Irish On-Course Bookmaker AK Bets Makes Online Debut

The UK betting industry has welcomed a new online operator thanks to the launch of AK Bets. The betting app and platform came online just in time for the 2023 renewal of the Cheltenham Festival, bringing the country a unique betting product ahead of one of the most significant events on the sports betting calendar.

The AK Bets brand has been around since 2001, having operated as an on-course bookmaker since then. AK Bets became synonymous with high-value racing punters and has formed a name across Ireland by offering increased customer service.

Believing high-staking bettors to be poorly serviced by the big-name brands in the industry, the business’ founder saw a gap in the market for a digital betting product with a difference.

The AK Bets website is easy to navigate with a clean black and orange themed design. Paired with its many markets and regular promotions, punters have many reasons to create an account.

While the sleek website is great, the team behind the betting brand is one of its greatest assets. AK Bets was founded by professional gambler and former Paddy Power employee Anthony Kaminskas. Kaminskas spent a decade at Paddy Power, progressing from Junior Risk Manager to Head of Greyhound Betting for the entire Paddy Power Betfair brand.

He believes adding an online string to the brand’s bow will have an “astronomical” impact on its revenues, predicting a turnover in the “low seven figures” each month.

“This was always going to be the next step. It’s how we keep scaling,” Kaminskas said when discussing the website’s launch.

“You can only scale bets on course by the number of people the racecourses get through their gate, and there’s a limit to that. We can take bets off customers at the racecourse, but our opportunity to scale depends on who attends the racecourse.”

With the website and app launch, Kaminskas promises “no gimmicks”.

“We’re not going to have bells and whistles, and we’re not going to have all the toys of a Paddy Power or the market reach of a Paddy Power or a Bet365. But I think we can add so much value in being more human when taking bets off individuals,” the founder continues.