SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
ICE Totally Gaming is a busy week for most in the gambling and iGaming industries, and there’s only one place to be for some downtime and evening networking on the Tuesday evening.
Leicester Square’s Cafe de Paris will once again be the venue for London Baby, where both the business cards and the drinks will be flowing. One of the sponsors of London Baby 2016 is XB Net, a global wagering solutions company whose clients include Boylesports, Paddy Power, Ladbrokes and many more.
We chatted with René Schneider, VP of Business Development at XB Net, ahead of the event.
SBC: What new products/services will you have for the market in 2016?
René: We’re focussing on selling US horse and greyhound racing signal and betting rights.
Bookies can chose between pool betting or a fixed odds service combined with a bet and watch streaming service on more than 13,600 meetings per year. We currently focus on markets in the UK, Ireland, Spain, Mexico and Australia.
SBC: What will be the industry buzzword for 2016 and why?
René: That’s easy; it has to be mobile. We are anticipating that strong growth will continue to be seen in that area. The growth of mobile has yet to slow, and by 2018 it is expected that the amount of bets placed on mobile will reach $100bn (£69.6bn).
SBC: Which new technology, service or consumer trend will have the biggest impact on the igaming industry in 2016?
New innovations via mobile technology will provide the bulk of the notable impact on the igaming industry this year. In particular wearable tech is one to watch out for, with companies such as William Hill, Coral and Unibet releasing apps specifically aimed for the Apple watch. Expect that to continue!
SBC: Why have you chosen to begin 2016 by sponsoring the London Baby Party?
René: Well for starters Rasmus Sojmark is a very good friend of XB Net!
Moreover, we think it’s a great networking event with the opportunity to have a drink and chat with many of those present at ICE. It’s also, importantly, a lot of fun and a chance to blow off some steam during a very busy and stressful week.
SBC: Finally what must the igaming industry achieve/undertake in 2016 to ensure its continued growth ?
René: It’s vital that the industry as a whole makes sure there is no over-regluation and taxation, and also be prepared to react on technical specifications required by new regulatory conditions.
Last year saw the announcement of two major mergers, and we will undoubtedly see more of the same this year, that is further consolidation.
