against the competition with the current product suite that they have. Actually, what you'll realise is the opportunity for lottery is - with very large brands and very large databases of loyal players - to offer an innovative product that can compete with the large online sportsbooks. In summary, the message is product. We are very much a mobile led business, so all of our investment

in product goes into a mobile first approach. It's all about player engagement on mobile. SBC: Mobile gaming isn’t allowed in too many states; how can you work with betting companies to embrace your vision if mobile isn't permitted by regulation? AC: One example might be allowing

and walking into a lottery premises, or a casino, and showing a QR code or simple five-digit code. You can then place a bet very quickly without having to spend time in that location. It's just an example of using mobile where perhaps regulations don't allow to still engage with players. Another example would be in Mississippi where mobile betting is restricted but you're

...LOTTERIES ARE TURNING TO SBTECH WHEN THEIR MARKET SHARE IS UNDER PRESSURE, TYPICALLY THROUGH OLD LEGACY TECHNOLOGY OR WHERE THEY SEE THE VALUE IN GIVING THEIR PLAYERS A BEST-IN-CLASS PRODUCT SUPPORTED BY STRONG RESPONSIBLE GAMING CONTROLS players to create a bet, go through the hard work of building a bet without having to stand in line at a counter or a kiosk. Actually doing that on a mobile app

72 OFFICIAL SPORTS BETTING GUIDE TO G2E • OCTOBER 2019

allowed to offer it within the confines or walls of a casino property that's fully licensed for sports betting. So we're working with geo-location providers who we've integrated into

our award-winning Chameleon360 player account management platform, and essentially it allows players to download an app and actually place online sports bets so long as they're within the boundaries of the casino. They can then bet at their convenience. SBC: There's been a lot of discussion in the US about the state specific regulations, different rules around college sports and integrity issues. What has your experience been so far of working across multiple markets? AC: Operationally, we make sure that from a configuration perspective, we have the ability to allow an operator remove certain content e,g. college football; if that is part of regulation or the operators strategy. In addition, we are respecting international rights on data. For example, with live tennis we recently expanded our partnership with IMG who own the rights to certain tennis competitions, so if our partners want to offer their players live betting on IMG events then essentially they need to obtain the relevant data licence directly with IMG.

Our experience with lotteries has told us to ignore competition at your peril. So even with a state monopoly partnership, we've spent time analysing the offshore books - where players in that state might be betting - to make sure we understand the product offering that is available and ensure our offering is compelling to the player in that state.

TAKE A LOOK AT EUROPE. LOOK AT THE MARKET SHARES OF THE BIG LOTTERIES, AND SEE HOW THEY'RE FARING AGAINST THE COMPETITION WITH THE CURRENT PRODUCT SUITE THAT THEY HAVE We need to understand what events are being offered, as well as the pricing and the lines, what kind of margins are being offered. That helps us to make sure that the proposition is compelling to the player to pull them away from the offshore books. We’re also thinking about future competition as well, so neighbouring

states might be looking to enact legislation in the coming 12-18 months. So, they need to understand the extra level of threat to them in the mid-term. SBC: For any US state lottery organization doing an evaluation of a technology provider, what should they be looking at? AC: Every lottery has its own goals. In the US it's slightly different to Europe. When you start talking to them, there's a real void of knowledge about sports betting, so I think on the one hand we're a technology partner but in reality these lotteries are looking for a partner in sports betting. They're looking for expertise, for someone to help them on this journey, and how they're going to deliver their revenue goals for the long term but at the same time have confidence that the chosen technology partner can deliver on their responsible gaming and CSR goals. At SBTech, we invest significant time and effort into a partnership approach, we are not just a technology supplier – we are a true partner. We believe that this sets SBTech apart from our competition, both in Europe and the US. •

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Global gaming leader

TOP FIVE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT IGT’S PLAYSPORTS PLATFORM FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE TECHNOLOGY helping

IGT to fortify its position as a leading B2B sports betting technology provider in the U.S. market

GT PlaySports is the technology behind the company’s dominant position in the market according to Charles Cohen, IGT PlayDigital Vice President of Sports Betting. Here, Cohen tells us the top five things to know about the platform.

U.S. Footprint

The IGT PlaySports platform is powering legal sports betting in nine U.S. states as of mid-September, and at 30-plus sports wagering venues. The list of operators leveraging IGT PlaySports spans commercial and tribal casinos, lotteries and racetracks. The proven platform technology supports all of the FanDuel Sportsbooks across the U.S., including its state-leading operations in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. It also enabled industry-first tribal sports betting in Mississippi, and allowed for the Rhode Island Lottery to become the first U.S. lottery to offer mobile sports betting.

Scalability

Whether an operator wishes to run a large-scale sportsbook, or offer a few simple, self-service betting

74 OFFICIAL SPORTS BETTING GUIDE TO G2E • OCTOBER 2019

terminals, IGT PlaySports can make those business plans a reality. The technology’s modular design allows for operators to add new products and services to their sportsbooks as local regulation and player demands evolve. For example, Pearl River Resorts in Mississippi initially launched with only over-the-counter betting, but quickly expanded its offering to include PlaySports kiosks and on-premise mobile wagering. The forward-thinking tribal-run casino will soon introduce a VIP betting experience by adding IGT’s CrystalBetting Terminal to its offerings. The IGT PlaySports platform also features a “hub and spoke” design that enables multi-state operators to offer patrons a seamless user experiences in multiple jurisdictions.

Experience

IGT is an experienced sports betting leader. The company operates B2B and B2C sports betting operations

in Italy, and invested more than 350,000 man-hours “Americanizing” the PlaySports platform in advance of PASPA’s repeal, ensuring it was marketready, relevant, and compliant with state and federal regulations, and met the needs of operators and players. In 2018, more than $12 billion in sports wagers were processed via IGT technologies, and at a rate of one bet every .9 seconds during H1 2019.

Speed to Market

IGT and its talented and experienced team can help operators launch their sports betting operations on accelerated timelines. IGT’s experience operating in the regulated U.S. market and its deep relationships with casinos, tribes and lotteries help the company to navigate complex regulatory and delivery environments. The “50 State Solution” has taken wagers on the first day of legal sports betting in multiple states,

THE PROVEN PLATFORM TECHNOLOGY SUPPORTS ALL OF THE FANDUEL SPORTSBOOKS ACROSS THE U.S., INCLUDING ITS STATE-LEADING OPERATIONS IN NEW JERSEY AND PENNSYLVANIA and continues to enable mobile sports wagers much faster than the competing technologies.

Passion to Innovate

There’s more on the horizon. In addition to IGT’s already expansive portfolio of sports betting peripherals such as the PlaySports kiosks and pads, IGT has additional sports betting hardware on its roadmap. The B2B leader plans to unveil its latest turnkey sports betting solution within its G2E booth 3659. •

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APRIL 28-30, 2020

Meadowlands Exposition Center, New Jersey

THE LARGEST DEDICATED

SPORTS BETTING TRADE SHOW IN THE U.S.

2,500

DELEGATES

200

SPEAKERS

EXHIBITORS

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE VISIT WWW.SBCEVENTS.COM

Bigger and better BOSA

US RETURN HEADLINES SBC’S AMBITIOUS EXPANSION FOR 2020 HAVING MADE A SUCCESSFUL US DEBUT IN 2019, the organiser of the

Rasmus Sojmark

world’s leading sports betting trade shows has ambitious expansion plans for both the North American and global markets in 2020

he headline news is a return to the USA for SBC’s Betting on Sports America, held once again at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in New Jersey from 28-30 April. The inaugural Betting on Sports America earlier this year, staged in response to the repeal of PASPA, brought together leaders from the fledgling US online sports betting industry and experts from established European markets to share knowledge

and make contacts. It proved hugely popular with the 1,600 delegates, who included operators, regulators, tech and data suppliers, trade bodies and media partners. 97.7 per cent of attendees proclaimed that they would recommend the event to a colleague. In the wake of that reputationestablishing success, SBC invested

in experienced hires for its growing US team. With the help of their local market knowledge and contacts, the second edition will be significantly bigger than the first and cement its position as the leading dedicated sports betting trade show in North America. Rasmus Sojmark, CEO & Founder of SBC, said: “The response to our first US show was overwhelmingly positive and we’re delighted to be returning to New Jersey with an even more exciting offer. “The growth of the US sports betting market over the last 12 months means there’s even more knowledge to share and lots more business to be done at Betting on Sports America 2020, so all delegates will find it a valuable experience.” The SBC team is putting together a line-up of 200 world-class speakers to deliver conference content focused on the key issues shaping the future of the industry in North America. In 2019, the line-up included

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Bigger and better BOSA

C-level executives from US and European operators, lawmakers such as New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, and representatives of the NBA, MLB, NBA, PGA Tour and MLS. It also featured MLB MVP Ryan Howard as well as former NFL pro bowlers Brian Westbrook and Morten Andersen. Delegates can expect a similar mix of industry expertise and star names for the second edition. Attendees can also look forward to a larger exhibition space showcasing the latest innovations from sportsbook platform developers and data suppliers, along with a selection of SBC’s famous evening networking parties staged at exclusive venues in New York and New Jersey. It promises to be the biggest knowledge sharing and contact building event the North American sports betting sector has ever seen. SBC’s expansion plans for next year are not limited to bigger events, as its industry-leading B2B media network will also grow through the launch of a dedicated Spanish language news website, SBC Noticias. The move reflects the growing importance of the Spanish-speaking world to the global sports betting industry, as more regulated markets in Latin America open their doors to international operators. SBC Noticias joins an established portfolio of news websites that includes SBC News, SBC Americas, CasinoBeats, InsiderSport and PaymentExpert. It is not the only Spanish-themed development for the market-leading events and media company, as its flagship Betting on Sports trade show is moving from its London home to Barcelona for 2020 and being rebranded as the SBC Summit. What promises to be SBC’s largest event to date is scheduled for 8-11 September 2020 at Fira de Barcelona. The relocation was prompted both by the rapid rise of Betting on Sports, which has achieved more than 50 per cent year-on-year growth since its launch in 2016, and the increasingly global nature of the sports betting and igaming industries. Sojmark added: “Betting on Sports is known for its commitment to high-quality content and delegate experience, as well as providing

great business opportunities, which has resulted in a rapidly growing international appeal. “As the show continues to expand and evolve, it’s important for us to stay true to the core values that define the event. “We have chosen Barcelona because it has world-class hotels, transport links and attractions to ensure delegates enjoy a great time in the city. Fira de Barcelona provides a large and centrally-located venue to continue to deliver on this promise. “Coupled with the growing betting and gaming market in Spain, Barcelona was an easy choice to make for the SBC Summit.”

increased exhibition area where operators can keep up to date with the latest product developments and innovations in the betting, casino and payments sectors. SBC’s European 2020 events programme will also include the second edition of CasinoBeats Malta, an operator-focused online casino trade show, which returns in significantly expanded form following a well-received debut in 2019. The event, from 25-26 March 2020 at InterContinental Malta in the upscale coastal resort of St Julian’s, features two full days of conference content, plenty of high-level networking

“BETTING ON SPORTS IS KNOWN FOR ITS COMMITMENT TO HIGH-QUALITY CONTENT AND DELEGATE EXPERIENCE, AS WELL AS PROVIDING GREAT BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES, WHICH HAS RESULTED IN A RAPIDLY GROWING INTERNATIONAL APPEAL” All of the important elements that have made Betting on Sports a key date in the calendar of industry stakeholders from around the world will still be present at SBC Summit, but on a much larger scale. Delegates travelling to Barcelona for the trade show can look forward to more extensive content offerings from each of the Betting on Sports, CasinoBeats Summit, SBC Safer Gambling Forum, PaymentExpert Forum, SBC Digital Marketing Forum and SBC Sponsorship Forum agendas. With 350 renowned speakers set to share their invaluable insights, SBC Summit will provide one of the biggest gatherings of gambling expertise seen by the industry. The event will also feature a vastly

78 OFFICIAL SPORTS BETTING GUIDE TO G2E • OCTOBER 2019

opportunities and a sizeable exhibition floor. SBC heads back to London from 2-4 June, when it stages Betting on Sports Europe 2020 at Stamford Bridge, the home stadium of English Premier League giants Chelsea. The leading sports betting industry trade show in Europe brings together decision makers from major international sports betting operators, along with regulators, suppliers, affiliates, sports clubs and governing bodies for an exhibition and packed programme of conference content and stylish networking events. The SBC team looks forward to seeing you at its trade shows around the world in 2020. •

Winners are choosing IGT PlaySports Over a bet per second is processed in 9+ States and more than 30 retail locations.

Built for U.S. markets, IGT PlaySports is the preferred B2B sports platform. Whether you’re talking retail, mobile, online, or self-service, our turnkey solutions, proven technology, and expert team will carry you across the goal line, ensuring that your transition into the world of sports is a touchdown. Contact your IGT representative today to learn more. © 2019 IGT Global Solutions Corporation. The trademarks used herein are owned by IGT or its affiliates, may not be used without permission, and where indicated with a ®, are registered in the U.S. IGT is committed to socially responsible gaming. Our business solutions empower customers to choose parameters and practices that become the foundation of their Responsible Gaming programs.

THE GLOBAL BETTING AND GAMING SHOW 8- 11 S E PTE M B E R 2 0 2 0 FI RA D E BA RC E LO N A, M O N TJ U Ï C

5,000 DELEGATES

350

SPEAKERS

200

EXHIBITORS

300

OPERATORS

The SBC Summit is where the world’s leading operators, suppliers, regulators, and other industry stakeholders come together to share the latest developments in sports betting and igaming. It is a unique opportunity to reach and network with a global audience of decisionmakers, stay updated on the latest developments and be a part of the current discussions in and around the world-wide industry.

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT WWW.SBCEVENTS.COM