In a recent episode of iGaming Daily, Martyn Elliott, SBC’s Project Director, engaged in a conversation with Ted Menmuir, SBC’s Content Director. The discussion focused on recent developments in the gambling industry as it prepares for the Christmas period.
Earlier in the week, Australia’s financial regulatory body, Austrac, revealed it was initiating an investigation into Entain’s Ladbrokes and NEDs brands due to significant non-compliance with anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing regulations. Ted Menmuir mentioned that Entain has acknowledged the investigation, is cooperating fully, and is swiftly implementing necessary compliance measures.
Menmuir elaborated on Entain’s view of Australia as a crucial market where they aim to increase market share against the current leaders. Despite the investigation being seen as a setback, Entain remains committed to its growth plans in Australia, with ambitions to establish itself among the top three brands. This follows Entain’s recent upgrade of its FY2024 guidance, thanks to better-than-expected Q3 results and new leadership under Group CEO, Gavin Isaacs.
Concluding 2024 poses some challenges for Entain, but Menmuir put this in perspective, comparing it to the previous year’s predicted £900m losses. With positive growth narratives in the UK and Eastern Europe, the focus remains on BetMGM’s potential direction, with anticipation around Gavin Isaacs’ upcoming strategic moves for the company.
In another development, Gambling.com Group has finalized an agreement to acquire Odds Holdings, the parent organization of the real-time odds information site, OddsJam. Martyn Elliott noted that this acquisition occurs during a challenging period for affiliates like XL Media, Catena Media, and Better Collective within the US market.
Ted Menmuir commented on Gambling.com’s move stating that it aims to diversify its business and enhance its technological capabilities, particularly in targeting sports betting audiences. Looking forward to 2025, the affiliate landscape will likely shift focus away from mere coverage and search engine optimization to more on innovation and technological integration within their networks.
Menmuir and Elliott agreed that affiliates embracing technology to develop products that serve as entertainment or research tools are positioning themselves well for enduring success.