The world may look like a different place right now, but it is important to keep an open mind and stay positive, according to Chris Nikolopoulos – CCO of BETBY.
Discussing the upcoming Betting on Sports Europe – Digital 2020, Nikolopoulos reflected on the changing landscape of the gaming industry as a result of the pandemic, the launch of Betby.Games and what he’s most looking forward to at this week’s conference.
What are you looking forward to at Betting on Sports Europe – Digital 2020?
Betting on Sports Europe – Digital is one of the most important conferences for senior executives from sports betting operators and providers – we are for sure expecting to participate in a lot of high-level and interesting discussions which will give us a better understanding of where the industry is heading.
On top of that, it will be a great opportunity to catch up with various colleagues and friends and we are looking forward to that as well.
What would be your biggest bit of advice for betting and gaming businesses trying to mitigate the impact of COVID-19?
As I have said before – keep an open mind and stay positive. The world may look like a different place right now but eventually, things will get better, most things will return to normal, and those things which permanently change will all be things that you will be able to adapt to.
Take care of your employees first, your customers and your suppliers – I would say in that order. The profits and dividends always follow if you make the right decisions and moves now.
What are you promoting at Betting on Sports Europe – Digital 2020?
On top of our fully managed sportsbook solution, which is still the flagship of our offering, during the last months we have launched a separate product, branded under the “Betby.Games” name.
Betby.Games is a product in the edge of esports and virtuals, with ultra high and proven conversion rate of both casino and sportsbook players, following realistic mechanics and gameplay. Since its launch it has been performing amazingly well and we are looking forward to sharing insights about it with current and future prospective partners.
What industry innovation will capture the most attention in 2020?
With regards to sports betting I am a big believer of data and analytics. The advantages of machine learning and AI algorithms allow us to detect and predict several aspects of users’ behaviour and betting patterns and this brings unrivalled value to Operators.
Particularly in BETBY we have incorporated a big range of such tools and we really see the benefits of them already.
Which operator has impressed you the most in 2020?
There are a lot of Operators doing amazing work and it would be unfair to choose one as this question depends on a lot of different points ,for example the markets each Operator is targeting.
However, if i had to pick one, i would say that i am particularly impressed with DraftKings performance while i also see unlimited growth potential for them over the coming months in the US market.
What partnership has stood out in the past 12 months?
Flutter Entertainment acquiring The Stars Group, in October 2019, created the world’s largest online gambling company based on revenues, so we can definitely say that this was a deal that stood out. If we want to be precise, it was a takeover rather than partnership, but still I can’t think of something more impressive in the past 12 months.
Which parts of the conference agenda have caught your eye?
It’s a pity to choose just one, as we are talking about an agenda which includes some of the most influential and knowledgeable leaders and stakeholders of our industry. However what I am mostly looking forward to are panels which will focus on new markets openings and regulations with regards to sports betting.