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Intel
Report 2018
Virtual Sports
and eSports
~ Betradar
~ Inspired Gaming Group
~ Kiron Interactive
~ Scout Gaming Group
~ Playtech
VIRTUAL SPORTS & ESPORTS REPORT
Group head of content:
Andy Roocroft
Tel: +44 (0)20 7832 6629
a.roocroft@egrmagazine.com Introduction
Report editor:
Ross Law
Tel: +44 (0)20 7832 6535
r.law@pageantmedia.com
No more filler
he contributors to this EGR Virtual Sports & eSports Report analyse an
Production
Head of production:
T offering which used to be viewed as a mere ‘gap-filler’.
The presence of virtual sports offerings in physical and online locations
Claudia Honerjager
used to perform the sole function of retaining punters’ interest before the
Sub-editors: next live sports event begun.
Luke Tuchscherer, Alice Burton
Charlotte Sayers This is no longer the case; virtuals are fast becoming a critical part of any
modern sportsbook offering.
Art director, EGR: The reasons for the rise in virtuals are multi-faceted: beyond the
Toni Giddings
t.giddings@egrmagazine.com accessibility of virtuals and their quick-fire entertainment value, factors such
as a region’s limited access to real live sports is proving a critical growth
Commercial driver.
Group commercial manager:
Sam Compagnoni We hope this report gives our readers an in-depth understanding about
Tel: +44 (0)20 7832 6554 why, in order to keep pace, virtuals should no longer be considered an
s.compagnoni@egrmagazine.com
optional sportsbook filler.
Publishing account managers:
Debbie Robson
Tel: +44 (0)20 7832 6551 By Ross Law | Report editor
d.robson@egrmagazine.com
3
Content sales:
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7832 6512
membership@egrmagazine.com
Distribution:
Fay Oborne
05 09 13
The rise and rise The growth of The bleeding
of virtual sports virtuals edge of egaming
Steven Spartinos, of Heinz Kierchhoff, of Steve Rogers, of
CEO:
Kiron Interactive, reflects BetRadar, highlights Inspired, reflects on
Charlie Kerr
on the way in which virtual sports and the the evolution of virtual
technological advances, key towards ensuring sports and describes
casino cross-selling they are a successful what’s in store for the
and tailored content can part of a modern firm in 2018
help operators get the sports betting portfolio
most from virtual sports
EGR Intel is published
monthly by Pageant Gaming Media
One London Wall, London,
EC2Y 5EA, United Kingdom
07 11
DFS: a growth Further
opportunity innovation
ISSN 1742-2450 for European Elliott Norris, director
operators of virtual sports at
Printed by The Manson Group Andreas Ternström, Playtech, reflects on
© 2017 all rights reserved. of Scout Gaming the firm’s development
No parts of this publication may be Group, discusses the throughout 2017 and
reproduced or used without the prior growth opportunity considers what the
permission from the publisher in the fantasy sports future of virtual sports
segment may be
6)245!, &//4"!,, BUILT FOR BETTING £ League mode, world cup, champions cup, domestic cup and many more £ 100+ events per hour in each League and 50+ in each Cup £ Real time price updates based on team performance £ All main betting markets on the match and competition outcome are offered Try Virtual Football now in our Virtual Demonstrator: www.betradar.com/virtualsports XXXCFUSBEBSDPN TBMFT!CFUSBEBSDPN
VIRTUAL SPORTS & ESPORTS REPORT
Featuring: Kiron Interactive
The rise and rise of
Steven
Spartinos
XCo-founder and
co-CEO
virtual sports
XKiron Interactive
Steven Spartinos
is co-founder and Steven Spartinos, of Kiron Interactive, or a large amount of time to be set aside. The simple
co-CEO of virtual reflects on the way in which technological nature of virtual games is the perfect vertical for
games provider Kiron these kinds of players.
Interactive. Established advances, casino cross-selling and tailored
The instant-win gratification, associated with rou-
in 2001, the specialist content can help operators get the most lette, blackjack and slots, offers many of the same
supplier now services
web, mobile, and land-
from virtual sports thrills that virtual sports serve up on a regular basis.
based sportsbook and Kiron Interactive’s virtual games are shown live
casino operators on
five continents. Prior
to joining the betting
W ith around a fifth of over-the-counter revenue
within high street bookmakers now coming
from virtual sports, it is safe to say the concept of
every couple of minutes throughout the day and
offer 60-90 second bursts of action alongside some
of the most comprehensive betting markets in the
and gaming industry,
Spartinos worked in computerised sports betting is here to stay. industry.
banking and finance. These figures are impressive in their own right, The cross-selling potential is unsurprising, and is
considering virtual sports endured a patchy start also reigniting an audience which had grown tired of
to life in bookmakers, with many people failing to standard offerings from their favourite casino. After
grasp the concept of what they were bringing to the all, there are only so many times you can replay a
market when introduced almost 15 years ago. How- similar slot or tired table game. Not that cross-sell- 5
ever, it’s the growth on mobile and in markets where ing virtual offerings in this manner is easy. A large
live sports action faces other challenges that virtual number of casino players are put off sports betting
offerings are really taking off. They are no longer de- because they lack the necessary knowledge to partic-
signed to fill the gaps between race meetings; they ipate, finding it all a bit too daunting.
are a standalone vertical in their own right. Virtual sports help smooth this transition by pro-
Virtuals partly have the gaming generation to viding a simple betting experience with no external
thank for their rise in popularity. After all, it’s this sporting knowledge required, yet offering the same
demographic which has grown up along the latest exciting, fast-paced action these players crave.
advances in technology, enjoying games on comput-
ers, consoles, smartphones and tablets. Home and away
However, it’s not just in Europe’s mature markets
Instant gratification and cross-selling that virtual sports are really taking off. Africa is cur-
This is a generation on the hunt for instant gratifica- rently experiencing a huge boom in interest thanks
tion, with modern-day living coming with time con- to its ability to offer players exciting action in a con-
straints. Day-to-day life is no longer a 9-5; instead, tinent where live sport comes at a premium.
players want to consume their entertainment and It’s no secret that Africa is a football-mad conti-
betting when it suits – perhaps while waiting for a nent in love with the European game. But with live
bus, or sat with a coffee on their lunch break. football and reliable broadcast options out of reach
Ante-post betting has already paid the price for for a large share of the continent, virtuals are prov-
this ‘instant win’ culture in many respects, with op- ing to be the next best thing thanks to their life-like
erators seeing pre-match volumes replaced by in- graphics and exciting narratives.
play revenues in recent years. And with the youngest population in the world,
Instead, players prefer to ‘snack’ on gaming prod- with over 200 million people aged between 15 and
ucts, favouring options that slot into a player’s 24, it’s a market operators need to access right now
hectic lifestyle without the need for prior research in order to capitalise on a sports betting market
VIRTUAL SPORTS & ESPORTS REPORT
Featuring: Kiron Interactive
which is already worth in excess of $4bn. What’s next for virtual sports?
Mobile betting is being pushed hard by Western As technology advances, so will virtual sports, and
operators, but in Africa retail is still king for many it’s the job of suppliers and operators to ensure they
reasons. These include accessibility, social elements are offering players the most life-like and immersive
and payment restrictions, while a physical presence experience they can. Graphics and gameplay have
6 in the market promotes brand loyalty. already improved beyond recognition. In fact, they
now rival games console offerings.
But it’s not just the actual offering itself that
“It’s the job of suppliers and operators
needs to be constantly tweaked and updated; it’s
to ensure they are offering players also about being inventive when it comes to game
the most life-like and immersive ideas and the number of betting markets offered to
experience they can” players. Simply updating a virtual football title is not
enough to please such a demanding audience.
Instead, it’s important to offer a wide range of
But as Africa’s middle-class grows, mobile betting games to players. Kiron Interactive offers a 20-game
is becoming the fastest growing channel in certain portfolio including a variety of sports and numbers
countries, with many reporting figures of up to 70% games. Aside from the traditional virtual racing and
of bets placed this way. In some ways, Africa has football games, these also include a series of winter
bucked the retail-to-desktop-to-mobile journey and sports games in order to cater for operators working
jumped straight to the latter. in Scandinavia and other northern territories.
Much like the majority of Europe, football and An extensive range of betting markets is also im-
horse racing are the most popular sports with punt- portant. By offering win-draw-lose markets, over
ers, but it’s up to suppliers to ensure they customise markets and handicaps in football, not only are
their products and technology to fit the technology more people catered for, but it becomes more and
requirements of each jurisdiction. more like the real thing.
Kiron Interactive has become the pioneering force Graphics are always going to be the first thing a
when it comes to virtual offerings in Africa thanks to potential virtual sports player sees when they walk
its customisation, as well as becoming the first pro- into a retail shop or if it flashes up on their mobile,
vider to offer two pan-African virtual games satellite but it’s the betting markets, gameplay and range of
TV channels in collaboration with Vermantia – Vir- titles that retains and turns them into the next breed
tual Games TV. of virtual sports player. X
VIRTUAL SPORTS & ESPORTS REPORT
Featuring: Scout Gaming Group
DFS: a growth opportunity
Andreas
Ternström
XCo-founder and
co-CEO
for European operators
XScout Gaming
Group
Andreas Ternström Andreas Ternström, of Scout Gaming to promote fantasy sports on social media channels
has over 10 years’ such as Facebook – thus allowing a massive market-
experience in the
Group, discusses the growth opportunity
ing opportunity.
iGaming sector. Prior in the fantasy sports segment
to Scout Gaming Fantasy sports players pay an entry fee to partici-
Group AB – Europe’s pate in a game and from this a ‘rake’ is deducted by
number one B2B
fantasy software
provider – where he is
F antasy sports traces its roots back to the late
‘50s and is today a $10bn industry with over 60
million practitioners in North America. In Europe,
the operator. The prize pool is the combined entry
fees, adjusted for rake, and is distributed based on
a predetermined set of rules that may vary. In addi-
chief executive officer,
Ternström worked at however, fantasy sports is still a relatively new tion, there can be non-cash prizes such as coupons,
Evoke Gaming. phenomenon but it’s gaining an increasing interest freebies and product samples.
and holds significant growth potential going
forward for online gambling operators and media Fantasy sports and daily fantasy sports
companies. In recent years, Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) have
emerged which, unlike traditional seasonal-based
What is fantasy sports? fantasy sports, are more interactive and give prac-
Fantasy sports is an online game where end-us- titioners the possibility to change their players or 7
ers compile virtual teams of professional play- line-up based on current form, injuries and more
ers of a particular sport. The majority of sports in the real-world. The daily fantasy sports leagues
are today included in the fantasy sports offering, have as a result become a very popular form of fan-
such as football, baseball, basketball, hockey, golf, tasy sports and are followed by practitioners 24/7.
cricket and wrestling. Local events can also be pro- The growth of the fantasy sports market is driven
vided. The virtual teams then compete based on by several factors: the emergence of daily fanta-
the actual statistical performance of the selected sy sports combined with the increasing penetra-
players and teams. The points system for fantasy tion of smartphones and tablets, and the fact that
leagues is calculated by a league commissioner, or 39% of all fantasy sports gameplay in North Amer-
by tracking actual results of the professional sport. ica was conducted via a mobile device in 2016. An-
Fantasy sports allow players to exercise direct other driver is the social element, where users get
control over the operations of their fantasy sports to ‘show off’ their skills and compete with others
team and the chance to live vicariously as gener- in an open and friendly environment. The simple
al manager, franchise owner or coach of their own fact nowadays is that fantasy sports display longer
team or teams by drafting their dream team(s). player lifetime and engagement and higher ARPU
They also have the liberty to structure the team than any other online gaming products.
in any way they choose, and can organise rosters of
athletes playing for them. Therefore, fantasy sports Fantasy sports in Europe
create a competitive experience among friends and In Europe, fantasy sports is rapidly gaining traction
fellow fantasy sports enthusiasts. It also enables and is believed by many to be the next era in online
sharing of knowledge and expertise, constituting a gaming. The social nature aligns well with the
platform for end-users to interact with their friends modern day interest in social media, and the abil-
and colleagues while engaging in their favourite ity to market via social media is a powerful strategy.
leisure activity. As it is a game of skill, in contrast Fantasy sports is also a great acquisition product
with most other gambling products, it is possible for online operators to attract new players, and in-
VIRTUAL SPORTS & ESPORTS REPORT
Featuring: Scout Gaming Group
8
troduces a brand new product vertical and revenue based on their historical player selections, choices
stream with high stickiness. By networking, opera- and preferences. From this data, it is possible to
tors are able to pool liquidity which benefits opera- suggest fantasy sports players with relevant sports-
tors and players alike. book odds. As a result, fantasy sports become a
conversion tool and create cross-sale opportunities.
“The growth of the fantasy sports Tools for automating this process are available and
are a prerequisite for the process to work efficiently.
market is driven by several factors.
As for all game formats with some degree of skill,
[One] driver is the social element, operators face challenges as high-rollers are collect-
where users get to ‘show off’ their ing the largest share of the prize-distribution. As a
skills and compete with others in an result, tools that will lower skill barriers and enable
casual gamers to easily pick a competitive team will
open and friendly environment”
be critical for the future success of DFS in Europe.
Several tools have already been presented in the
A crucial element in fantasy sports is credible market including coach assistance, player selection
and reliable statistics that can be provided in real based on game criteria, and autocomplete teams.
time. The stat-engine needs to offer not only cus- Fantasy sports enables operators to drive unique
tomisable statistics but also rules and scoring. This differentiation and improve monetisation oppor-
is a foundation part of what makes fantasy sports tunities going forward. Fantasy sports is subject to
fun and enticing, and allows players to adjust and licensing in jurisdictions such as Malta, where it
adapt their team and player strategy. Over time, a falls under the skill game regulations. Technology
clear profile of each fantasy sports player emerges providers also need to be licensed. X
VIRTUAL SPORTS & ESPORTS REPORT
Featuring: Betradar
The growth of virtuals
Heinz Kierchhoff
XManaging director,
gaming Heinz Kierchhoff, of BetRadar, highlights offerings versus others. If the various elements
XBetradar don’t gel together, the user experience isn’t smooth,
Heinz Kierchhoff is the virtual sports and the key towards
intuitive or engaging.
managing director of ensuring they are a successful part of a
Betradar’s Gaming
unit. The unit’s main modern sports betting portfolio EGR: How is Betradar’s offering positioned to com-
base is in Bremen, pete with other suppliers in this competitive seg-
Germany, while its EGR Intel (EGR): What makes virtual sports an essen- ment?
development teams are
tial component of a modern sports betting portfolio? HK: One of Betradar’s clear strengths lies in its col-
spread across Norway,
Slovenia and Poland. He Heinz Kierchhoff (HK): Year on year, betting operators lection and distillation of hundreds of thousands of
founded the company’s have gained a stronger grasp on how impactful and real sports events each and every year. Our virtuals
gaming business 10 useful a virtual offering can be in their overall of- portfolio mines this rich archive of data in order to
years ago, initially
fering. We don’t see this awareness growth slowing ensure that our virtuals reflect real life as closely as
focusing on innovative
Fantasy Sports down any time soon. We are confident that virtu- possible. We also look to the real world for format
solutions. In 2010, the als will continue to gain a foothold across operators inspiration. With our upcoming Virtual Football,
company pivoted and territories, and that those virtual offerings will
the offering to focus themselves expand and evolve. “Our motion capture projects have
more on virtual sports
At the end of the day, virtuals offer bettors an been large scale in order to ensure
betting applications
and Kierchhoff has experience that is very similar to real sports bet-
ting, but one which is available 24 hours a day
that our clients can attract the
managed that team and 9
its direction since then. and comes with quick bet settlements. At Betra- attention of punters. But graphics
dar, we are focused on understanding what it is are only the start of the journey”
that succeeds, and ensuring that our clients have
the products that cut through and gain traction. If the World Cup is an obvious example of this. All the
they are not built for betting, then they will not player and team performances across our portfolio
attract and retain bettor interest. mirror the real parameters that are extrapolated
from our rich archive of results, events and in-
EGR: What features are most likely to ensure the context micro-events.
success of a virtual sports offering?
HK: Graphics remain a highly visible piece in the EGR: Where do you see the future of virtual sports
puzzle. If bettors compare their virtuals experi- betting heading?
ence against the games they play on their consoles, HK: No doubt the visuals and gaming possibilities
they need to feel that the quality is comparable. In will catch the attention and focus of some suppliers
this area, Betradar has never cut corners, and our and operators. They are shiny and exhilarating and
motion capture projects have been large scale in technologically advanced. But those that get swept
order to ensure that our clients can attract the at- away here may well end up shortchanging bettors
tention of punters. But graphics are only the start who still ultimately want an engaging and realis-
of the journey. A deeper and fuller experience re- tic betting experience. The sector has to continue
quires a comprehensive package that addresses re- to focus on creating great betting products. Having
alistic match events, true-to-life betting markets, said that, there are exciting developments that the
a user-friendly front-end, and certification for all industry will embrace more and more. One obvious
back-end processes. Often there is an assumption example is in-play betting. When in-play virtual
that these are all hygiene factors, but truth be told, sports can truly replicate the momentum that af-
clients tell us that they do see clear differences in fects player performance, then we will really see a
the amount of time bettors spend on some virtuals new level to the virtual betting experience. X
VIRTUAL SPORTS & ESPORTS REPORT
Featuring: Playtech
Further innovation
Elliott Norris
XDirector of virtual
sports Elliott Norris, director of virtual sports one of the industry’s best performing slot brands
XPlaytech across both casino and live casino, offering two
Elliott Norris is director at Playtech, reflects on the firm’s
unique experiences while also doubling their chanc-
of virtual sports at development throughout 2017 and es of winning massive jackpots when playing the live
Playtech. He has close
to two decades of considers what the future of virtual product.
industry experience. sports may be Aligning with our market-leading progressive
Developing the market’s jackpot network, the live product shares casino li-
first virtual horse racing
quidity for the first time while also offering play-
product in 2001, Norris
continues to push the EGR Intel (EGR): How has Playtech developed in 2017? ers the ultimate desktop and mobile gaming expe-
boundaries of leading Playtech: 2017 has been yet another year of great rience. Due to this, Playtech ONE innovation play-
technologies in the innovation and growth for Playtech across every ers have the chance to not only win on the table if
pursuit of making virtual
aspect of the business and our product offering, all they hit the right number, combination of numbers
a reality.
of which is centred on our Playtech ONE omni-chan- or colour, but also to simultaneously win huge cash
nel philosophy and strategy. The proven strength sums across a four-tier jackpot with every spin of the
of the Playtech model has once again been dem- wheel. This is the first of many Playtech ONE experi-
onstrated this year, with our numbers showing a ence games that will feature jackpot functionality.
strong first half performance driven by underlying
growth and recent acquisitions. “Unlike other products on the market,
The first half of the year saw our gaming division 11
Playtech has fully simulated every
deliver strong growth with double-digit underly-
ing growth and recent acquisitions integrated and
sport on offer”
performing in-line with expectations. We have also
continued to execute on our industry-leading omni- EGR: What levels of success have you seen in recent
channel solution by deepening our offering in key offerings?
verticals with the integration of Playtech BGT Sports Elliott Norris: Playtech is the leading supplier of vir-
creating a fully integrated best-in-class sports tech- tual sports products, with our diverse and growing
nology solution and the launch of the world’s largest offering combining the very latest 3D game graph-
Live Casino studio in Latvia, revolutionising the of- ics and Hollywood motion capture technology with
fering in a growing and dynamic channel. a highly sophisticated virtual simulator across a
Playtech ONE has opened a whole stream of pos- wealth of sports including horse racing, football,
sibilities when it comes to cross-channel play and tennis, greyhounds, velodrome, speedway and bas-
tailoring experiences to individual players and re- ketball – the latest product to be added this year.
warding individual players based on their loyalty Virtual Basketball is our latest product incorpo-
and a whole range of triggers that can be enabled rating 16 virtual teams in a unique league, the Vir-
using omni-channel technology. The other area to tual Sports Basketball League or VSBL. The league
come from this is Playtech ONE, enabling single has 16 teams from across the United States (eight
brand cross-sell across multiple products. We have eastern conferences and eight western conferences)
recently launched Age of the Gods Jackpot Live Rou- all playing for the prestigious title of VSBL Champi-
lette that provides licensees with the ultimate cross- on, with every player wanting to have their claim to a
sell, progressive jackpot product, and slot fans with championship ring. Features include:
twice as many chances to win huge cash prizes with • 16 full teams with 32 kits (home and away).
every spin of the wheel. Based on western and eastern divisions in the
In a first of its kind move, and the first Live Virtual Basketball League (VSBL)
Casino Playtech ONE experience, players can play • All players created using 3D facial scanningVIRTUAL & ESPORTS SPORTS REPORT
Featuring: Playtech
• 16 team stadiums with impressive scene setting
sequences and unique stadium and sponsors
branding
• Realistic environments with a very high level of
detail, including cameramen, game officials,
coaches, staff, press and players on the bench
• Animated play-by-play responsive crowd
• High quality American commentators
• Immersive action: stylised intro, half-time and
full-time sequences per team
• Events include dynamic pro plays, replays, close-
up reaction shots, team warm-ups and special-
ity dunks
• Exclusive virtual league website displaying in-
depth game history and knowledge
Our virtual sports products enable players to bet
within a familiar sportsbook environment, with our
graphics engine and servers allowing for integrat-
ed odds, data feeds and bespoke in-game branding,
promotions and tailored races, matches, games and
promotional events.
Unlike other products on the market, Playtech
has fully simulated every sport on offer. This allows
for a richer player experience, enabling players to
study form and history.
12 EGR: What further opportunities do you foresee in the
virtual sports arena? sations, features and statistics to help players make
EN: Our pioneering Virtual Sports Football Accumu- that crucial bet. Features include:
lator product is an innovation we have showcased • Seamless in-play data feed integration onto ex-
this year. Initially deployed across 100 UK Coral isting betting system
shops with the potential to deploy it across a further • Seamless event feed integration onto existing
1,000 outlets, it replicates real-life football accumu- visualisation system if required
lator or ‘acca’. Streamed locally via a Linux hard- • Virtual in-play 2D visualisation component read-
ware box solution, it is comprised of four 90-second ily available with most of the incidents/events
matches running simultaneously every five minutes. for football. This component can be integrated
This presents the player with an extensive range of onto live sports tab seamlessly.
options in every betting round and allows them to • All popular in-play markets available to offer
view a ‘feature game’, while concurrently seeing re- flexible scheduling system. Configurable mar-
sults appear for the three remaining fixtures. gins per market.
Our accumulator product, delivered ahead of time • 24/7 virtual in-play events
for an in-store installation, marks the first of our • Low/no risk for revenue due to RNG-based re-
Playtech Sports virtual products to be launched in sults
a retail environment. It is an industry-first and re- • Reduced operational costs for licensees. Virtual
mains unique to the market due to its unrivalled In-Play does not require trading, scouts or algo-
HD quality, cost effectiveness and swift deployment rithms
across our locally managed server solution that en- • Odds generated based on previous virtual events
sures low impact on operator resources. performance of teams and players
Our virtual in-play product is coming soon to our • All stats available to display for historical
offering and has all the benefits of live sports bet- matches, teams and players
ting but with matches that take place 24 hours a day. • Football event duration can be configurable any-
Virtual in-play football includes enhanced visuali- time between 15 and 90 minutes. XVIRTUAL SPORTS & ESPORTS REPORT
Featuring: Inspired
The bleeding edge of
Steve Rogers
XChief commercial
officer, digital games
XInspired
egaming
Steve Rogers is chief
commercial officer of Steve Rogers, of Inspired, reflects on the SR: While exact figures differ from territory to terri-
Inspired’s digital games
division, and has over evolution of virtual sports and describes tory, more than 15% of sport bets made globally are
15 years’ experience in what’s in store for the firm in 2018 now on virtual sports products. While in the UK the
the virtual sports sector. percentage is slightly lower, owing to our heritage
Prior to his current role,
EGR Intel (EGR): How has Inspired gone about edu- of betting on live football matches and horse racing
Rogers was COO of
Red Vision, which was cating customers unaware of virtual sports? events, in Italy, we see that statistic above average at
acquired by Inspired Steve Rogers (SR): The challenge in bringing nearly 20%. Unsurprisingly, in territories where real
in 2006. virtual sports to a new customer-base is twofold. sports betting is yet to be regulated, we see virtu-
Firstly, there’s the need to educate the operator als performing incredibly well, with double-digit
who deploys the product, and secondly there’s the growth year on year.
customer who is going into that operator’s venues In terms of sports-betting market growth as a
and on to their websites looking for entertain- whole, we see adoption of virtual sports wagering
ment. Inspired’s recent launch in Greece is an growing faster year on year versus real sports bet-
exemplification of successfully bringing a new ting. This can be attributed to an increasing aware-
concept and product to a new customer base. We ness and understanding of virtual sports products
partnered with OPAP to run a consumer awareness globally, coupled with more sophisticated market- 13
campaign which incorporated printed posters and ing, promotions and advertising campaigns.
leaflets in venues, TV advertising, and extensive I don’t foresee virtuals revenues superseding real
staff training. The beauty of virtual sports is that sport revenues in the future; while the quality and
they don’t require the in-depth knowledge needed realism of our products are ever improving, they will
to place a complex sports bet, meaning that their always be a supplementary product to real sports
potential customer base and appeal is, therefore, betting. There’s no particular skill required to bet
further reaching. We’re soon to be the first business on virtual sports – which, of course, often works in
to launch virtual sports online in New Jersey, and their favour to a certain type of customer – whereas
we’re working with our customers to drive interest placing a real sports bet requires knowledge of the
and awareness there with TV advertising, online form, odds, conditions and more.
trailers and promotional offers.
Industry trade shows such as ICE, G2E, and “We see adoption of virtual sports
NASPL are also great forums in which to showcase
new products and innovations to the industry –
wagering growing faster year on year
and also to raise awareness of virtual sports and versus real sports betting”
their revenue driving potential to new customers.
We recently launched our new American football That said, the advantage of virtuals is the freedom
product, 1st Down, at G2E 2017, and it was fantastic and flexibility they afford to customers: we can run
to see the response from customers who anticipate an event at any time of day, in any regulated venue
launching the product in their sportsbooks online or online site regardless of weather or other ex-
and in venues in 2018. tenuating circumstances. In 2017 we launched our
Virtual Grand National products which comprised a
EGR: What is the current market share between virtu- predictor race, which was broadcast on national UK
als/real sports? Do you see virtuals superseding real television the day before the event itself, and also a
sports betting in the future? Grand National ‘Race of Champions’ event whichVIRTUAL SPORTS & ESPORTS REPORT
Featuring: Inspired
in popularity in esports in generations Y and Z, and
there is certainly an opportunity for virtual sports
to leverage this trend with the emergence of VR and
AR technology. Everything is possible in the virtual
worlds that we create. To date we have focused our
attention on creating lifelike experiences for our
customers, but we have complete freedom with our
environments and camera angles, and this drives
innovation.
EGR: What does 2018 hold for Inspired?
SR: 2018 is going to be an exciting year for Inspired
with new product launches and updated variants
of existing products. Our biggest launch will be
1st Down, our American football product, which
has been specifically developed for the US market,
which is an ongoing area of strategic focus for
saw famous runners from past races competing to Inspired’s virtuals business. We used the latest
take the ultimate title. motion capture techniques to develop our best
The predictor race featured 40 declared runners looking product to date, which undeniably blurs
and riders from the 2017 Grand National field and the lines between the virtual and reality. In addition
used complex data algorithms to deliver the most to top quality graphics, we carried out extensive
realistic and sophisticated predictor race to date. consumer research to ensure that the final product
14 The proof of the reliability of the math was proven engages and excites players, and delivers something
in the predicted winner finishing a close second in they’d never experienced before.
the live race. Inspired was the first in the industry In addition to 1st Down, we’ll be launching
to broadcast virtual sports on national television, Inspired Basketball featuring legendary NBA Hall
again raising awareness of our products to a wider of Famer Shaquille O’Neal. Again, this product is
audience and showcasing the possibilities of virtual being developed with the US consumer in mind, but
sports. The Grand National predictor race will again will have further appeal in Europe and Asia. We’ll
be running in 2018 with subsequent virtual races be evolving and updating our core product ranges
featuring the famous Aintree fences being shown to include new iterations of our enduringly popular
throughout the year. At Inspired, we continue to Virtual Horses and Football products. We’re adding
blur the lines between live sports and virtual sports live action presenters to our numbers games follow-
and the Grand National product was testament to ing the success of our real money gaming products;
that. again in response to consumer demand.
We’ll also be launching in new territories, includ-
EGR: How is Inspired positioned to meet the new ing online in New Jersey and in partnership with
trends virtuals will likely bring? Veikkaus Finland – again demonstrating the global
SR: Virtual sports are perfectly placed to embrace appeal of Virtual Sports and Inspired’s ability to be
emerging trends such as virtual reality and/or the first to reach new markets.
augmented reality. In the future, punters will Last, but my no means least, we’ll be extending
realistically be able to ride in the Grand National our hugely successful Rush Go! portfolio of prod-
themselves, do five rounds with Mike Tyson or ucts, which have been designed to appeal to casino
shoot hoops with Shaquille O’Neal. As the technol- players and feature chip betting, an in-game bonus
ogy we use becomes ever more sophisticated, as wheel and quick re-bet feature. 2018 is going to be
does the quality and depth of our graphics, the pos- a big year for Inspired, and we’re looking forward
sibilities in this exciting evolution for gaming are to bringing more of our products to more players
truly endless. In recent years we have seen a surge globally. XYou can also read
