Marketing

signings and online integration – organising online events within the tournament framework that users can take part in and receive bonuses.

SMM trends for gambling

Betting companies now realise that social media is one of the most valuable assets for audience engagement and not a place for boring branded images. The role of social networks will increase as part of the activation of sponsorship contracts: in fact, most of the interaction between companies and ambassadors will take place through social networks.

We also expect to see gamification in social networks through the launch of sweepstakes, games and other subscriber activities.

New affiliate partnership formats

Historically, in the CIS, partnerships with affiliates have been built on personal relationships. During lockdown, amid a more general transition to online, relationships are evolving into a win-win partnership format with an increase in the price tag for services.

Changes in sponsorship packages

Bans on betting advertising in the UK and similar restrictions in Spain and Italy continue. Against the background of this ban on sponsorship of football teams in top championships, there will be an increase in media cost for inventory within the packages, but the cost of the packages will drop because of the reduction in the options to display advertising.

ABOUT 30-40% OF ALL BETS PLACED DURING THE QUARANTINE PERIOD IN THE CIS MARKET WERE ON ESPORTS EVENTS

New betting marketing technologies

The year 2020 showed that the industry no longer has time to swing: betting will master technology rapidly because doing so will result in savings on marketing. Marketing departments will apply fresh approaches everywhere: from automated media planning to anti-fraud precautions.

For example, where we previously tailored anti-fraud systems to billing operations, we now plan to use them in marketing to detect fraud much earlier in the conversion process.

Widespread development of SOI and DOI gambling purchase models

In gambling, performance marketing anti-fraud is relatively poorly developed, limiting the ability to purchase traffic by models other than CPA for FTD or Revenue Share.

Now, in most gambling companies, the conversion funnel looks like this:

Registration → confirmation of

registration → first deposit ↘ paying to affiliates ↙ → repeat deposit → customer who makes a profit

The development of marketing antifraud and traffic assessment models will expand purchasing models for leading affiliate programs.

Your conversion funnel will, instead, look like this:

Registration ↘ paying to affiliates ↙

→ confirmation of registration → first deposit → repeat deposit → customer who makes a profit

With innovative work on the funnel and the use of behavioural models of traffic estimation, it becomes possible - on one hand - to save the budget for an affiliate, while on the other to connect new websites from different high-risk niches. 2020 showed that long-term planning is losing the matchup with situational adaptability. Therefore, I advise everyone to be ready for the new realities of the industry and trends in digital marketing. •

JAN MÖLLER: SPORTS FANS AT THE HEART OF ODDSPEDIA’S MARKETING MIX

THE ODDSPEDIA CEO on providing the best value proposition for sports fans and turning to traditional advertising instead of relying solely on digital channels

SBC: And what role does geolocation play when it comes to ensuring you’re reaching the ‘right type of player’?

JM: Unique geotargeting system, or showing the correct bookmakers for each locale, was only the first step for us - now we utilise deep content geotargeting. We reorder sports, leagues and matches in our system to provide our users with the most popular and interesting information based on their location.

OUR PRIMARY GOAL IS TO BE A VALUABLE ASSISTANT FOR ALL SPORTS FANS

Oddspedia was founded in 2014 by Jan Möller and his business partner Jeton Kodia, with the aim of providing valuable, competitive and user-friendly services for sports betting fans, players and publishers.

Since its inception, it has established itself as one of the biggest international affiliates in sports betting. The company’s flagship product, Oddspedia.com, provides customers with a complete experience using real-time data and odds from operators around the world.

SBC Leaders spoke to Möller about providing a service which caters for the widest pool of sports fans, using geolocation to reach players with the right bookmakers and lead sports, stepping beyond digital advertising with Real Madrid, and what to expect from Oddspedia throughout the rest of 2021.

SBC: With sports events now largely resumed across the world, how are you meeting the demands of all different types of fans?

JM: Our primary goal is to be a valuable assistant for all sports fans. Up-andcoming punters can learn the basics with Oddspedia quite quickly. They can follow the sports they know well, understand the betting markets and master other sports betting essentials.

One of the key reasons is the clear way we display information to them WE REORDER SPORTS, LEAGUES AND MATCHES TO PROVIDE OUR USERS WITH THE MOST POPULAR AND INTERESTING INFORMATION BASED ON THEIR LOCATION

- there are no complicated tables overloaded with numbers and colors or hard to grasp labels and buttons. At the same time, experienced bettors utilise more advanced features like analysing the odds movement history, checking statistics and utilising betting tools to their advantage.

SBC: You recently signed an advertising partnership with Real Madrid. How will this agreement help you tap into new audiences across Europe?

JM: Yes, we are very excited about this! Oddspedia will be featured on the pitch side boards for some home games of Real Madrid, including the upcoming El Clásico on 11 April when Los Blancos meet Barcelona in one of the most exciting matches of the year.

We’re thrilled to have Oddspedia featured on the stadium and we certainly look forward to expanding these opportunities in the future. This

OUR UNIQUE GEO TARGETING SYSTEM WAS ONLY THE FIRST STEP FOR US - NOW WE UTILISE DEEP CONTENT GEOTARGETING

AT THE HEART OF THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS BEHIND ODDSPEDIA'S MARKETING MIX REMAINS THE MOTTO ‘IT'S ALL ABOUT SPORTS’

also marks our first time we step beyond digital advertising, and I see it as a great way to kick-start 2021, with TV advertising being an additional platform to grow and engage our fanbase.

SBC: What prompted your shift towards more ‘traditional’ advertising methods?

JM: Recently, the Oddspedia brand as a whole has been enjoying a wider advertising push, such as with digital media campaigns on social media and YouTube. Now it is the turn for TV. Any person who loves any sports or supports their favourite team is our target client. Most of them only watch sports on TV, which in turn necessitates turning to TV as an advertising medium instead of solely relying on digital ads.

SBC: At last year’s SBC Awards, Oddspedia won the ‘Affiliate Product Innovation’ award. What did this mean for you? And why do you think you won this award?

JM: This was a very proud moment for the company, and the award has spurred us on to work even harder for 2021 and beyond! We are striving to be innovative in everything we do. As such, we’d like to take a moment to mention some of the innovations we’ve brought to our platforms: Our UI/UX design, unique geotargeting system and news selection by topic.

The next step is to build an awesome platform for sports community interaction. as we are currently eyeing up the opportunity to secure a licence and enter that market as an affiliate.

The affiliate channel has proved over time that it is a cost effective way to connect brands to target market customers. Affiliates help operators win the battle for players with increased brand exposure, attracting specific audiences and cultivating lifetime value customers.

THE ODDSPEDIA BRAND HAS BEEN ENJOYING A WIDER ADVERTISING PUSH THROUGH DIGITAL CAMPAIGNS ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND YOUTUBE. NOW IT IS THE TURN FOR TV

SBC: Looking forward to the remainder of 2021, what can we expect from Oddspedia?

JM: We have huge plans and a roadmap on how to grow within our niche. With the launching of a new version of Oddspedia.com, we now actively cover sports, news and betting sections which will attract sports fans from around the world.

The US market is the next step,

Given that the market is so overcrowded and there’s plenty of competitors, it’s very important to each affiliate to be able to stand out and provide unique features, which is exactly what Oddspedia aims to do.

At the heart of the decision making process behind Oddspedia’s marketing mix remains the motto ‘It’s All About Sports’. The most important centerpiece is the product. •

‘MORE THAN A BETTING BRAND’: HOW ITALIAN OPERATORS ARE EVOLVING THE SPORTS MEDIA LANDSCAPE

WITH RESTRICTIONS ON GAMBLING ADVERTISING

IN ITALY TIGHTENING, betting companies have been forced to undertake a fresh strategy to marketing, reshaping themselves as ‘media brands’ to maximise consumer engagement

In July 2019, the Italian communications authority introduced the Dignity Decree, which prohibited all sports leagues and clubs from promoting and advertising gambling-related brands.

However, in April last year, a plea was issued to the government by Italian sport leaders to restore betting advertising for 12 months in order to support professional leagues, sports clubs and athletes through the COVID-19 crisis, which has cost Italian football clubs €100 million in lost sponsorship and broadcast opportunities.

Speaking at SBC Digital - Italy on the ‘marketing and advertising under tightening restrictions’ panel, Shaun Simmonds, Managing Director of Superstar Digital, explained how sports federations and clubs were driven to ‘enforced evolution’ when the ban was implemented to find a way around the restrictions.

“We felt that a lot of our marketing channels and opportunities were being taken away from us. But since then, that has inspired creativity and there has been an enforced evolution in the way that we’ve approached it from a marketing aspect,” he argued. “A lot of the research we’ve done has shown there’s obviously been a huge shift

Shaun Simmonds, Managing Director of Superstar Digital

Pietro Lechiara, Managing Director of Betsson Group in Italy

IT HAS INSPIRED CREATIVITY AND THERE HAS BEEN AN ENFORCED EVOLUTION IN THE WAY THAT WE'VE APPROACHED IT FROM A MARKETING ASPECT

towards online from retail, and that’s been generated by the pandemic.

“There are sports news websites that we’ve seen emerging, so StarCasino. Sport, for example, and I’ve been involved in something very similar with SportPesa as well in terms of sports news. So, I think that’s where we’re seeing this evolution.”

With more gambling firms recognising the importance of marketing their companies as ‘more than just a betting brand’, Simmonds highlighted how companies have transformed their brands into ‘lifestyle’ oriented websites, bringing fans and users sports news as well as betting news, and focusing on the ‘infotainment’ aspect of the business.

The former Marathonbet employee also likened StarCasino and other Italian betting brands to LiveScore in the UK, which has since expanded its portfolio and moved away from standalone betting products.

He continued: “I think something that quite kind of stood out to me was a meeting I had the best part of 10 years ago when I was at Marathonbet. Our then-CEO said the way that legislation was evolving - not just throughout Europe but throughout a lot of the kind of grey markets and in Latin America as well - it’s going to be the more lifestyle brands that are successful. And I think we’re slowly seeing the evolution of a lot of online betting brands, where they’re seeing value in offering other services.”

Pietro Lechiara, Managing Director of Betsson Group in Italy, echoed Simmonds’ thoughts, recalling how the company was forced to begin thinking ‘outside of the box’ in the aftermath of the advertising ban. He cited StarCasino’s new StarCasino.sport portal, which the firm launched as an alternative to the operator brand. The platform generates exclusive content which Lechiara insisted was pivotal to keeping the brand alive.

“We launched a new line of businesses which are informative websites or social apps,” Lechiara remarked. “At Betsson, when the ban on advertising arrived, we started analysing our strengths and we have always been a customer centric brand with the ability to provide valuable content to our customers. We didn’t want everything we built up to be lost.

“So, we created a new company called StarCasino Entertainment. This is the company where we launched every new project related to non-gambling businesses. StarCasino.Sport and StarCasino Gratis are the two examples that we have successfully launched in the latest year.”

THE BEST PART OF 10 YEARS AGO, OUR THEN-CEO SAID THE WAY THAT LEGISLATION WAS EVOLVING WAS THAT IT'S GOING TO BE THE MORE LIFESTYLE BRANDS THAT ARE SUCCESSFUL

The betting brand, which has agreements with top flight Serie A outfits including Napoli, Inter Milan and AC Milan, has been tapped by a handful of sports clubs to boost fan engagement, offering supporters ‘a new way to experience’ their favourite team.

“We put a lot of effort to create something unique and something that is not in the market. We coined the ‘media of sports entertainment’. We don’t just create websites where we publish news and the latest news about sports or some articles about sport, we are making something different. We are creating exclusive content, especially videos.

He added: “We are making a platform of entertainment about sports with a lot of interaction between the supporters, and the protagonist of the sports like journalists and influencers.”

Moreover, viewing the advertising ban as an ‘opportunity rather than a threat’ has been key to navigating the ever-tightening restrictions, according to Giovanni Bertoli, Chief Executive Officer at Wall Street Football.

The panelist discussed how the gambling industry has merged with the entertainment sector and become more engagement focused, integrating new features to retain sports fans’ attention and spread their brand through simple ‘word of mouth’.

He said: “This is a great example of how this regulation basically brought us creativity in solutions that perhaps the industry would have not reached without this problem. I think in this case the topic is the connection between gambling industry, entertainment in general and user engagement.

“Before this law, there had been a lot of attention toward just advertising and marketing because the playing field where operators were competing was just the user acquisition based on advertising, whereas now it’s probably all about engaging the user. The money and the time that was before invested in advertising is now invested - or should be invested - in product innovation and in the creation of new solutions.”

Bertoli explained how the ban has created a ‘race at the top’ in the country, with operators competing to have the most regulated market, but fan engagement remains at the heart of the contest now.

“A user that is engaged is a user that is going to speak about your platform to other users, and basically, this is word of mouth, which is a type of advertising which is legal and which is free as well. And when you do a new type of solution that is more engaging, you earn word of mouth.”

Looking to the future of the increasingly intertwining sports betting and entertainment industries, Lechiara asserted that operators are already equipped with the tools to work around the advertising ban but should be prepared to be ‘more open to innovation’.

“Our goal in the market is to grow as a casino operator, but we also aim to run these numericals that we have launched. I think that all these new verticals that we have launched drove more value to the previous one and also more credibility because they reinforce the overall position of a fantastic provider of services.

“In our industry, there are a lot of talented people with expertise to be focused only on what we are doing. We need to think about innovation because we have skills to do it, and I think that this is what we are going to do in the future.” •

Giovanni Bertoli, Chief Executive Officer at Wall Street Football

THE REGULATION BASICALLY BROUGHT US CREATIVITY IN SOLUTIONS THAT PERHAPS THE INDUSTRY WOULD HAVE NOT REACHED WITHOUT THIS PROBLEM

WILL ONLINE SLOTS BECOME A LOW-STAKE ENTERTAINMENTLED ECOSYSTEM?

AS THE LANDSCAPE OF THE ONLINE GAMING MARKET

continually shifts, the most notable development in recent times is that of a responsible gaming nature, with the lowering of stakes in the slots ecosystem one crucial talking point

Entertainment is front and centre of so many igaming conversations, particularly with the ever-increasing regulatory microscope that the industry currently finds itself under. With this in mind, could slots, in particular, become a more low-stake entertainment led vertical?

However, should this be the case, would any sacrifices have to be made - particularly with regards to design principles - and what role will the ever increasing volume of snackable content have in the makeup of a more regulated environment?

James Marshall, CEO of Push Gaming,

picked up the debate by noting an air of inevitability but issuing a slight note of caution: “It’s getting to the point where it’s going to have to,”he said. “Longer term, I certainly see slots becoming a low stake, higher volume