INSIGHT
market and , more importantly , when it goes online . While the US market is accustomed to regulatory bodies , Europe has more experience with the kind of ecosystem into which the US is venturing .
Adapting to state-by-state legislation will require the combined expertise of local lawmakers and stakeholders as well as European brands that have grown proficient at anticipating and responding to newly implemented regulations .
Equally important to market perception will be buy-in from major North American sports leagues , as well as the National Collegiate Athletic Association ( NCAA ). That seems inevitable considering the Nevada Gaming Control Board ’ s reporting that the state ’ s sportsbooks accepted more than $ 4.8bn in wagers in 2017 .
The NCAA will be subject to particularly close scrutiny . Between the Men ’ s Division 1 Basketball Tournament and college football games that already average more than three million viewers in the regular season , the potential wagering figures are considerable .
The importance of nurturing an image of transparency and honesty across all leagues is emphasised by talk of integrity fees – which , somewhat controversially , have been pushed by the NBA and MLB – and the possibility of state gaming commissions demanding accurate player injury reports .
European stakeholders will be valuable partners in establishing this image , not only with responsible-gaming initiatives but also in developing relationships with league executives to address fraud and underage gambling .
Technology ’ s influence Technology will play an increasingly important role in maintaining the integrity of sports and sports betting in the US . Geo-targeting , payment processing and data collection are among the most urgent issues in regulated sports betting , giving both established and start-up solutions providers the opportunity to carve out larger places in the market .
In May , following the PASPA decision , the NCAA announced a 10-year datacollection and distribution deal with London-based Genius Sports . That was
“ While the US market is accustomed to regulatory bodies , Europe has more experience with the kind of ecosystem into which the US is venturing ”
followed by the June announcement that sports-data company Sportradar had partnered with UK-based Sportech to provide commercial sports-betting solutions to the US , including Sportradar ’ s trading and risk-management services .
For online and mobile gaming , exact post-PASPA timelines look uncertain due to legislative proceedings . However , once legislation is passed that role should prove considerable . This will open the door for savvy providers of front-end and back-end solutions to rise to prominence and / or further solidify their leadership position .
With Paddy Power Betfair acquiring FanDuel in May and DraftKings partnering Atlantic City ’ s Resorts Casino in June – an announcement preceded by DraftKings hiring a head of sportsbook in February – the two DFS giants are guaranteed to have prominent roles in a regulated market .
Both brands already engage millions of Americans via their own mobile app . DraftKings and FanDuel been committed to augmenting their respective core products and both offer a companion app for player research and keeping up to date with league news .
These are informative examples for individual states developing their own sports-betting apps . While products will likely vary in quality , cumulative insights from established European brands and US influencers with similar experience will provide reason for optimism .
Patience and pragmatism will be the foundation for most US states , at least at the outset , further supported by partnering with European brands that can provide added expertise and insight on how to build an ecosystem in which sports betting can thrive .
SARAH ROBERTSON is head of business development at Paysafe ’ s Income Access . The company ’ s technology powers the affiliate programmes of more than 250 global gaming brands , while its in-house affiliate team manages close to 20 programmes in multiple markets , including the US and UK . She holds bachelor and graduate business degrees from Canada ’ s University of New Brunswick and McGill University .
46 iGB Affiliate Issue 70 AUG / SEP 2018