It is no secret that, in recent years, the European company Betsson AB has been making great strides in the Latin American online gaming scene. To give an example, recently, through its subsidiary SW Nordic Limited, the Group acquired the pioneering Peruvian sportsbook Inkabet for USD 25 million, boosting the company’s ambitious strategy on the continent. “This operation strengthens our position in a relevant region, where we performed well and have significant projects for the future,” indicated Pontus Lindwall, president and CEO, Betsson AB.
Of course, this is only a sample of the relevance of the firm in the region. That’s why G&M News analyzes which markets are of greatest importance for the organization.
INVESTING IN LATIN AMERICA
In a smart move, anticipating the regulation of sports betting in Brazil, in December 2019, Betsson got the majority stake (75%) of the Brazilian equestrian operator Suaposta, the first and only brand in that country to have a betting license, which works in a joint venture with the Jockey Club of Rio Grande do Sul (JCRGS). Then, in 2020, the Group concluded the last phase of the rebranding, whereby “Betsson Suaposta” changed to simply “Betsson.” This also generated a renovated launching of the platform, with technical improvements, attractive additional features and a new customer service center. Currently, the firm also sponsors in Brazil the Ibis Sport Club, which participates in the Series A2 Paulista Tournament. From this agreement, Betsson FC was born, which is a fantasy football game. “The choice of Ibis was not accidental. The team has built all its popularity on the basis of good humor, in a light and relaxed way, ” Andre Gelfi, Managing Partner of Betsson in Brazil, had commented in relation to the self-described ‘worst team in the world,’ an ingenious marketing campaign that had eco and global approval.
Returning to Peru, the influence is not only reduced to the recent acquisition of Inkabet. In February 2021, it was confirmed that the Swedish brand would be the main sponsor of the First Division Soccer championship, under the name ‘Liga 1 Betsson.’ Before, the company was a sponsor of the tournament, but now, the new contract gave it the rights to the name of the championship for two years. Benjamin Romero, Marketing and Commercial Manager of the Peruvian Football Federation (FPF), said: “This great agreement encourages us to continue our work and add value to the growth of the national sports industry.”
Another point of reference is Colombia. To access the online casino and sports betting market in that territory and strengthen its position in the region, Betsson bought 70% of Colbet, one of the first companies to obtain a license to operate online gambling in the country.
At the same time, Betsson Group continued to gain space in LatAm by obtaining a license to operate online gambling in the extensive Province of Buenos Aires, in Argentina, in partnership with operator Casino de Victoria. In this way, the online betting company will provide technology, management and marketing support and its knowledge about online gambling to offer a wide range of products to Buenos Aires gamblers, in an operation that is about to begin.
Meanwhile, in 2021, the company decided to sponsor recent edition of soccer South American Soccer Nations Cup, played in Brazil and won by the Argentine National Team. At the same time, in March, the company signed an agreement until December 2022 with the Chilean National Team to be the new digital sponsor. This includes the entire qualifying process and the possible Chilean participation in the next 2022 Qatar FIFA World Cup. As a symbol and ambassador of the brand, Betsson hired the historic and famous Chilean striker Ivan Zamorano.
But Betsson was not satisfied with the Southern Hemisphere. Moving north into Mexico, the Group announced an alliance with the operator Big Bola Casinos to bring casino content, live casino and localized sports betting to players. The official launch would take place at the end of 2021. “We are happy that the Betsson Group has chosen to partner with us for its operations in Mexico,” highlighted Emilio Quiros, Director of Operations, Big Bola.
In short, while iGaming regulation advances and the number of fans and bettors in the region increases, Betsson is steadily expanding in Latin America, to become a leading player and to offer all of its European experience with a local focus in each market.