SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
Some of the leading suppliers to the sports betting industry have offered their insights into the future for sportsbook personalisation based on automated customer segmentation, advanced behavioural analysis and predictive AI-driven models.
The next round table participant was Betinvest, represented by its VP of Business Development Valentyn Kyrylenko.
SBC: What role does pricing and risk have to play in the differentiation of a sportsbook offering?
VK: A mid-range sportsbook with a standard set of tools will cost roughly the same amount from any provider.
It’s the additional features which provide the competitive edge that impacts the price. These could include flexible customisation options, to what degree the product responds to current global trends, or the inclusion and quality of risk management tools.
For operators, both the price they pay for a sportsbook as well as how much risk they’ll have to bear in the future when working with the platform are important. The more triggers and models that have been incorporated into the risk management system, the better.
On top of that, it’s also important that the locations of operators and their players are taken into account, since the risk triggers will vary by country. As a provider, we analyse, include and update all the necessary features to ensure that our clients can run a stable business.
SBC: How can operators build on their customer analytics to both enhance player experience and drive higher margins?
VK: Every operator has a marketing department to analyse all the players and keep track of their behaviour to see how they tend to play. Their gaming style is analysed for various reasons: risk management, player retention and for reworking the bonus system.
Operators use all of this data to improve the player experience by updating or creating marketing campaigns.
As for margins, operators can set these themselves and make them appropriate for the market in which they work. The margin levels will depend on the region. For example, it’s well-known that in Asia the margins are significantly lower than they are in Europe but in the same time the number of players is bigger.
SBC: How can AI and analytics be used to personalise and tailor the sports betting experience?
VK: There’s no doubt that AI and Big Data are the future and that the whole world is moving in that direction. Our industry is no exception. Thanks to AI tools, analysing and reacting to player behaviour has become quicker and easier for operators.
This technology enables us to group players in a comprehensive, detailed way. As a result, every player can be sent messages and bonuses that are fully personalised, and operators are able to manage risks even more effectively.
SBC: A lot has been said recently about gamification, what can it do for sportsbook?
VK: Gamification is a trend which for many years has been a hot topic across the globe and in the gaming industry specifically. It’s all about what brings customers back to your website every single day to check their rating and compete with other players.
That’s why operators are offering customers a game within a game – they aren’t just placing bets on sporting events, but also completing the different levels of a quest to earn extra prizes and bonuses.
A good example of sportsbook gamification is bonuses. During the biggest sporting events, operators hold interesting, specially designed quests in which players are awarded bonuses for their achievements.
