iGaming Business magazine Mobile Gaming Outlook | Page 3

Mobile Gaming Outlook
STANDING APART
IN MOBILE GAMING
Frank Wenzig assesses the constant evolution of mobile and how
it should support an operator’s overall roadmap
A few years ago, the betting and gaming industry was warned that
end users would be spending more time on their mobiles. Whether
it was due to the popularisation and improvement of smartphone
technology, or the ubiquity of generous bandwidth levels, the truth
is this forecast became a reality earlier and more seamlessly than
anyone expected.
Far from being a fad, user trends in mobile technology have
diversified and consolidated to the point where mobile betting has
quickly become a key fixture in almost all bookmakers’portfolios.
The figures in terms of user spending are astonishing and that is
true across all demographics.
Contrary to popular opinion, it’s not just millennials who are
into mobile either. Everyone’s on board and, by the look of it, will
continue to be for some time.
However, when it comes to development the mobile landscape is
a complex picture. The level of diversification, if not fragmentation,
is vast.
On the one hand, there are the hardware manufacturers and
software providers. But there are also other areas, such as new
product features and updates as well as bandwidth providers.
Then there’s the issue of geographical locations and their differing
standards and legal frameworks.
The vast array of middleware providers, plug-in requirements
and so on also add to the increasing complexity of it all. As a result
of all this, perhaps understandably, our industry has reacted in
different ways.
Some have opted for delegating or partnering with companies
that are accustomed to this landscape, while others have invested
in the creation of bespoke internal teams. Whatever the approach,
it is unlikely that anyone has, or feels they have, the perfect
solution. It’s not just the market that is evolving quickly; competitors
and client expectations are as well.
What is clear is that many companies have taken advantage
of the opportunities available. The revenues, usage levels and
portfolio variety, among other metrics, demonstrate this. There
are some real success stories out there. And while it’s perfectly
Frank Wenzig is general manager of gaming at
Sportradar. He joined back in October 2010 as
associate director of product management after
Sportradar acquired Aitainment. Frank assisted
an initial team of 12 in the unit’s main base in
Bremen, developing the virtual sports meets
sports betting strategy that exists today.
reasonable to feel somewhat overwhelmed at times in an
everchanging environment, many companies will quite rightly
enjoy a strong sense of accomplishment from their journey so far.
So, what’s next? Should operators continue to strive for a more
flexible approach, or is it time to consolidate the internalisation of
all processes? And, crucially, which key trends will affect growth
and define client expectations? Finding the perfect answer to those
questions is likely to remain an industry-wide concern for
some time.
There are so many ongoing factors at play, coupled with another
key question that must be taken into account when revising any
given mobile strategy: should a service provider focus on trying to
offer all services and attempt to match competitors at all times?
At Betradar, we believe this is both impractical and unoriginal.
The diversity of products, clients and all additional factors at play
demand unique solutions. Given the situation and the continuous
opportunities opening up, a bold, daring strategy is the one most
likely to be successful.
The current scale of opportunities demands leadership, a
commitment to the mobile platform and to solving its challenges
via innovative and robust solutions. This approach ought to
support a company’s roadmap in terms of its key products.
In that respect, listening to clients is as important as it has ever
been. The more one knows about the end user’s ultimate needs, the
better. The combination of a decisive commitment to leading in
terms of the mobile platform, an innovative roadmap, knowledge
of the needs of key clients, and quality insights into end user habits
demonstrates the path ahead.
i GamingBusiness | Issue 112 | September/October 2018
83