Pulse
SPORTS BETTING IGT: JOE ASHER
“Making sure we are continuously focusing on the product, sometimes in rather mundane ways that the end consumer doesn't necessarily see but our customer does appreciate, and on product enhancements that are apparent to the end customer.”
PURE B2B
Whilst there was a B2B element during his decade at William Hill and Brandywine Bookmaking, a company he created as a start- up in 2008 before being acquired by the tier one operator, IGT marks the first time Joe has worked purely within the B2B space. What has proven of particular interest during Joe’s last six months has been making sure customers have what they need and enabling people for whom sports betting is new to tap into his expertise.
One such example is the Oneida Tribe who have been enjoying the benefits of running the first and only sports wagering operation in Wisconsin since the winter of last year. However, they aren’t naive and don’t expect this situation to continue forever. Oneida’s flagship casino is in Green Bay, home of the Green Bay Packers, one of the most storied NFL franchises.
“Te Packers are very popular nationally, but it is almost like a religion in Green Bay. It's everywhere so one can guess who the residents of Green Bay are predominantly betting on and the team was having a great season. I helped the Oneida team understand they should look to build a business for 365 days a year, not just for one day or game.
“I advised them that the points spread they should offer on the Packers should be same you can get anywhere else because fans know what the line is. If you try to juice up the line, customers are going to think you're sticking it to them. When the Packers win, give them the money with a smile and they'll come back.
“Having that perspective and experience proved useful and I’ve helped with this type of issue before. In the early days of sports betting in Mississippi when I was at William Hill we had one partner who called me and asked what they should do when the Saints were playing because his place was relatively close to New Orleans.
“My straightforward advice was to simply root for the other team! Having the perspective of an operator who understands these nuances helps folks that are new to sports betting get up to speed.”
PLAYSPORTS
Joe’s remit is the evolution and expansion of IGT’s PlaySports solution, whose roster of clients includes Boyd Gaming, Resorts World, FanDuel, SuperBook, and many tribal casinos.
P72 WIRE / PULSE / INSIGHT / REPORTS
Going forward, IGT’s main points of focus for its sports betting operation are twofold.
1) Help existing customers as they look to expand and grow into new jurisdictions.
2) Assist companies currently using different systems but are looking to change.
“Going forwards we need to look at where we are taking the product,” explains Joe. “In the industry generally there has been a lot of attention to marketing, but over time product wins. Making sure we are continuously focusing on the product, sometimes in rather mundane ways that the end consumer doesn't necessarily see but our customer does appreciate, and on product enhancements that are apparent to the end customer.
“We have a big team of software developers in Belgrade who I recently went over to meet. It was great to see everybody in-person and get a better appreciation for the team and technology. London also proved a useful pit- stop as there are no direct flights. I needed to cash my ticket at Coral because I had made a bet on Biden to win the election!”
CANADA, FINALLY
Last month, Ontario opened the first licensed and regulated iGaming market in Canada. According to several estimates, the post- regulated province will become the most attractive iGaming market in North America for both players and brands, surpassing all its US online counterparts.
Whilst acknowledging the size and scale of Ontario’s regulated gaming potential, whose largest city, Toronto, is home to MLB, MLS, NBA, NHL, and Canadian Football League teams, Joe believes a lot of the province’s potential success comes down to how ‘sticky’ customers are to their current provider.
“It's a new market but it's not because the grey market has been there so long. Many customers already have an existing relationship. In the legal market you will see an effort to dislodge
that customer and attract new ones. How sticky existing customers are to their current provider is something we don't know at this point.
“My sense is it's probably a little different in Canada than some of the other states. People betting in the black market in the U.S. may be easier to dislodge than in Canada's grey. Ever since I joined the industry, every year was destined to be the year before sports betting was going live in Canada.
“Tis even stretches back to the Brandywine days when we did a consultancy project for Woodbine, a big racetrack and casino operator, who wanted to prepare for sports betting being legalised. Now it really is here and it's amazing to see.”
MAKING HEADWAY
With the largest companies spending millions on marketing and sponsorship deals, Joe believes there is room for smaller operators to get involved in specific circumstances. Needless to say that each state is different, and the priorities of existing operators differ.
For example, some tribal casinos such as Oneida or Snoqualmie in Washington state are very large properties where the retail sportsbook is of utmost importance. Online, some smaller operators are going to align with major operators whilst others will want to beat their own path.
“Take the Arizona Coyotes who are a customer of ours. In Arizona, the sports teams got licences and all but one decided to partner with an operator - be it selling a skin, some branding, sponsorship, access to database, and so forth.
“Alex Meruelo, who owns the Coyotes and a couple of casinos in Nevada, decided he didn't want to partner with anybody. He made the decision to control it himself due to the fact he owned the franchise and could promote his sportsbook operation, SaharaBets.
“Te market is in a place where you have the four or five major operators and what happens below that level is an open question. Churchill and Wynn are backing off, alongside others. Ten you have individual opportunities like the Coyotes or tribes who are just differently positioned. For them the question is how sports betting helps them grow their overall business rather the profitability of the sportsbook as a standalone offer.”
“The market is in a place where you have the four or five major operators and what happens below that level is an open question. Churchill and Wynn are backing off, alongside others. Then you have individual opportunities like the Coyotes or tribes who are just differently positioned.”
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