European online betting operator bet-at-home has benefited from growth in online betting markets, achieving record growth in its yearly results for 2017.
Record annual results, paired with continued online growth position the company strongly as it approaches a key period in 2018, with the conclusion of the European football season and the commencing of the Russian World Cup.
Bet-at-home CEO Franz Ömer spoke to SBC about some of the obstacles that the operator has overcome this year as its expanded into new markets, as well as how it’s preparing its product for this Summer’s World Cup.
SBC: Can you tell our readership a little more about the German betting market?
Franz Ömer: We believe that Germany offers above-average growth potential. There is enormous enthusiasm for sports betting – particularly for football – in this country. Major events such as the forthcoming FIFA World Cup generally engender a sports betting hype. The German football team is already proving a popular bet as the favourite to win the World Cup title.
SBC: You have numerous sponsorship deals, including notably with Hertha Berlin, how do you ensure that you get maximum exposure from these partnerships?
FÖ: We not only provide financial support to our sponsorship partners, we also try to promote the clubs through targeted innovative marketing activities. This is how we ensure that we get maximum exposure.
SBC: As an operator that prides itself on providing a fast paced in-play sportsbook product, how important is mobile betting ahead of the World Cup?
FÖ: The number of users that bet online from their smartphone or tablet is continually growing. This is due to the technical enhancements that now make it so easy to download an app onto a mobile device. Today, smartphones are an integral part of everyday life for the younger generation and a constant companion. We will therefore be pursuing the trend towards mobile betting offers more intensively in the future. An app is of course a must-have in the run-up to major football events in order to appeal to potential new customers.
SBC: Could you explain some of the obstacles that come with trying to build a footprint within the Polish market?
FÖ: A modified gambling law came into force in Poland on 1 April 2017 under which sports betting licences are granted to foreign operators at unprofitable conditions. However, the casino offering is restricted exclusively to a state-owned company. We consider this to be contrary to the laws of the European Union, and since July 2017 we have been faced with blocking mechanisms that are in breach of EU law. It is therefore of even greater satisfaction that we can look back on such positive growth over the last financial year.
Source: SBC News
