Ronan McDonagh, head of exchange at Matchbook
A shake-up in horseracing
British racing will finally get all the relevant parties in a room to have a grown-up discussion about the future of the sport. It’s taken the public and those outside the corridors of power to make enough noise that the sport has to face up to the realities of too many fixtures, expensive racedays and competition from both other sports and modern gambling products.
I think even operators finally realise it’s worth chasing quality over quantity, especially with National Hunt racing. The big clashes over Christmas that caught the imagination of the general sporting public was a reminder how infrequent this has become outside of Cheltenham Festival.
Racecourses that are doing okay on the quantity model with media rights need to wake up to the malaise too and offer race goers a much better experience. People want value for their food and drink and healthy options too. Racecourse bookmakers that bring all the colour outside of the horses need to be promoted and cherished by racecourses and not exploited for additional revenue.
Forcing a cashless day out on people is a turn off for many, especially older race goers who have been their reliable customer base for decades. Betting on racing needs some innovation too; where are the bet builder style products? There’s got to be opportunities there for operators in 2025. I hope we see some more sensible discussions about the future of racing this year.
Club World Cup fever
The FIFA Club World Cup 2025 will be a massive global betting event. The event features four clubs from Brazil, three from Mexico, all the European giants and will be played across the whole of the US.
The event will touch regulated betting jurisdictions across the world at a time when business is booming. For newly regulated markets like Brazil, this will be the biggest betting event since regulation at the start of January.
The scale at which betting interest will create trading risk for regional operators will be unprecedented. The explosion of regulated sports betting in Latam will fuel engagement, while Latam-facing operators could be facing Black Swan events with scary exposure on local teams.
Look for operators to become more aware of how to manage sizable amounts of risk in 2025 by accessing global liquidity like which is available through the Matchbook Brokerage Service. One-sided risk betting flows in different betting jurisdictions will be unprecedented.
A perfect storm brewing
In a similar vein, huge exposure on multiples and bet builders products may finally catch up with one or more operators in 2025. With influencers and tipsters being a big part of the betting culture in Latam and Africa especially, the basic maths of thousands of users all betting the same selections can lead to firms holding eye-watering numbers on Saturday football or big one-off events like the Super Bowl or Champions League final.
Not all firms are sleeping on this risk and Matchbook Brokerage helped this kind of exposure for some in 2024. However, many are not prepared for the most unlikely of outcomes and the impact on revenue in a quarter or even a full year could really impact the health of a big operator in 2025.
Niklas Fallsjö, head of sportsbook innovation at kwiff
‘Unlimited’ betting options will change the game
In 2025, betting platforms will offer even more freedom than ever before. With advanced technology, users will be able to combine bets across different games, players and markets without restrictions. Smart algorithms will ensure that even connected outcomes are traded properly while still giving accurate odds.
This means bettors can be more creative and build their own strategies in ways that were not possible before. As more platforms introduce these unlimited options, betting will become more exciting and attract a wider range of players. It’s not just about winning anymore; it’s about having the freedom to bet your way.
Seamless and personalised UX will be key
User experience will be a big focus, as platforms work to make betting faster, easier and more fun. One-tap betting and personalised suggestions will save time and create a smoother process for everyone. With smart systems that learn what each user likes, every bettor will see recommendations and features tailored just for them.
A clean, simple UI within a mobile-first strategy will continue to be the priority, as more people prefer betting on their phones. Fewer unnecessary clicks and simplicity will be the winning formula for operators.
Players will become increasingly frustrated with operators that do not prioritise this and there will be a noticeable divide between UX/UI-focused operators and other lazy ones. An operator working with its own platform should have a big advantage if disciplined. The result will be a betting experience that is effortless, keeps users happy and encourages them to come back again and again.
Increased focus on high-margin betting products
The costs of operating are set to increase. Rights holders are demanding more and more while everyone is looking for profitability. This in many instances is creating an untenable situation for operators, with horseracing data in the UK being a case in point. Therefore, we will see operators deprioritise these sports in favour of more attractive options with more leeway to be generous to their loyal customer base.
Firms will focus on traditional accumulators and promote all sorts of bet builder features to increase margins. The key will be to encourage users to add more selections, as this boosts profitability with each extra bet. To make this happen, platforms need to build products and designs that guide users toward larger combinations.
This could include smart suggestions for adding bets, easy-to-use tools for creating tickets and engaging features that reward users for adding more. By focusing on these areas, operators can stay ahead of changes in regulations and higher taxes, while still offering value and a fun experience to their customers.
Elvira Shavlovska, acquisition manager at BetVictor
A swathe of new sports betting markets are constructed every year and operators are consistently able to offer more and more of these to consumers. As 2025 approaches, I fully expect sportsbook operators to ramp up their unique promotions and accumulators to keep customers firmly entrenched in what they have to offer.
It isn’t just established bettors who will be targeted in 2025. Football and horseracing welcome offers continue to onboard new customers who immerse themselves within these sports via a wealth of generous bonus offers. With football and horseracing pretty much dominating the UK sports betting scene, I also expect betting on other big sporting events to surge.
Golf is set for a bonanza year with the return of the Ryder Cup alongside all four Majors, beginning with the US Masters in April. This quintet of golf’s biggest tournaments will undoubtedly pique the interest of new and current customers, with an avalanche of markets also on offer.
While I believe that an uptick of revenue in 2025 will be hit, the year itself presents a great opportunity to stand out in a saturated market by delivering a point of difference to UK bettors.
Sarah Caskie, Heart Bingo head of brand
This year sees the online bingo sector prepare for significant changes driven by the updated Social Responsibility Code. These changes will impact how much players can spend and how operators market to players. One of the biggest changes is the new slot stake limit for players, with a £2 maximum for under-25s.
Forward-thinking operators are already pivoting marketing strategies; taking innovative approaches to foster player engagement, loyalty and overall brand awareness that keeps within the Code.
Combining messaging about trust and responsibility with fresh marketing tactics will be the foundation of success in 2025. It is about showing players we care about their safety as much as their entertainment. By creating safe, fun gaming environments, operators will attract engaged, loyal communities who feel valued and protected.
In 2025, responsible gaming will be more than ticking the regulatory boxes – it’s the core of online bingo’s future. The operators that will win this year will understand that authentic trust between players and providers isn’t just compliance and good ethics; it’s good business.
The post Industry predictions for 2025: Black Swan events and mega margins loom first appeared on EGR Intel.
EGR closes out its prediction series with key figures from Matchbook, kwiff, Heart Bingo and BetVictor giving their forecasts for the rest of the year
The post Industry predictions for 2025: Black Swan events and mega margins loom first appeared on EGR Intel.