From Sports Betting to iGaming – Navigating Growth In A Split-Regulated Market

By Colin Cole-Johnson of Bede Gaming

Success in today’s iGaming landscape depends on an operator’s ability to scale across verticals and jurisdictions. To do that, they need a platform that can adapt as quickly as the market itself – and Colin Cole-Johnson explains how Bede Gaming is there to provide a meaningful advantage.

In today’s ultra-competitive iGaming landscape, the importance of platform adaptability and product diversification cannot be overstated. While being able to adjust to differing requirements and seamlessly enter new jurisdictions without having to completely overhaul your existing systems remains a key component of any successful growth strategy, what you do within those markets is also equally important for providing a meaningful betting experience to your players.

Whereas in the past, operators may have been inclined to lead with and stick to just one specialist product vertical, these days offering depth across the full suite is increasingly pivotal to a sustainable strategy. In recent years, we’ve seen a growing convergence between sports betting and iGaming, notably the rising prevalence of in-play betting, which offers an iGaming-style experience through the sports betting vertical. Some in-play betting now delivers outcomes at a pace traditionally associated with slots and table games, and that speed has accelerated the convergence of the two verticals, with engagement mechanics proving transferable across both.

Offering multiple verticals is therefore critical to the ongoing success of the modern iGaming operator. With sports widely being considered an important tool for attracting new customers, the vertical serves as an acquisition and retention engine that can initially draw players in when major events are taking place, keep them coming back throughout the regular season, and then convert them to consistent play on slots and table games whenever there’s a gap in the calendar.

Delivering On Two Fronts

Of course, the trouble here is that both verticals present their own unique challenges from a product and responsible gaming perspective. With sports betting being so schedule-dependent, operators need to be able to ramp up their communications and promotional offers when the big events come around, and their platform also needs to have the built-in scalability to handle the inevitable traffic spikes when they do.

For casino, meanwhile, play patterns are far more consistent and less event-led, so providing greater variety and adequate player protections is key. Not only do players require more imaginative promotions and a constantly updated games catalogue in order to keep them engaged, but as availability is “always on”, the risk of them chasing losses is also greater. As such, responsible gaming measures such as take-a-break features and customisable limits are a crucial part of supporting ongoing safe play.

Bede’s platform is engineered to meet these challenges head-on. For sports, our micro-server architecture scales dynamically to support traffic spikes during major events. For casino, our Player Account Management, Campaign Manager, Bonus Tool and new Tournament module provide a powerful ecosystem of automated engagement and personalisation capabilities. Together, they give operators a unified, consistent and responsible player experience across both verticals.

Naturally, our suite of player protection tools can be applied across both sports and casino, ensuring players have the support and transparency they need to play sustainably and minimise the risk of harm. By tying this all together, we provide operators with a solution that not only gives them the flexibility to deliver a consistent and engaging experience across both verticals, but also one that protects players and ultimately promotes a healthier, more durable iGaming ecosystem.

Preparing For New Markets

In terms of taking their products into any market, it’s important for operators to always set out with a compliance-first strategy. In recent years, player health and responsible gaming have shifted from best practice and optional add-ons to being mandatory requirements. The challenge for both operators and regulators has therefore become finding new ways to implement player protections without stifling innovation and user experiences, which, if done poorly, evidently encourages customers to play on unregulated sites.

Ontario has emerged as a shining light in this respect, with recent reports stating that over 85% of play is now being channelled through AGCO-licensed sites. Given that around 20% of all adults in Ontario are reportedly using online gambling platforms at least once a month, this is validation that when implemented correctly, responsible gaming doesn’t necessarily have to come at the expense of player engagement.

The key here is to offer player protections that are effective without being intrusive, and working with a partner that tracks player behaviour in real time and uses automated strategies to prevent harm can be a sizeable advantage. At Bede, we provide exactly that while also offering customisable modules that can be configured to local regulations, giving operators the flexibility they need to stay compliant over multiple markets without needing to rework their entire set-up.

Additionally, we also work closely with each of our partners to understand their goals and see how we can lessen their load through our own expertise. To give just one current example, we know the recently-opened Alberta market will require operators to hold SOC 2 certification, which involves a hefty and rather complex auditing process. Given Bede is already SOC 2 certified, we’re well-positioned to help operators navigate this hurdle, making it less daunting for them to launch.

Adapting When It Matters

Looking towards Alberta opening later this year, as is the norm under such an enticing scenario, we’re expecting many established operators to be entering this new regulated market. Fortunately, Bede’s multi-tenant infrastructure is set up for this exact scenario, as it allows operators to deliver different settings and requirements across multiple jurisdictions, making their compliance a lot easier to manage.

The innovative Player Account Management tool embedded in our platform also gives them a complete overview of their customers, allowing them to monitor an individual user’s behaviour and history over multiple sites and countries. These two core capabilities coupled with our in-house product suite and over 150 third-party integrations make Bede’s platform a powerful foundation to truly support partners, no matter how ambitious their growth plans may be.

Having already provided operators with efficient technical set-ups for regulated markets across three different continents, Bede has consistently proven that our platform has the flexibility and technical security required to adjust to differing regulatory requirements. As iGaming legislation evolves, being able to adapt to changes at a moment’s notice will become increasingly vital for ongoing success, and you can be sure that Bede will be there to help operators meet their goals.