SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
Betsson AB has obtained online licences from Greece’s Hellenic Gaming Commission (HGC), and has confirmed that it will move ahead with plans to launch its flagship Betsson brand in the country within the coming weeks.
The Stockholm-listed operator confirmed that HGC had approved its upcoming brand to offer the full regulated market provisions for online sportsbook, casino and virtual sports.
One licence will cover sportsbook betting, whilst the second will enable the firm to offer games of chance such as casinos, slots and poker, and both will be valid for an initial period of seven years.
“We are really pleased to receive these licenses and to welcome Greece as Betsson’s 18th locally regulated market,” said Pontus Lindwall, President and CEO for Betsson AB.
“As in other markets, our vision for Greece is to offer the best customer experience possible and we have partnered with some great gaming suppliers and payment providers to augment our offering. The Greek gaming market has experienced significant growth over the past years, and we see a lot of potential.”
The group has further stated that the Betsson Greece offering will launch with a range of products ‘specifically developed with the Greek players in mind,’ such as Betsson 500k, in which players must pick the correct outcome on 20 different events with the chance of winning high returns.
Additional offerings include Betsson+, a multi-bet product allowing players to create their bet on a football player chosen for all big events across the summer. Additionally, all offerings will be supported by a Greek language customer support service.
Prior to the acquisition of the relevant gaming licenses, Betsson operated a Tech Hub in Athens, which will play a key role in furthering the operator’s Greek commercial strategy.
The update sees Betsson become one of the new incumbents joining the Greek market in 2021, following the Hellas government settling on the market’s final licensing and tax arrangements – ending a decade-long debate on how amendments should be implemented.
Outside of Europe, Betsson has continued to further its ambitions in emerging markets such as Latin America, forming a strategic joint-venture with Mexico’s Big Bola Casinos in April 2021, whilst also pursuing a strategy of expansion in Peru and Colombia.
Publishing its Q1 2021 trading report, the group stated that it had ‘broadly achieved’ its trading objectives, recording a revenue increase of 12% to reach SEK1,592.8 million.
