Betfred to go mobile-first in Australia
Operator puts off horse racing launch with sportsbook app first up prior to World Cup and sports-specific products to follow
Betfred will launch in Australia as a “mobile bookie” with a range of in-house developed mobile products due to go live next month as it bids to create a “point of difference” in the competitive Australian market.
A mobile sportsbook app will be the first to launch ahead of this summer’s football World Cup and will be joined by products such as the Goals Galore and Hat-Trick Heaven apps available in the UK.
Betfred.com’s Australia MD Luke Brill (pictured) also told eGaming Review the operator was building sport-specific apps for Rugby League and Aussie Rules in order to target particular sets of fans.
Customers will be able to download the apps from the Apple store and access HTML5 sites across all devices. The operator will eventually launch a website however did not confirm when that would be.
Horse racing betting products are likely to follow later this year, however may not be released in time for Australia’s most lucrative racing event, the Spring Carnival, which takes place during October and November.
“We want to be seen as a mobile bookie first and foremost,” said Brill. “We are aiming to create a point of difference on mobile with a broad range of specific apps, including ones which will appeal to geographical sports preferences.”
“Horseracing will come when it’s ready. It’s hard to get it right and we are reluctant to bring anything to market that’s not exactly right,” he added.
The mobile products are about to the submitted to the North Territory regulator and are expected to be launched at least a month before the start of the football World Cup.
Betfred applied for a licence in the country’s Northern Territory last year and appointed Brill as managing director of Betfred Australian soon after.