Sports Betting Market

As the virtual sports betting landscape begins bringing real value to the economies of numerous countries, the notion of sports betting, as conceived illegal by regulatory bodies, is witnessing an epochal scale of change. The legalization of sports betting in some parts of the world implies that, avid bettors won’t have to resort to under-the-table wagers, which betokens that the industry will spectate a surge in its clientele base.

The real boost to the sports betting vicinity, however, lies with the usage of smartphone, which is nearing the stage of ubiquity, as bettors show a marked proclivity for the 'bet anytime, anywhere' trend. Rapid penetration of wireless gadgets and development of user-friendly applications will further chip in, as sports betting becomes more and more leisure-integral for the millennial, Y, and Z generations.

Gauging the lucrativeness of the landscape led by perpetual innovation, Transparency Market Research (TMR) traces the historical, current, and futuristic trends that qualify as influential for the growth prospects of the sports betting market, during the period of 2019-2027.

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Tracing the Growth of the Sports Betting Market

Contemporary sports betting comes about substantially from horse racing, and the early evolution of the industry traces its onset to the U.K. As Western countries followed suit, laws dictating gambling were formed. However, the major scramble towards taking the industry to the billion-dollar club began with the emergence of online casinos in the 1990s. As industry players offer the ease of betting and a low entry cost, a large number of bettors are attracted to online platforms, and in 2018, the sports betting market registered a value of US$ 238.09 Bn.

Industry players are cashing in on the integration of live streaming and online gambling platforms to gain greater resonance of bettors by banking on digital promotional activities. As Bitcoin, Dogecoin, Ripple, and Litecoin infiltrate into the sports betting landscape, bettors are inclining towards these virtual currencies due to ease of transaction over traditional funding methods.

With cryptocurrencies, bettors residing in regions where real money betting is forbidden can securely and transparently conduct their transactions. Since market players instigate their scramble towards making the landscape as user-friendly as possible, the sports betting market is likely to remain lucrative, expanding at a CAGR of ~11% during the forecast period of 2019-2027.

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Online Platforms – A Key Opportunity to Bet on for Market Players

Traditionally, the sports betting market was clasped amidst the battle of legalization, which still, in some regions, fights for legal identity, as money laundering instances and betting addiction raise concerns among the regulatory bodies. However, the relaxation of laws and legislation in Europe offers an open ground for sports wagering activities, and the region accounts for ~ 52% of the market share.

With a concentration of leading betting brands, Europe has become home to the sports betting industry, with football contributing a significant share to the regional market, and 'cricket mania' is driving bets at an exponential rate. However, the Asia Pacific sports betting market remains driven by the high frequency of mega sports events and surge in the number of participants.

As countries such as China and India have a majority of young population, their indulgence in sports is high, and the proliferated infiltration of smartphones is further adding value to the mainstream trends observed in the region. Though online betting has been growing at a significant rate, given the ease of use, the traditional hold of offline betting platforms on a dominant share of the sports betting market has been intact, as a large pool of bettors still prefer wagering in-person during sports events.

As the popularity of football is no longer confined within the boundaries of developed countries, it marches towards being a global sport, which offers a bet-worthy opportunity for industry players, among the other game types. However, threats of cyber-attacks, susceptibility to betting addiction, and a huge unregulated market team up against the steady growth of the sports betting market.

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How Operators Can Place Winning Bets in the Sports Betting Market

Mitigate the Growing Threat of Cyber Attacks

Online betting platforms that have been surfacing and drawing significant transactions makes them extremely attractive to the prying eyes of cyber attackers, making the business vulnerable. As a precautionary measure, market players can integrate software and tools to assess the vulnerabilities and plan their defense mechanisms so as to safeguard their assets.

Increase Integration of Live Streaming with Online Betting

With the growing penetration of smartphones, end users are likely to switch to online betting portals, which will necessitate the live streaming of sports. As the future of the sports betting industry is likely to remain driven by online platforms, operators need to increase the integration of live streaming with online betting to facilitate real-time betting platforms for bettors.

Invest in Recently Legalized Betting Markets

Malpractices in a majority of betting cases incited regulatory bodies to hold on to the stringency of regulations in the sports betting market. However, increasing recognition pertaining to the industry’s contribution to the economy, and growing employment opportunities have led to the relaxation of laws on sports betting in some countries. This is giving leeway to operators, in terms of business expansion, in these recently legalized betting markets.

Sports Betting Market - Competitive Landscape

The sports betting market remains fragmented, with numerous players operating at multiple levels. The sports betting market functions under the dominance of key players such as

• Bet 365 Group Ltd
• GVC Holding PLC
• The Star Group
• Paddy Power Betfair PLC
• William Hill PLC

who account for 25-30% of the total market share.

The key tactic that supplements this market share is the in-house development of products and acquisition activities to bring in innovation in the space. For instance, Paddy Power averred that, it merged with Betfair to form Paddy Power Betfair, in 2016, and acquired Daily Fantasy Sports Co., in May 2017, with a view to leverage the prowess of technology so as to extend the capabilities of the platforms and offer a superior betting experience to end users.

Regional players, however, emphasize on building partnerships to expand their businesses and occupy a key position in the market by employing a multi-brand strategy. For instance, in October 2017, Kindred Futures partnered with Cockroach Labs to develop a next-generation global online gaming platform.

Market players also direct their efforts towards gaining licenses to operate in new markets to seek better exposure and expand their end-user base. They strive to gain exposure through digital promotions with the help of celebrity endorsements.

Analysts’ Take on the Sports Betting Market

Authors of the report maintain a propitious perception of the sports betting market, as regulations and laws begin to loosen their grip on the online gaming and betting industry. Operators who expend efforts towards the development of online platforms will be able to get a better hold on the end-user base, as modern-day bettors show better resonance with online platforms. However, they should be forearmed with robust strategies and software to mitigate the risks associated with the growing instances of cyber attacks. Digital promotion of online betting portals through celebrity endorsements will remain the key to place a winning bet in the sports betting market.

With football being the key game for a large pool of bettors, service providers can develop live streaming and online betting platforms with distinguished features to upgrade the betting experience. The emergence of cryptocurrencies into the landscape is likely to attract the attention of modern bettors. However, stringent regulatory norms in a large number of countries remains a longstanding challenge for service operators, which further restricts the sports betting market from exploring its full growth potential.