Sportingbet announces Russian B2B tie with Liga Stavok
Sportingbet is to launch a B2B sportsbook in Russia on behalf of the country's second largest bookmaker, First International Bookmakers Company (FIBC).
Sportingbet has announced a joint venture with Russian bookmaker First International Bookmakers (FIBC), to establish a Russia-facing online sportsbook under the “Liga Stavok powered by Sportingbet” brand.
FIBC currently operates 256 betting outlets under the Liga Stavok brand across Russia, making it the second largest licensed bookmaker in the country, said Sportingbet this morning.
Liga Stavok’s exclusive betting partnership deal with the Russian Football Premier League would give it “unparalleled access to the Russian sports betting market”, said Sportingbet in its statement.
Sportingbet group chief executive Andy McIver said: “This partnership is a perfect fit with Sportingbet’s strategy to build geographical diversity through new markets, working with the highest quality partners where appropriate.”
The Russian JV would mark Sportingbet’s first foray into the B2B space, following the cancellation last month of agreements with French newspapers Le Monde and L’Express after it decided the French market was economically unviable, given current tax rates and conditions.