Fantasy sports betting growing in popularity across Europe

Daily fantasy sports (DFS) has been one of the fastest-growing gambling verticals in the US in recent years. Leading the charge are fantasy sports giants FanDuel and DraftKings, which together have amassed over 90% of the market share for DFS. As with many other things, what starts in the US tends to make its way to Europe and fantasy sports betting is no exception.

Playing fantasy sports in itself is nothing new to Europeans, neither is using it as a form of betting. However, in the past few years DFS have grown exceptionally fast, this is in part due to the fact that the US has legalized sports betting in several states. When this happened in 2018, Americans were already used to DFS and it was a natural transition to start betting on them. It wasn’t long before this transition caught the attention of European iGaming companies, amongst them is the affiliate company Leadstar Media, who sees the potential that DFS possess. 

– I can’t for certain say that what has happened in the US is the reason for the growth we see in Europe. But from what we’ve observed there’s been a growing interest in DFS since PASPA was overturned. In several of the European markets where we operate, the demand for DFS is higher than ever, especially in Sweden, says Jacob Ljunggren, Product Director at Leadstar Media

To capitalize on this, Leadstar Media have started to update their Swedish products to suit the new sports betting landscape.

– Our Swedish site Bettingstugan.se is currently undergoing an overhaul and one of the things we’re focusing on is fantasy sports betting.

As of today, only 2 companies with Swedish licenses offer fantasy betting. Both are powered by B2B fantasy sports provider Scout Gaming. A company which Ljunggren praises as the best product in the European market when it comes to DFS.

– The products that Scout Gaming offer are really solid and the number of sports you can play on their platform are constantly increasing showing that they are really invested in what many people believe is the future of iGaming. However there are still some areas that can be improved before they are comparable to FanDuel and DraftKings, says Ljunggren.

Scout Gaming Group were quick to adapt their offerings when all major sports came to a halt due to the Covid-19 pandemic, launching CSGO fantasy. 

What do you think the future is for DFS betting?

– The potential in this segment is huge. Fantasy sports are about more than just betting, they offer a form of entertainment that we’re not used to. I think this is one of the biggest realisations our industry is going to see in the future. Betting is all about entertainment, and the iGaming industry is competing for people’s attention with other sources of entertainment such as Netflix and video games. Fantasy sports marries betting and entertainment perfectly, as you aren’t playing against the bookmaker but against other players. Also, fantasy sports appeal to a broader audience that wouldn’t normally place bets, says Ljunggren