Industry News
A slow but steady decline in Swedish gambling participation
There’s been a slow but steady decline in the number of Swedes who admit to gambling in the past year, according to the latest survey by the country’s gambling regulator.
On Wednesday, the Lotteriinspektionen gaming regulatory body released its annual snapshot of the average Swedish gambler, which showed that 66% of the 1,044 adults surveyed had engaged in at least one form of gambling over the past 12 months. (The full survey results can be found here, in Swedish.)
The figure is down only two points from the 2016 survey, but this number has been trending downward in each of the past four annual surveys and is now five points below the 2014 survey.
Of those who hadn’t gambled in the last 12 months, 34% claimed it was because they never won anything, a five-point rise in this justification from 2016. A further 22% said it was because they had no confidence in the current gaming market, also up five points year-on-year.
Only 3% of respondents copped to having gambled too much at some point in the past year, a number that has remained unchanged over the past four years. These problem gamblers skewed heavily male, with 4% of men saying they’d imbibed too much while just 1% of women answered ‘ja’ to this question.
Of those Swedes who partook in online gambling, the (for the moment) state-owned Svenska Spel was by far the preferred online operator, netting a majority 52% chunk of the responses. Sweden’s monopoly horserace betting operator ATG ranked second with 16%, the only other operator to achieve a double-digit score.
As for the rest of this chart, the Kindred Group’s Unibet ranked highest, albeit with a mere 3%. Local boys Betsson tied with UK betting giants Bet365 at 2%, while Kindred Group’s female-friendly Maria Casino, The Stars Group’s PokerStars, Mr Green, LeoVegas and Cherry AB were all knotted up at 1% apiece. (Of all these operators, only Bet365 and PokerStars don’t have Swedish roots.)
It’s worth noting that while Svenska Spel’s online turnover amounted to SEK 1b (US $119m) in the first half of 2017, combined turnover from ‘non-Swedish actors’ came to SEK 2.65b during this same period, so while Svenska Spel gets the most Swedish customers, they’re mostly lottery-playing minnows, while the other sites get the real Swedish fish.
COURT SIDES WITH GOVERNMENT OVER ONLINE GAMBLING ADVERTS
Sweden is currently on the slow road to online gambling liberalization that will end Svenska Spel’s online monopoly and allow international operators the right to apply for local licenses. However, no action is expected to be taken until after the September 2018 national elections, meaning no actual market changes until early 2019 at the earliest.
In October, the Swedish Supreme Administrative Court upheld a controversial ban on local media outlets running advertising for internationally licensed online gambling operators. The issue had been brewing for years, with Svenska Spel blaming the media for helping these international rapscallions undercut its online offering.
Lotteriinspektionen director general Camilla Rosenberg, who formally took over from the departed Håkan Hallstedt last month, said she expected all media companies to now follow the rules, while warning that the ruling would make prosecuting uncooperative media companies a far more simpler process.
Industry News
LiveScore Group Announces Internal Restructuring as Part of Sustainable Growth Strategy
LiveScore Group has announced an internal restructuring process, expected to impact more than 100 existing roles across multiple business locations, including London.
The changes are seen as a difficult yet important step for LiveScore Group, streamlining the business to create improved structures and a pathway to long-term sustainable growth. All impacted employees have been informed and are now subject to a confidential consultation process.
Sam Sadi, CEO of LiveScore Group, said: “On behalf of all Directors of LiveScore Group, and the relevant subsidiary companies, we are saddened by the difficult decision to commence an internal restructure of the business, a process which impacts a significant number of our people.
“Whilst we celebrate our recent period of significant and exciting growth, we must now future-proof the organisation and ensure our internal structures allow us to achieve long-term and sustainable success.
“This is a hard time for all our people, as we say goodbye to colleagues who have played an important role in our journey across recent years.”
The announcement follows on from the recent news that LiveScore Malta Limited (part of LiveScore Group) is to withdraw its LiveScore Bet brand from the Netherlands following recent government tax increases in the market. The announcement includes those impacted by this. There will be no other customer impact in respect of any of the remaining LiveScore, LiveScore Bet or Virgin Bet sites globally.
Industry News
Pronet Gaming Appoints Alex Karaoulis as its New Commercial & Product Strategy Lead
Pronet Gaming, an award-winning platform provider of full turnkey solutions, announced the appointment of Alexandros Karaoulis as its new Commercial & Product Strategy Lead.
With over 14 years of experience in the iGaming industry, Karaoulis brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise that will be instrumental in driving the company’s strategic initiatives forward.
Throughout his iGaming career, Karaoulis has held various senior roles with B2B sportsbook and casino providers, as well as with B2C operators. His extensive background in marketing and sales within the iGaming sector positions him as a true industry expert, ensuring that Pronet Gaming remains at the forefront of innovation in a rapidly evolving market.
“I am thrilled to join Pronet Gaming and excited to fulfill my role in developing and executing sales strategies to drive the company’s revenue growth in key markets,” Karaoulis said.
With a track record in commercial strategies and driving product excellence, Karaoulis’ appointment is invaluable as Pronet Gaming now seeks to expand its footprint to Asia. His vision and deep understanding of the iGaming landscape equip him to navigate the unique challenges and opportunities that the dynamic region presents.
“I want Pronet Gaming to lead the iGaming revolution by providing innovative, culturally tailored solutions that cater to the diverse and rapidly growing demands of the region. Through strategic partnerships, cutting-edge technology, and a deep understanding of local markets, we aim to empower operators to offer world-class gaming experiences that engage players and drive sustainable growth,” he added.
According to Karaoulis, Pronet Gaming is poised to make a splash in Asia by leveraging its advanced technology, flexible platform solutions and deep market expertise while adapting to the unique characteristics of the region.
“The key differentiation point of Pronet Gaming is that we have B2C experience, which greatly aids in understanding the needs of operators and helping them to improve and execute their strategy according to the market. I have worked in B2C roles for more than seven years in my iGaming Career and managed campaigns across various channels, optimised conversion funnels, and learned to use data to improve player acquisition and retention,” said Karaoulis.
Karaoulis acknowledges that the marketing skills he has acquired from B2C experience are valuable in every B2B environment. As he dives into his new role at Pronet Gaming, Karaoulis aims to guide his operator clients on how to better market their own sites, including providing them with advice on effective acquisition strategies, content marketing and campaign structures that appeal to iGaming audiences.
“I also focus heavily on engagement strategies, loyalty programs, bonuses, and personalised offers to keep players active and returning. In my new B2B role, I will advise clients on best practices for player engagement, helping them adopt effective loyalty programs, personalised marketing, and retention tactics that drive player lifetime value to improve the end-player experience for our clients’ sites,” Karaoulis added.
Industry News
Vbet Wins Best Online Casino Operator 2024 at SiGMA Europe 2024
Vbet has been crowned the Best Online Casino Operator 2024 at the highly coveted SiGMA Europe event, cementing its position as a leader in the online gaming industry.
This achievement highlights Vbet’s commitment to providing an exceptional user experience by combining cutting-edge technology with a vast range of options and a secure process. The dedication to creating a responsible, enjoyable environment for players was recognised with this award, making this accolade even more significant. As Vbet continue to expand into new markets, the list of strategic partnerships grows alongside our constant drive to expand its offering. This award serves as a stepping stone on its path to reach more players and set new standards in the industry.
Arman Khachatryan, VBET’s Managing Director, said: “We are incredibly proud to receive the Best Online Casino Operator award at SiGMA Europe 2024. This recognition is a testament to the hard work, passion, and effort of our entire team. Our mission has always been to deliver the highest quality experience in the safest environment possible to our users. This award not only recognizes our dedication to this mission but also motivates us to continue expanding into new markets and territories.”
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