Chapter 1 – Introduction
Bet365
Land-based brands have typically faced hurdles when choosing to launch a digital gaming
proposition. These have included:
An existing customer base that wasn’t traditionally the same as a typical online audience and was
more traditional in terms of activities.
Brand presence that didn’t necessarily hold sway with existing hard-core bettors.
A greater degree of wariness in markets where digital betting is illegal as larger companies are
easier for regulators to target.
They missed out on ‘first mover’ advantage and have had to rely on more than brand alone to
attract new punters.
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Digital betting brands
By the end of the 1990s, the first digital sportsbooks had appeared such as Interwetten and Betandwin
(now bwin), Sportingbet, Betfair and Expekt. Without the start up costs or licences required for landbased operations, these sites were quick to capitalise on the growing audiences of people wishing to
gamble without leaving their homes.
Leading digital-only brands with sportsbooks include bwin party, Betfair, 888, Sportsbet and Bet365.
Sportsbet
Digital Sports Betting 19