Tom Washington: Africa has a different type of betting demographic

Tom Washington: Africa has a different type of betting demographic

In this interview with CalvinAyre.com’s Becky Liggero, Tom Washington, head of Communications & PR at BetGenius, shares what goes behind the scenes in making a market connection.

Each market is different from one another. A successful marketing strategy implemented in Macau may not work in other gaming jurisdictions for various reasons such as cultural differences and demographics. Operators need to learn how to implement unique ways of engaging each market to become successful.

For BetGenius, expansion into the African market has been a process of immersion in the continent, according to Tom Washington, head of communications and PR. The BetGenius team, he said, spent a long time “doing what sales guys do”—attending the right conferences and investing time to sit down with local bookmakers to understand their exact needs.

“Africa, broadly speaking, has a different type of betting demographic. They bet in a different way, but the in-play product, which we’ve got, is perfectly positioned to meet the changes in the African market. So, it’s been a two-way thing,” Washington told CalvinAyre.com. “We spent time educating the bookmakers and they’ve spent time educating us. We’re at the point now with a couple of big guys where we’re able to offer the perfect product for their market, and that is mobile and in-play. This is a very exciting market for us.”

BetGenius’ strategy of being on the ground and spending their time getting to know the local African market paid off as the company recently signed major trading deals with leading bookmakers operating in the region, according to Washington.

“It is a real affirmation of our products in terms of flexibility and customization that we can offer them in African markets,” the BetGenius executive pointed out.

Aside from Africa, Washington said BetGenius have been working very closely with their counterparts around the world to help protect the integrity of competitions where sports betting is either regulated or is soon to be regulated.

“Our business is founded on integrity. We feel like, from the sports’ point-of-view, we are helping them to get a grip on what regulated betting looks like,” he said. “BetGenius is well positioned with its trading, with its turnkey platform, and with its digital marketing expertise, to help whoever it might be—the casinos, sportsbooks, new online sportsbooks.”