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Exclusive Q&A with Joakim Renman, CCO at Scout Gaming

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Is DFS the perfect alternative for sports fans who reside in jurisdictions where sports betting is still unregulated? How much of a crossover is there between sports betting and DFS fans?

Fantasy sports is an integral part of the modern sports fan and the crossover is near perfect. Our data shows that sportsbooks that offer DFS can see a significant increase in the time customers spend on site, the money they spend and the trust they have with the brand. Of course, this works both ways so for operators limited to DFS at present they have the potential to unlock powerful cross-selling opportunities once they are permitted to offer sports betting.

For us it does not matter whether the market is regulated or not. The Scout Gaming platform is modular so can be adapted to any market and in particular any regulatory requirements that have to be met. We want as many operators as possible to leverage the potential of daily fantasy sports so we have built our products and services to be customizable in a short space of time and with very little effort.

DFS has been growing in popularity around the world continually over the past few years. What aspects of this vertical cause it to be so appealing to the new generation of players entering the market?

I think it has a lot to do with the complexity of daily fantasy sports when compared with sports betting. Players are far more invested when creating their teams than they are when simply betting on the outcome of a football match. DFS offers additional layers of engagement, it is a more sophisticated product and poses a greater challenge.

It also helps players to connect with the sport on a deeper level. It creates an emotional attachment that carries over to the DFS products they are playing and the brand they are playing with. Ultimately, DFS players see the game differently to a sports bettor and this in turn enhances their joy of betting and gambling.

The social aspect of DFS is also a big draw for players. Sports betting can be solitary but with DFS there is a huge community of like-minded players. There is a lot of content created around DFS and people like to talk tactics and strategies and share performance stats on social media. Of course, DFS is a community-driven game at heart as it requires high levels of liquidity to offer the best player experience.

Some industry commentators believe that being able to continually offer the customer something new and different is a core aspect of player engagement. How important is innovation to Scout Gaming and what are some of the most exciting innovations available in the market? What does the next level of DFS look like?

Innovation is key and that is why sportsbook operators are looking to add daily fantasy sports to their offerings. Sports betting has remained fairly stagnant for a number of years now; players are offered the same odds, markets and bet types. To take their propositions to the next level, operators need to add more variety and DFS provides this.

Here at Scout Gaming we are incredibly focussed on developing new features. Our international real money network liquidity solution for paid DFS has put us miles ahead of any competitor trying to break into the market.

Add to this our bet recommendation engine, Betflex, unique playing features like Pursuit, Late Swap, Safety Net, Bet-on-my-Team, Player Performance Odds, Player Sportsbook, Player Matchups and you can see why we are at the cutting edge of the fantasy vertical.

That we’ve done all of this on Web Components, a new technology from Google that looks set to become the standard in the gaming space, means we can maintain a fast pace of development to remain ahead of our rivals.

This really is a new universe where the sky is not even the limit.

New innovations such as the Scout Gaming Fantasy Player Odds Markets are a great way to further integrate two different audiences. Is DFS the perfect complement to sportsbook products and how big Is the cross-selling opportunity?

According to our internal data and analysis from one year of numbers from a client success story, typical sportsbook players who are exposed to Scout Gaming’s fantasy products have 22% more active days, 14% more turnover and 7% higher GGR on the partner’s sportsbook.

The effect on sportsbook performance from heavy fantasy sports users is even more drastic. This leads to 35% more active days, 45% more turnover and a 20% increase in GGR on the sportsbook.

In addition, iGaming partners see an extra 3.9 active days per user per month. Finally, 54% of users in full seasonal games are retained for 9+ months, greatly reducing customer churn.

This proves that DFS is a perfect complement to sports betting since it offers sportsbooks vital product differentiation while substantially increasing GGR and improving user active days and turnover.

The esports sector has experienced unprecedented growth recently and offers great growth opportunities for potential market entrants. How can verticals like DFS help operators successfully tap into these online communities and keep them engaged?

Regular sports do not have communities in the same way that esports and DFS do. Esports in particular is consumed online and via channels such as Twitch and Youtube where community engagement is encouraged and celebrated. Because esports is consumed in an online world, players are far more connected to the game being played and to related products.

The same applies to DFS; it is community driven and players have a much deeper engagement with the sports, teams and players they are “betting” on. By offering DFS, traditional sportsbook operators can tap into these communities and, given the cross-sell potential mentioned above, unlock tremendous growth as a result.

DFS products have seen great success in key regions such as North America, Australia and is still yet to fulfil its full potential across Europe. What regions do you see offering the best growth opportunities in this sector and what can we do as an industry to push DFS to the next level?

DFS is forecasted to represent somewhere in the range of 2.2%-3.2% of the entire European real money wagering market. With a total market size of €24.7bn, this represents a total addressable DFS market of €550m-€700m, much of which is still largely untapped. With the US market having already surpassed the $500m mark and growing at a steady pace, we definitely see Europe as a significant market and one that will grow at a much faster pace and with less competition.

How did the lack of live sports affect the DFS market last year? What can DFS operators do to better protect themselves from these instances in the future?

The key is to not focus too much on a single sport or set of leagues and instead offer enjoyable experiences that span literally any sport, league and with multiple ways to play.

We were able to face the challenges of the pandemic by having all of our technology, IP and knowledge in-house; this allowed us to immediately cater for whichever sport or league was available at any given time. Whether eSports, Taiwanese Basketball or even minor local leagues, we were able to make sure that the music never stopped playing for our operator partners.

Scout Gaming reported a 54% revenue increase for Q1 of 2021. What do you think has been the key driver of this growth and how can these levels be maintained going forward?

There are several factors behind the growth we recorded in Q1. We are constantly improving our product which in turn allows us to gain even more traction with existing and new operator partners. As our liquidity network is shared between all of our partners, the more operators we add the more attractive our product becomes to new customers.

This is because we can offer bigger prizes and also invest in the development of new games, betting types, markets and so on.

In terms of continued growth, we are set to go live with several new partners including two tier 1 operators, both first of its scale and size. Our sportsbook has also seen a significant increase in traction of late and we’ll be “completing” the offering with the addition of key features such as Live Betting, Bet-Builder, Cash-Out and of course a few Easter Eggs spawned from the intersection of fantasy and sports betting. There is incredible momentum behind the business right now and I am excited for the rest of the year.

George Miller (Gyorgy Molnar) started his career in content marketing and has started working as an Editor/Content Manager for our company in 2016. George has acquired many experiences when it comes to interviews and newsworthy content becoming Head of Content in 2017. He is responsible for the news being shared on multiple websites that are part of the European Gaming Media Network.

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NEW YORK ISLANDERS REPRESENTATIVE ERIK ‘EKI’ TAMMENPAA EARNS HIS SIXTH EUROPEAN TITLE AT THE EA SPORTS NHL 24 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP

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In a rematch of last year’s European Championship, Erik ‘Eki’ Tammenpää, representing the New York Islanders, again prevailed over Teemu ‘Temppanen’ Karvonen representing the Anaheim Ducks to win the EA SPORTS NHL 24 European Championship title. The win marks Eki’s fourth-straight and sixth-overall European Championship title (2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024) and another $15,000 USD in earnings. Temppanen placed second in the competition that took place at the Copenhagen Media Facility in Copenhagen, Denmark on Sunday evening. For a second year straight, both players will represent Europe in the EA SPORTS NHL 24 World Championship taking place in April in New York.

Eki is a full-time YouTube and Twitch content creator and EA SPORTS™ NHL® 24 expert and 24-year-old native of Helsinki, Finland. He remains the most decorated esports player on the NHL competitive circuit and will try once again to capture the World title after capturing runner up at last year’s EA SPORTS NHL 23 World Final.

During the competition in Copenhagen today, Temppanen and Eki qualified for a spot in the World Final by competing in a semifinal best-of-three round. Both players split their first two games, with Temppanen ultimately overtaking NikkeDanglesin a tight competition and Eki defeating Eken45Jr with eight goals in a Game Three shutout.

The Championship series saw a rematch of last year’s EA SPORTS NHL 23 European Final with Temppanen and EKI facing off once again. While Temppanen took the lead with an early goal in Game One, Eki scored three quick goals in a three-minute span during the second period and a game-winning goal in the third period by Vincent Trocheck (New York Rangers). Eki continued his goal streak and dominated Game Two, ultimately scoring six unanswered goals, including tallies from Jaccob Slavin (Carolina Hurricanes), Bo Horvat(New York Islanders), and Cam Atkinson (Philadelphia Flyers). Eki’s

6-0 victory solidified his sixth European title and status as “the one to beat.”

EA SPORTS NHL 24 EUROPEAN FINAL STANDINGS

1st: Eki, New York Islanders

2nd: Temppanen, Anaheim Ducks

3rd: Eken45jr, Pittsburgh Penguins

4th: NikkeDangles, Washington Capitals

5th-8th: Alphaborje, Detroit Red Wings

5th-8th: Kibeeex, Toronto Maple Leafs

5th-8th: Launonexx, Tampa Bay Lightning

5th-8th: Teemuyy, Colorado Avalanche

The EA SPORTS NHL 24 North American Championship will be contested on March 24 at the NHL Flagship Store in New York beginning at 1 p.m. ET on the NHL’s Twitch channel. For more news, fans can visit www.nhl.com/NHL24 and follow the conversation on social using #NHL24WC.

 

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TWO PAGCOR MULTI-PURPOSE FACILITIES INAUGURATED IN TARLAC

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PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Alejandro H. Tengco (left) turns over to Mayor Doña Cresencia Tesoro of San Manuel, Tarlac (middle) the ceremonial key for the new multi-purpose facility funded by the state gaming regulator while San Manuel Vice Mayor Atty. Benjamin Tesoro looks on.

 

Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) Chairman and CEO Alejandro H. Tengco on Monday, March 18, led the inauguration of two newly completed multi-purpose centers in the towns of San Manuel and Victoria in the province of Tarlac.

Mr. Tengco said the state gaming agency provided a total of Php100 million for both of the two-story projects.

“Naglaan ang PAGCOR ng limampung milyong piso para sa bawat multi-purpose center sa bayan ng San Manuel at Victoria; mayroon itong iba’t ibang pasilidad gaya ng kusina, storage areas para sa relief goods, toilet at shower rooms, lactating rooms at maluwag na activity area para sa iba’t ibang gawain,” he said.

 

Students and teachers of Sta. Maria Elementary School in San Manuel, Tarlac greet PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Alejandro H. Tengco (8th from right, standing) and San Manuel Mayor Doña Cresencia Tesoro (7th from right, standing) during the inauguration of the PAGCOR-funded multi-purpose facility on March 18.

 

The PAGCOR chief said that because the Philippines is very vulnerable to climate change, “typhoons, floods and earthquakes are common occurrences that we must always be prepared for.”

However, he stressed that while the buildings are primarily designed as temporary shelters during emergencies, the structures can be used for various socio-civic activities, too.

 

PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Alejandro H. Tengco (left) and San Manuel Mayor Doña Cresencia Tesoro (right) unveil the PAGCOR logo during the inauguration of the two-story facility.

 

“During the height of the pandemic, when the project was rolled out, there was a high demand for quarantine and evacuation facilities. But now, there is more sense to call these as multi-purpose centers rather than just evacuation facilities,” Chairman Tengco said.

 

The two-story PAGCOR multi-purpose facility in Victoria, Tarlac.

 

 

PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Alejandro H. Tengco (right) and Victoria Municipal Mayor Rex C. Villa Agustin (left) unveil the PAGCOR logo during the inauguration of the multi-purpose facility constructed by the state gaming agency in Victoria, Tarlac.

 

“You may use this facility as your social hall, events area, and livelihood training center. You may also use this building to generate revenues for the local government,” he said.

During the event, Chairman Tengco also introduced PAGCOR’s upcoming flagship programs which include school buildings for public schools, e-learning centers, community wellness centers, and socio civic centers nationwide.

“These upcoming flagship projects are designed to create lasting impact on the lives of ordinary Filipinos,” he said. “These are just some of our nation-building efforts because as you are all aware, PAGCOR is the third largest revenue contributor to the national coffers.”

San Manuel Mayor Doña Cresencia Tesoro thanked the PAGCOR chief for the agency’s support.

“We are grateful that PAGCOR saw our need. This multi-purpose center is so far the biggest project that we have seen in San Manuel, and this is proof of PAGCOR’s commitment to serve the Filipinos,” she said.

“We thank everyone who made this dream come to life. Rest assured that we will use this to enrich the lives of our people and the generations to come,” Tesoro added.

 

PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Alejandro H. Tengco (left) shakes hands with Victoria Municipal Mayor Rex C. Villa Agustin during the inauguration of the multi-purpose facility constructed by the state gaming agency in Victoria, Tarlac.

 

Board Member Harmes Sembrano of the 2nd District of Tarlac also expressed gratitude to PAGCOR for funding the two-story multi-purpose facility in Victoria.

“With our limited resources, we cannot afford to fund all programs that will be beneficial to the people of Tarlac. But because of PAGCOR’s help, we have this new multi-purpose facility which will serve not only the locals of Victoria but also those from neighboring towns,” Sembrano said.

PAGCOR has thus far completed and inaugurated 38 multi-purpose buildings in different parts of the country while 34 others are still under construction.

 

 

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BETSSON.SPORT DEBUTS IN ITALY WITH FRANCESCO TOTTI AS AMBASSADOR

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Betsson.sport proudly announces the launch of its new sports infotainment platform in Italy. At the heart of this initiative as its ambassador, stands Francesco Totti, the revered Italian football legend celebrated for his exceptional talent and illustrious career.

With a focus on delivering exclusive content, interviews, news and highlights across various sporting disciplines, Betsson.sport aims to become a go-to destination for sports enthusiasts nationwide.

Additionally, Betsson.sport introduces the initiative ‘Betsson Sport Club,’ inviting teams to join and gain visibility and support alongside other participating teams. This club is open to clubs from both prominent and lesser-known leagues, offering them exposure opportunities and a platform for more visibility.

“I am thrilled to be part of this project, which aligns perfectly with my daily commitment to sharing my passion for sports,” said Francesco Totti. “Betsson.sport presents a wonderful opportunity to unite various sports clubs and helping them to realise their full potential.”

Ronni Hartvig, Chief Commercial Officer of Betsson Group, stated, “Italy holds significant importance for Betsson, and we are delighted to partner with Francesco Totti, a figure synonymous with excellence in Italian football. We think his story and experiences will help us make the Betsson Sports Club even better, promoting our values of fair play, inclusion, and passion.”

As Betsson.sport embarks on its journey in Italy, the brand is committed to innovation and collaboration. The recent partnership announcement with Roma exemplifies this commitment, marking the beginning of a series of dynamic initiatives aimed at strengthening the bond between sports and Betsson.sport.

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