William Bolton Editor
Comment May 2023
Retail retains a place on the high street with good reason – customers want it. Betting shops have been around since the 60s and with the right technology we’re looking at a new era that will be leaner and more efficient. Society evolves and this directly affects how customers interact in retail environments. The evidence is now showing a steady trend that suggests those betting in shops are now doing so in a different manner, primarily through self-service betting terminals and on a greater variety of sports beyond football and horse racing.
Retail has needed to rebase its costs and amend its operating models for some time, with Entain being the standout operator tackling the challenge head-on. Last month, Entain opened its 100th Digi-Hub - contemporary, digital-first spaces dubbed the shops of the future fitted with more digital touch points, sports betting and gaming terminals, and interactive displays. It will be interesting to see how competitors to Ladbrokes and Coral respond because, frankly, the William Hill, Paddy Power and Betfred outlets across the UK look and feel stale in comparison to the modernised, relaxed atmosphere of these Digi-Hubs. It's no surprise Ladbrokes and Coral are welcoming more online-first customers. These punters, typically more diverse than traditional betting customers, are coming into betting shops for the first time having a positive and relatable experience in a fresh interesting space.
THE ROLLOUT OF SPORTSBOOKS IN SPORTS STADIA WILL BOOST THE POPULARITY OF RETAIL SHOPS.
The rollout of sportsbooks in sports stadia will boost the popularity of retail shops, normalising and familiarising mass numbers with the concept of not just betting on their mobile phone. I recall speaking to Joe Asher, then CEO of William Hill US, about the opening of the William Hill Sportsbook at Capital One Arena in Washington D.C. - the first sportsbook to operate inside of an arena in the US. Since then, DraftKings, Fanatics, Caesars, FanDuel, BetMGM have got in on the act - clearly they too have identified the opportunity. In Scotland, William Hill recently signed a partnership with Celtic to become the club’s official in-stadium betting partner. Whether a mass UK roll-out follows depends on potential changes in UK gambling laws. Apparently, we'll have more on this very soon. Heard that before?
EDITORIAL ADVERTISING G3 Editor
William Bolton
william@gamingpublishing.com +44 (0)7714690817
G3Newswire Editor Phil Martin
phil@gamingpublishing.co.uk +44 (0)7801 967714
Deputy Editor Karen Southall
karensouthall@gmail.com
Managing Director Lewis Pek
lewis@gamingpublishing.com
International Reporter James Marrison
PRODUCTION
Senior Designer Gareth Irwin
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Commercial Administrator Jennifer Pek
Subscriptions Manager Lisa Nichols
P4 WIRE / PULSE / INSIGHT / REPORTS
Commercial Director James Slattery
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Advertising Executive Alison Dronfield
alison@gamingpublishing.co.uk +44 (0)1204 410771
Chairman John Slattery
john@gamingpublishing.co.uk +44 (0)7917166471 Contributors Daron Dorsey, Jon Lancaster, Wayne Ellard, Marko Tomic, Paolo Personeni, Dr. Alexandra Krone, Chloe Foster, Max Niehusen.
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