Inspired Entertainment Inc. is sponsoring Betting on Football 2019, the 6th edition of SBCโs international sports betting trade conference which will take place at Stamford Bridge on 19-22 March.ย 
In the run up to Betting on Football we spoke with Steven Rogers, the Chief Commercial Officer of Virtual Sports at Inspired Entertainment Inc. where he discussed the new products in their virtual sports portfolio as well as his involvement in the โlet’s get digitalโ panel at #bofcon
What are you looking forward to at Betting on Football?
I always look forward attending an event such as betting on football with so many like-minded delegates, operators and suppliers under one roof. Itโs always fascinating to see and hear about all the different key developments and innovations in the industry – not just in Virtual Sports (which we specialise in), but also sports betting, esports and Fantasy Sports to name a few. Iโll enjoy exploring the exhibitorโs floor, sitting in a on a few forums and attending the various networking events hosted throughout the conference.
What are you promoting at Betting on Football?
We will be promoting both the latest products in our virtual sports portfolio as well as the established proven performers in our range, including Football, American Football, Horse Racing, Greyhound Racing, Cricket, Darts and Basketball to name a few.
With the conference being held at an iconic football stadium such as Stamford Bridge โ itโs an ideal opportunity to highlight our market leading virtual football product Rush Football 2, which is the number one virtual football product in the world.
With the Grand National just weeks away, we invite readers to check out our officially licensed The Virtual Grand National Product, in which customers bet on 40 runners and riders competing in a full virtual recreation of Aintree . We are also back on national TV (ITV) on the 5th April for the Virtual Grand National, in which our state of the art Virtual Horse Racing software attempts to predict the winner of the Grand National.
In summer 2018 we also launched 1st Down, the industryโs first and only virtual American football product, in Pennsylvania through the state lottery. In 1st down customers join the action in the โred zoneโ and bet on how and when the drive will end. Last but not least, in 2019 we will be launching Virtual Basketball, featuring high paced, end to end action with graphics that will blow spectators away.
What industry innovation will capture the most attention in 2019?
At Betting on Football 2018 I caught an interesting seminar on the emergence of esports and their increasing popularity in the sports betting community. I wouldnโt be surprised to see this growth continue in 2019 given how rapidly esports is growing with significant boosts in revenue from media advertising, sponsorship and development partnerships and merchandise sales. Iโve seen professional sports teams and athletes investing in esports teams which is very exciting indeed!
Another big emerging innovation, not just in sports betting, but virtual sports, esports, casino etc.. is the continuing emergence of Virtual Reality (VR). The player experience has been a massive focus point in the gambling industry of late and VR can clearly take this to the next level.
As a Virtual Sports provider, we are excited to explore the potential of VR to create a fully immersive virtual sports experience for players, placing them on the football pitch or in a race car or riding the winning horse in the Grand National. We are well placed to embrace this technology and believe it will become more prevalent in 2019 and beyond.
Do you expect speed of innovation to slow in the absence of a major football tournament?
I donโt believe innovation will slow down, whilst I cannot speak for other companies, at Inspired Entertainment, innovation is a year-round pursuit. New technology is a major driving force of innovation in the gambling industry so remaining agile, adaptive and at the forefront of change is a fundamental necessity in order to stay ahead.
Whilst a major tournament such as the world cup provides a fantastic platform to position a new product against, we have projects and concepts on our roadmaps that go well beyond four weeks in Russia.
How can betting and football stakeholders work together more effectively?
One key area that can always be improved is communication and knowledge sharing between the operators and suppliers.
As a B2B Virtual Sports provider, working with clients to attain feedback from their customer base is vital to ensure we continue to create products they actively want to play on a consistent and regular basis. Work closely with operators in this way is mutually beneficial as it provides us with qualitative feedback from the end user, allowing us to continually improve our product offering and ultimately generate more revenue for the client.
Which parts of the conference agenda have caught your eye?
Of course, Iโm very excited for my own panel – โletโs get digitalโ in which I will be taking part in a discussion about the future of Virtual Sports alongside fellow experts from the industry. This will be taking place on day 2 of the conference (Thursday) in conference room 3 at 12:05pm.
Aside from that, Iโm interested in attending a forum on sports betting trends, Iโm excited to see what the exhibitors have in store and Iโm looking forward to networking at the fantastic events hosted throughout the conference.