$250-300m NR market size but rising to about $500m in
2015. We don’t disagree with those kind of numbers.
eGR: Do you feel the focus the US has required has been
detrimental to the rest of the business?
BM: What it has done is create a situation where we have
recognised what our priorities are this year. We will now look
at putting a strong emphasis in catching up in some of the
areas we fell behind such as poker and sports betting in Italy.
We will start to address and balance them. So much had to be
done in the US. Geolocation, for example, was the first time
anyone had to do anything like that. Once you have gone
through the learning curve, although the regulators in each
state always add bits on, it becomes a little bit easier. But the
first time round everything is completely new. In Nevada the
entire regulatory framework was completely fresh off the
production line. In Delaware working with the lottery and the
timescale we were working to put an enormous amount of
pressure on our resources and likewise in New Jersey because
we knew we had to launch at the same time as everyone else.
eGR: Do you anticipate that process becoming easier as
the market matures?
BM: I think hopefully as other states open there will be
tweaks but there’s only so much regulators can tweak so
that will make the resource-hungry pressure easier on us. In
fairness we haven’t neglected our core business, we’ve still
worked hard to grow and adapt mobile for example but you
can only do so much with the resources you’ve got.
eGR: How powerful do you believe the 888 brand is now
in the US?
BM: Our reputation is growing and I think it will grow even
more as new states open. Nevada and New Jersey were very
www.egrmagazine.com
“ONCE YOU HAVE GONE THROUGH THE
LEARNING CURVE, ALTHOUGH THE
REGULATORS IN EACH STATE ALWAYS
ADD BITS ON, IT BECOMES EASIER”
Brian Mattingley, chief executive, 888
difficult situations and we were very much cutting our teeth
in new territories. There were only 12 licences available in New
Jersey, so there was pressure to cut the right deal for 888.
But in California there are 132 licences so I think we will find
a partner and be able to go through the hoops of regulation
there. And as the dominos start to fall, those operators who
have a good reputation in delivering in the partnerships will
become people that other casinos want to deal with.
eGR: Which do you think will be more successful for 888 –
poker or casino?
BM: Poker is a national pastime, played widely in every state
and it will be a very good product because of the way our
ecosystem works. It’s very recreational driven and we’re
happy with high volume, lower deposit rates and feel that
gives us our best results in lifetime value. So I think poker
will be a very