SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
SG Digital has reorganised its set of sports betting products into five OpenSports modules that can be “mixed and matched” to meet the specific needs of a customer.
We spoke to Keith O’Loughlin, SVP of Sportsbook and Platforms at SG Digital, to find out more about the new set up, how it benefits the company’s existing partners, and why it should appeal to new clients – particularly those making their way in the US.
SBC: What was the reasoning behind the launch of OpenSports?
KOL: Our business has grown significantly in recent months through strategic M&A and the evolution of our sportsbook offering, all designed to deliver unrivalled player experiences for our customers.
Bringing all of our products and services under the OpenSports umbrella will help give clarity over exactly what we can offer partners across the globe.
We’ve listened to the feedback provided to us, and now customers have greater choice and flexibility in what they can access from us in order to succeed in the sports betting world. Through OpenSports, Scientific Games is ready to help both new and existing customers up their game.
SBC: Tell us more about the new offering, what’s the set up?
KOL: OpenSports signals a redesigned sportsbook solution to include a modular portfolio of products, which can be mixed and matched to meet specific needs of a customer. Our new offering includes:
OpenBet™ – The world-renowned sports betting engine which has a proven track record for its robustness and scalability. Throughout the Grand National alone, the platform processed more than 239 million account transactions, representing an increase of 8% over 2018.
OpenPlatform – Full player account management, including promotions, responsible gaming, wallet, as well as full payment and authentication mechanisms.
OpenTrade – Powered by Don Best, the service provides full risk and liability management, pricing services and trading tools across the full range of U.S. sports and more.
OpenEngage – Offering full turnkey front-end user interface solutions for the first time, across mobile, web and retail.
OpenAccelerate – Delivering experienced, daily sportsbook operations, including marketing, product differentiation and trading, enabling operators to drive revenues and gain market share.
SBC: How has SG Digital’s sportsbook offering evolved; are there any specific areas of your product development that you’ve focused on?
KOL: Scientific Games has invested heavily in the sportsbook offering, and our new OpenSports proposition has set a new industry standard. The OpenBet platform has a rock-solid reputation for its reliability and scale during major sporting events, but we’ve taken those qualities to the next level.
This includes significantly improving our speed to market. While it would previously take upwards of 12-14 months to launch the OpenBet platform, this now can be achieved within 120 days, as proven with our recent launch with Caesars Entertainment.
We’ve also built on our cutting-edge technology stack in line with the evolving landscape across digital, mobile and retail. The investment won’t stop there as we continue to innovate and keep our customers ahead of the game through an engaging product stack.
SBC: What benefits will there be for your existing partners as a result of this new proposition?
KOL: Many of our customers are long-term partners who have trusted the OpenBet platform over the years, handling huge volumes of betting transactions at critical times during major sporting events.
We have a strong reputation for our reliability, but it’s important for our long-term partners to know that we’re constantly evolving to meet the demands of the ever-changing sports betting environment. We’re an open business that is changing, becoming more versatile and flexible to cater to each customer’s needs.
As we move forward with our proposition, Scientific Games will continue to embrace new technologies and take the sports betting experience to a new level for players to enjoy.
SBC: What makes it appealing to potential new customers, particularly those in the US looking to make their first steps into the sports betting environment?
KOL: Our new OpenSports proposition has seen us change to a more player and partner centric approach, which makes it even easier for all stakeholders, from those entering the sports betting world for the first time, to others who are looking for a change in strategic operations.
We’re invested in our partners and have a strong focus in winning together. An example of this is our shift towards securing revenue share deals, which creates greater value for potential customers.
