SBC Events will mark a landmark year in horse racing with a dedicated full day conference track at Betting on Sports 2017, held at Olympia from 12-15 September.
Organised with support from the Racing Post, the seven-part agenda on the first full day at #boscon2017 (13 September) will cover the future of pool betting, opportunities around international racing, obstacles to providing the best data to support live betting, and life after the recently concluded Authorised Betting Partner Scheme (ABP). ‘Betting on Racing’ is sponsored by the Matchbook Traders Conference.
Expert speakers include Veikkaus Senior VP International Business Development Jari Vahanen, Racing Post Industry Editor Bill Barber, British Horseracing Authority CEO Nick Rust, former Ladbrokes Business Director Mike O’Kane, Matchbook CEO Mark Brosnan, SIS Product Director Paul Witten, Head of Racing Communications & Sponsorship at Kindred Group Ed Nicholson and Nigel Roddis, Managing Director of the New Pools Operation at Great British Racing.
Ahead of the live betting session, Paul Witten said: “I am speaking at Betting on Sport as it is one of the premier industry events. It is also a great opportunity to share details of SIS’s new innovative products and services which can deliver more betting opportunities to operators.”
This year has seen a reform of the statutory Levy, temporarily replaced by the ABP from October 2015, to reflect the shift in betting activity to remote channels. All betting operators accepting bets on British racing are now required to pay 10% of their gross gambling yield (GGY) back to British racing, in a revised system expected to generate £30-40 million per year in funding for the sport.
Nick Rust, a key player in the confirmation of the reformed levy, commented: “I am passionate about both horseracing and betting, and believe that there is significant growth to be achieved in betting on our sport for mutual benefit of the sport and betting operators – I look forward to giving and receiving views on the subject.”
Meanwhile, the parimutuel sector is braced for its biggest change in 90 years, as a UK-based group prepares to establish a rival pool-based betting system to Betfred’s Tote, with the aim of launching its services by 2018 when Betfred’s exclusive pools licence runs out.
Nigel Roddis, a speaker on the future of pool betting session, added: “July 2018 presents a fantastic opportunity for the Racing industry to regain control of a key customer facing element of its business. We are committed to providing an enhanced service for customers on course, and reinvigorating pool betting on British Racing off course. I am looking forward to discussing some of our plans at the Betting on Sports conference.”
The full day track, expected to be a hit with operators, affiliates, regulators and media companies across the sector, will be attended by representatives of TR Media, owners of the leading harness racing magazine in Sweden, a country expected to re-regulate its betting market by 2019.
Daniel Livensjö, CEO of TR Media, said: “As TR Media is now exploring the possibilities to expand into content and betting information about other sports, both in Sweden and in Europe, we are looking forward to participating at Betting on Sports 2017.”
“TR Media, which reaches about 500,000 horse racing enthusiasts every week, will look to affiliate models as a new commercial possibility, so we are looking to connect with interesting potential partners at next month’s event.”
To find out more about the track, see the full agenda for the event and to get your Betting on Sports 2017 tickets, CLICK HERE.
Betting on Sports is organised by SBC Events, part of the SBC Global group of companies, which works with industry leaders to develop the sports and sports betting industries. Services include news coverage, knowledge creation, marketing and product review, conferences and exhibitions, seminars and industry awards.