Sisal managing director Marco Tiso has said the operator having a retail presence is an advantage over “pure online” competitors due to Italy’s advertising ban.
Italy announced the ban in 2018, with it coming into effect in June the following year.
For Sisal, which has a retail presence in the country, one way the operator has navigated this rule has been to push retail players online through its omnichannel strategy.
Speaking during a panel session during iGB L!VE today, 3 July, Tiso was asked how operators are able to compete and promote themselves with the advertising marketing avenue blocked for the past six years.
Tiso responded by pointing out the Flutter Entertainment-owned firm has made it a point of emphasis to not only improve a player’s online experience, but to make sure players are aware of what was being offered digitally.
He also highlighted that outside of using odds comparison sites and using news sites by promoting its brand in the site name, which he said regulators have accepted, having a retail business gives Sisal an advantage over “pure online operators”.
Tiso said: “We have an advertising ban so we cannot advertise ourselves. What we have done is try to work with our retail network in order to accelerate the digitalisation of the country, especially for betting and lottery customers.
“We are trying to give a better online experience and an integrated experience with the retail at the point of sale.
“We activated some win agreements at our point of sale in order to make sure they are promoting the online activation of our customer base.
“We have a common direction, common goals. We can mutually benefit. Our retail business can be more digital and our online business can leverage the retail presence in order to support our online customers.
“This is the right direction. We implemented some very effective agreements at our point of sale in order to make sure that they promote the online activation [for customers], because they see that the future is there.”
Flutter acquired Sisal in December 2021 and has since followed that by snapping up of Snaitech from Playtech at the end of April for €2.3bn.
Following the Snaitech acquisition, Flutter said it would hold around a 30% online market share in Italy.
The business also stated in its press release confirming the dela that there remains “significant online growth potential due to comparatively low online penetration rates”.
“Advertising restrictions also increase the strategic importance of Snai’s strong and complimentary retail presence,” the New York-listed business added.
As per Flutter’s Q1 report, revenue from Italy jumped to $405m, up from $365m in Q1 2024.
Tiso continued: “The numbers are very clear so they are now actively working in order to activate a retail customer base to the online business.
“The omnichannel operators are growing more than pure online operators because due to the advertising ban, we have this visibility in the in the country.”
The post Sisal MD: Omnichannel gives us an advantage over “pure online operators” first appeared on EGR Intel.
Marco Tiso says Flutter Entertainment-owned firm has made it a point of emphasis to leverage its dual presence in light of Italy’s advertising ban
The post Sisal MD: Omnichannel gives us an advantage over “pure online operators” first appeared on EGR Intel.