The Sun to shake up UK sports betting sector
BetVictor poised to win race to provide UK's most-read daily newspaper with white-labelled sportsbook service
UK newspaper The Sun is preparing to gate-crash the online sports betting market after entering final stage discussions with potential white-label partner BetVictor, eGaming Review understands.
The Sun, which according to the National Readership Survey has a readership of more than six million, could launch the sportsbook within the next few months having begun the process of finding a partner more than a year ago.
It is understood BetVictor is in pole position to win the race to supply the News UK title with a fully managed sportsbook, which eGR understands will include the provision of customer services and marketing, after fending-off competition from the likes of Playtech’s Geneity sportsbook.
Although The Sun refused to comment, BetVictor managing director Paul Louis confirmed: “Discussions are ongoing but we can’t comment further at this stage.”
The Sun had previously launched a white-labelled sportsbook in the form of Sun Bet, which had been managed by a succession of partners including Ladbrokes.
The newspaper is hoping to mimic the success of its Sun Bingo site, which is run by Gamesys and has acquired a substantial market share due to heavy promotion through The Sun.
It is believed the newspaper had drawn up plans to re-launch a sports betting product in 2011 however plans were placed on the backburner due to the phone hacking scandal.
In August, The Sun implemented a paywall for its online content which during the first two months resulted in a 64% drop-off in web traffic and it’s unknown whether customers wanting to use the sportsbook will be required to subscribe to The Sun‘s online content.
The move from The Sun comes shortly after The Guardian newspaper teamed up with FSB Technology to launch an online sportsbook, gowager.co.uk.
These new entries into the sports betting market come as the UK is soon-to-be regulated and taxed on a point of consumption basis; a change which many observers believe will provide big brands with an opportunity to enter the re-regulated market.
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