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Setting Up For The Big Game And Beyond

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With Super Bowl LVII heading to our screens on February 12th, we sat down with Flows Director of Sales, Domenico Mazzola, to talk about how smart data collection and the use of no-code innovation platforms can enable sportsbooks to enhance their customer experience for the Big Game and beyond

The Super Bowl is the USA’s biggest sporting event and will invariably provide masses of opportunities for sportsbook operators to enhance their customer offering if they’re able to think outside the box.

As ever, the main driver here is always data – and with the NFL consisting of 17 games over an 18-week period in the run-up to the Super Bowl, there should be ample time to gather plenty of useful information on bettors. The trick is to then combine the key findings you have on player behavior with technology that will help you to create promotions and better inform your overall marketing strategy.

While at the time of writing the Super Bowl LVII finalists are yet to be announced, we already know that the majority of sportsbooks are placing the Kansas City Chiefs as their red hot favorites. So what can we do with this information? A good place to start would be to look at the betting activity of VIP customers and identify those who have actively bet on the Chiefs over the preceding 18-week period.

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Once we’ve done that, we can work out where they’re based. If, for example, they’re located on the other side of the country or abroad, there’s a good chance that they won’t be able to make it to the main event – so why not offer them a special promotion to make up for that fact? Alternatively, if you’ve seen them winning specific bets, why not offer these markets to them on the Super Bowl too?

Of course, the real value in data collection stretches far beyond the Super Bowl, so the event is also a great time to start drilling down into the behavior you’re witnessing. Were your customers backing a certain team or were they betting on both sides? Did they prefer to bet on the overall points outcome or the individual actions of players? This is all valuable information that can help you develop automated workflows which trigger on specific events or when certain wagers are placed in future.

The first thing you should probably be looking at post-Super Bowl is whether there are any friendly matches being played in the run-up to the new season and if there are, how can you use the data that you’ve gathered up to this point to target them? Is there an opportunity to offer your customers an early promotion based on the last first touchdown bet they placed at Super Bowl LVII, for example?

When the season starts proper, you can further focus on bettors’ location to find out whether they’re situated within a set distance of a particular stadium. If they are and have previously placed a bet on the team that plays there, you could target them with a location-based promotion. This could be anything from providing them with early odds on their team to a special bet if they don’t have tickets.

Using a no-code innovation platform like Flows allows you to automate this kind of promotion without the need for manual targeting. You simply funnel in all the necessary data and set up a flow that will trigger based on certain parameters. This way, you’re able to quickly and easily offer tailored promotions to customers based on their previous activity that they’re far more likely to engage with.

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Given that many sportsbook in the USA have partnerships with in-state teams, there’s also the opportunity to take this a step further by offering competitions for tickets and other behind-the-scenes incentives. Should a sportsbook have such an arrangement in place, you could use Flows to automate the awarding of matchday tickets as a prize for winning a certain bet or leaderboard event.

You could also use it to manage and distribute exclusive content that relates to a customer’s favorite team such as locker room footage and interviews with players or coaches. This way, bettors can enjoy a personalized content library that’s exclusive to them the minute they log in, meaning no two user experiences will ever be the same and that your sportsbook is able to provide something truly unique.

As a final suggestion on the topic, you could also use Flows to set up automated deals and discounts on NFL tickets and merchandise. You could, for example, create special offers that are automatically applied to a customer’s account whenever they bet on a certain team or outcome. This can help you further engage with the activity of individual bettors and create an even broader cross-market appeal.

Of course, tools like Flows can also help you adhere to state regulations by allowing you to set up automated audits and compliance checks. Our platform features a very flexible regulatory control panel in several areas that allows sportsbooks to configure many of their business regulatory requirements directly through Flows, rather than having to develop them after each and every update.

As regulatory authorities tend not to give much notice when changes are made to the current industry guidance, many organizations may find that their planned road map becomes interrupted. This can be significantly alleviated through Flows as it can allow certain regulatory directives and checks to be implemented on demand, cutting out the need for extensive and often time-consuming manual work.

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Overall, using a no-code innovation platform like Flows can help you remain compliant while leveraging the data you’ve collected and any partnerships you might have with local in-state teams in a more efficient way. This in turn provides added value to the customer both during the NFL season and in the event their teams makes the next Super Bowl, ensuring a continual cycle of engagement.

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AGCO

AGCO Requires Ontario Gaming Operators to Stop Offering WBA Bets Due to Integrity Concerns

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The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has mandated all Ontario-registered sportsbook operators to halt offering and accepting wagers on World Boxing Association (WBA) events immediately. This measure is being taken to protect the Ontario betting public following concerns that WBA-sanctioned boxing matches are not adequately being safeguarded against match-fixing and insider betting.

Since December 2023, the AGCO has been conducting a comprehensive review of suspicious wagering activity on a WBA-sanctioned title fight between Yoenis Tellez and Livan Navarro that was held in Orlando, Florida. Suspicious betting patterns on the bout lasting over 5.5 rounds were reported to the AGCO by two registered independent integrity monitors and detected in Ontario by a registered igaming operator. Media reports also alleged that Tellez’s Manager placed $110,000 on the match lasting longer than 5.5 rounds at a Florida casino. The bout ended with Tellez knocking out Navarro in the 10th round.

Following an intensive review that included outreach to the WBA, Ontario-registered gaming operators, independent integrity monitors, and regulators in other jurisdictions, the AGCO has concluded that bets related to WBA events do not currently meet the Registrar’s Standards for Internet Gaming.

The AGCO requires all Ontario-registered gaming operators to ensure the sport betting products they offer are on events that are effectively supervised by a sport governing body. At a minimum, the sport governing body must have and enforce codes of conduct that prohibit betting by insiders.

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Registered gaming operators were unable to demonstrate to the AGCO that the WBA prohibits betting from insiders, which could include an athlete’s coaches, managers, handlers, athletic trainers, medical professionals, or others with access to non-public information. Further, registered gaming operators were unable to demonstrate that the WBA took any action to investigate or enforce the allegations of potential match-fixing and insider wagering.

The AGCO has indicated to registered operators that in order for WBA betting products to be reinstated in Ontario, operators must demonstrate that the WBA effectively supervises its events, thus bringing them into compliance with the Registrar’s Standards. In December 2022, the AGCO required gaming operators to stop offering bets on UFC events for similar issues related to insider betting safeguards. Within a month, UFC amended its policies and implemented new protocols that allowed the AGCO to reinstate betting on UFC events in the province.

“Ontarians who wish to bet on sporting events need to be confident that those events are fairly run, and that clear integrity safeguards are in place and enforced by an effective sport governing body. Knowing the popularity of boxing in Ontario, we look forward to reinstating betting on WBA events once appropriate safeguards against possible match-fixing and insider betting have been confirmed,” Dr. Karin Schnarr, Registrar and CEO of AGCO, said.

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Andrew Cochrane Chief Business Officer of GiG

GiG increases Ontario market presence, powering the launch of Casino Time

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Gaming Innovation Group Inc. (GiG), has announced the launch of Casino Time, powered by its award winning iGaming platform and pioneering real-time rules engine LogicX, with revolutionary sportsbook, SportX soon to follow, to further extend its footprint in the regulated Canadian province of Ontario.

The launch of Casino Time carries extra significance, marking only the second time that on-demand, regulated online Bingo has been made available in Ontario. The new Bingo product vertical, launched alongside a strong Casino offering, will be boosted by GiG’s new sportsbook, SportX, as part of a planned release later this year.

GiG has focused its solutions on driving exponential growth in revenue for operators with its highly scalable iGaming platform, offering localised third party content and leading suppliers for the Ontarian market. GiGs peerless gamification layer creates an optimised and immersive casino experience tailored to regional preferences, swelling client retention and player engagement.

Canadian owned and operated, Casino Time is a joint venture amongst leading retail operators in Ontario’s Charitable Gaming sector, delivering Bingo, Slots and Live Dealer Casino Games. Promising a personalised service and community experience, Casino Time is continuing its long-standing partnership with local charities, introducing its joint fundraising model into the iGaming space for the first time.

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Now coming towards the end of its second year of licensed operations, Ontario has emerged as one of the largest iGaming markets in North America, second only to New Jersey according to data supplied by Vixio. The first and as yet only Canadian province to launch a regulated market, Ontario boasts more than 1.6 million active player accounts spread over 40 plus operators, generating €1.3 billion in Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) in its first year of trading, with this data supplied by iGaming Ontario.

Andrew Cochrane, Chief Business Officer of GiG, said: GiG continues to set the pace with a strong cadence of brand launches in 2024, and I’m pleased that when operators are seeking platform solutions in regulated markets, GiG is leading the pack. Our partnership with Casino Time, will help deliver something new and exciting to the Ontarian market, and further helps to demonstrate the flexibility of our solutions, adapting to match the regional aspirations of our partners to deliver growth.

D’Arcy Stuart, CEO of Casino Time, said: “We are thrilled to partner with GiG as the core technology provider of our iGaming platform. Their powerful suite of player engagement tools, as well as diverse content and regulatory integrations, underpin our ability to serve and delight our player community. Our hybrid online and offline customer network, as well as unique bingo offerings, will drive exciting opportunities as the platform and the marketplace continues to grow.”

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Bragg Gaming Group

Bragg Gaming Announces Resignation of Chief Financial Officer

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Bragg Gaming Group Inc., a global B2B gaming technology and content provider, announced that Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Ronen Kannor, has notified Bragg’s board of directors (Board) that he will resign from his position to pursue other career opportunities, effective June 3, 2024. The Company confirms that the search for a replacement CFO has commenced.

Matevž Mazij, Chief Executive Officer and Chair of the Board, commented: “We thank Ronen for his dedication and commitment to Bragg over the past four years and for his unwavering service as a pivotal member of the leadership team.

“During his tenure as CFO, the Company has undergone huge positive transformation including being uplisted to the Toronto Stock Exchange, dual listed on the NASDAQ and successfully completing two acquisitions, all while reporting consecutive years of revenue, gross profit and adjusted EBITDA growth. We wish Ronen all the very best in his future endeavors.”

Ronen Kannor commented: “It has been an honor to be part of the Bragg team which has successfully navigated many challenges and continued to deliver consistent growth over the past four years. I thank the Board for their support throughout my time with Bragg, and I am now fully focused on ensuring a smooth handover to my successor.

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“Special thanks goes to my finance team, who work tirelessly to deliver the positive change and financial growth that the Company continues to achieve. I wish them and all of my colleagues continued success with Bragg now and in the future.”

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