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ESPN Bet Highlights the Intersection between Sports, Entertainment & Betting
In a move that has felt inevitable for some time, ESPN has joined forces with PENN Entertainment and entered the world of sports betting, rebranding the popular Barstool brand as ESPN Bet in the process.
The entertainment world has been flirting with sports betting for some time now, but as the recent failure of FOX Bet showed, it is not always plain sailing. ESPN, however, feels like a very different beast to FOX, and with the power of Disney behind it, failure does not feel likely.
ESPN is one of the biggest sports broadcasters and brands in the world. It has a huge influence over the 21-40 male demographic, which will be key to its success in the gambling world. Any company attempting to succeed needs to understand the kind of content and services this demographic is looking for, and ESPN feels perfectly placed to deliver on this.
The move also continues to move the sports betting world into the mainstream, with ESPNâs reach being significantly bigger than any other industry brand.
At SGG Media, we believe the way people interact with sports and the way they bet is evolving, and this move perfectly highlights this. Betting has become essential to the matchday experience, and for many it has just as much a part of the day as their pre-match beer and catch-up with their buddies or checking out the team news.
The way sport is consumed has changed. Attend any sports game, whether it is NBA, NFL, NHL, or even your local minor-league teams, and you will see people regularly checking their phones to keep up to date with the gameâs statistics and, in many cases, placing in-game bets.
ESPN will now be bringing that to peopleâs homes. Betting, odds updates, and contests have become a regular part of sports broadcasts, and this deal could give to all sorts of new and innovative content. This continued intersection between sports, entertainment, and betting is only going to get closer, and ESPN has stepped into the game at the opportune moment.
Talking of opportune moments, the move comes just months after ESPN announce cost-cutting lay-offs. The injection of cash from this deal will be significant, and as the company deals with the ever changing viewing and TV landscape, the betting industry will provide a whole never revenue stream.
Of course, questions will be raised over ESPNâs impartiality with sports betting and how it will impact their product. A portion of their press-release was dedicated to their continued commitment to journalistic integrity, ensuring bettors and viewers that the merging of the two products will be seamless.
A quick glance across the Atlantic can give you an indication of how effective a sports broadcaster delivering its own sports-book product can be. Skybet in the UK is one of the most used sportsbooks in the country, and it has been able to blend effortlessly into Sky Sportâs broadcasts.
It has also been able to use clever promotions, such as its âSuper 6â prediction competition which it ties in cleverly with its coverage This has also helped to build a community around the sportsbook, tapping into the potential of that target demographic by encouraging them to partake in free-to-play leagues and tournaments with friends. Access to communities is essential in the modern sports betting environment, and it is something we have personally placed at the front of our micro-influencer marketing model.
Disney’s presence in this deal is a huge talking point. The House of Mouse has sent mixed signals about wanting to be involved in betting over the years, but ESPN provides them with the perfect vehicle. The early optics for the move have also appeared steady, with no indication of public backlash over Disneyâs involvement.
The other part of this puzzle is Barstool being returned to its owner, Dave Portnoy. Once again, this is a smart move for everybody, Barstool has always been a disruptor, and its business strategy and ethos was never suited to being part of a publicly traded company. Portnoy himself has been a controversy magnet and it seems unlikely Disney or ESPN would want to be too heavily associated with the Barstool brand.
ESPN and Disney entering the iGaming space could kick start a new era of sports betting in the United States. The perfect cocktail of sports, betting, and entertainment coming together to create new content and opportunities for the industry.
Playersoft, a leader in cutting-edge marketing and player development software, has launched ONE Kiosk. This new solution is set to transform player engagement by delivering keen functionality and a seamless gaming experience directly to the casino floor.
âWe are thrilled to introduce ONE Kiosk at G2E 2024. This new addition to our suite of products enables operators to streamline promotions, rewards issuance, and player interaction through both self-service kiosks and staff-assisted mobile solutions. Itâs designed to meet the needs of properties large and small by integrating with all gaming and business systems, ensuring a truly seamless experience,â said Hunter Hunstock, President of Playersoft.
ONE Kiosk, developed in collaboration with Playersoftâs preferred mobile and loyalty development partner, Objectstudio, offers a comprehensive range of features. These include the ability to manage promotions, offers, account management updates, email, mail, and SMS opt-ins, win/loss review, and more. ONE Kiosk game library is powered by Engaged Nation, an industry leader in gamification and online promotional portals. Players can look forward to an exciting catalog of interactive promotional games, including Pick-em Games for the NFL season, as well as a variety of themed and insured promotions.
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SCCG Launches Celebrity BooRay! Exhibition Featuring Mark Wahlberg and Former NBA Stars at 2024 G2E Party
SCCG Management made headlines at the 2024 G2E Party with the launch of its highly anticipated Celebrity BooRay! Exhibition, featuring Hollywood star Mark Wahlberg, NBA legends Mario Chalmers, Tony Allen, and a host of influencers. The event, hosted at Tomâs Watch Bar, brought together the worlds of gaming, sports, and pop culture in a memorable celebration of innovation and entertainment.
Mark Wahlberg, a strong advocate of the SCCG and BooRay! joint venture, lit up the night with his presence. His Flecha Azul Tequila brand co-sponsored the event, adding a touch of elegance and excitement. The Celebrity BooRay! Exhibition showcased the fast-growing card game BooRay!, a game beloved by NBA stars and cultural icons alike. Wahlbergâs support has been instrumental in taking BooRay! to new heights.
Stephen Crystal, SCCGâs Founder and CEO, said: âWe were honored to have Mark Wahlberg at our G2E Party, and it was incredible to see how much excitement BooRay! brought to everyone involved. This partnership between SCCG and BooRay! represents a new frontier in gaming, entertainment, and pop culture.â
The success of BooRay! at G2E was driven by Kahari S. Nash, known as The BooRay! King, who has played a pivotal role in popularizing the game. BooRay! combines strategy, skill, and social interaction, and has become a favorite among NBA stars and influencers. The game has captured the imagination of players and audiences alike, transcending traditional gaming boundaries.
NBA stars Mario Chalmers and Tony Allen also lent their support to the BooRay! launch, further cementing its place in pop culture. Their involvement, through SCCGâs NextGen initiative, highlights the innovative ways in which SCCG is integrating celebrities to drive the gaming industry forward.
Stephen Crystal said: âThe launch of BooRay! at G2E marks an exciting moment in gaming. Our partnership with Tomâs Watch Bar, and the support of influencers and NBA legends, brings a unique swagger to gaming. This is only the beginning for BooRay! and the future of interactive gaming.â
The evening also celebrated SCCGâs Gambling Industryâs Top 20 in their 20s Awards, which honored the brightest young leaders and innovators shaping the future of the gambling industry. The 2024 winners represent the future of gaming, and their creativity, leadership, and passion are essential to the industryâs continued success.
ODDSworks has announced that an agreement has been finalized to bring RAW iGamingâs most popular casino-proven games to ODDSworksâ customers via the BETguard Remote Game Server in North America.
With four other games from RAW iGaming, ODDSworks will showcase Joker & The Thief, the North American debut of RAWâs patent-pending âSuperSliceâ technology. RAW is building a library around this exciting game mechanic along with other high-performing patent-pending mechanics such as SuperSymbols and SuperTracks.
Tom Wood, CEO of RAW iGaming, said: âOur collaboration with ODDSworks is an important milestone for RAW iGaming, as it creates a gateway to the North American market for our unique, innovative games. We are very excited to deliver our games to ODDSworksâ customers and their players.â
RAW develops innovative, easy-to-understand and boundary-pushing games. RAWâs games will soon be launched in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan, West Virginia, Connecticut, and Mexico.
ODDSworks CEO Shridar Joshi said: âThere is a tremendous amount of potential in the market waiting to be capitalized on, and we expect to partner with other amazing companies like RAW iGaming moving into the future. ODDSworks is well-positioned to be the go-to place for special, unique online games.â
The ODDSworks game library consists of a versatile range of proprietary and third-party titles, each featuring a unique and engaging theme enhanced with stellar graphics, sounds, and features.
Many of these games have already had successful runs in US land-based and European online markets.
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