Redefining Betfair pt2

In the second part of our exclusive interview with Daniel Svard, head of Betfair Poker, we discuss the upcoming WSOPE, the future of poker in Europe and where Betfair's future growth will come from...

IPB What is the situation with the World Series of Poker Europe (WSOPE), Betfair are not sponsoring the WSOPE anymore. Is that correct?

DS We have opted to go for strategic partnerships like APAT. Betfair are concentrating on putting our money back into the poker playing community first. I think this is more important than brand building. So, we are not letting go of our partnership with the WSOPE as such, and we continue to look at ways of working with them. I feel that there are currently better ways of working with the WSOPE moving forward.

IPB How well do you feel the WSOPE sponsorship performed for you as a brand?

DS The WSOPE has been really helpful for us, and hopefully vice versa. It really helped us establish ourselves throughout Europe. We are at a point now where we want to focus more on our customers. I am currently looking to go directly through them not a big company. This does not mean we will not be sending lots of players to the WSOPE, because what I am hearing about this year's event is very exciting, and we are ready to work with them.

IPB Do you think the WSOPE has been less successful than people had envisioned?

DS The fact they have got key players to come to this exclusive European event has been pretty successful. Maybe the expectations were a bit off with other aspects like how many online qualifiers you would have in Europe and so on. It really is still establishing itself as a brand in Europe. But it has really created a vibe, especially in London. It has been good for poker and for us as well.

IPB Where do you feel the opportunities are in the European market at the moment?

DS Europe is a bit of a moving target at the moment. Some markets are growing poker as a hobby and there is a real vibe about the game. Other markets have some really interesting regulatory developments, while others are very big already and we are enjoying being in these regions. It is very interesting to be in Europe and to follow Europe at this point in time. If you are Betfair then you have to be all over the map, in each country and be able to adapt your style while also staying truly regional.

IPB How do these demands vary from country to country within Europe?

DS In one country it is more about entertainment, in another it is more about being widely available to play poker and making it fun. In other regions it is about poker only fans and more about being a poker-specific company. In some countries the players fully understand poker, so it is not educational any more but about providing value.

IPB How do you compare mainland Europe to the more mature markets such as the UK and Scandinavia?

DS Scandinavia and the UK are fairly similar markets. So with mass media buzz the market grew and we established our brand and a good customer base. Now it is more about understanding our customers and providing them with the service they need. Mass media buzz is now growing into other regions. Europe has different regions at different stages of development, it is important to fully understand this.

IPB What state is the UK market in, compared to how it was two years ago?

DS Very sophisticated, the customer knows what they want, and what is out there at any given time.

IPB So does that mean the market has become more about switching than organic growth?

DS For us, definitely not. At Betfair there has been a big growth to our business and our portfolio brand. To grow the market as a whole in poker is our ambition. Turning people into poker players all the time through our other products.

IPB A lot of sites seem to have downsized their marketing spend on their poker products?

DS This is the perception because there is less spend in the area of mass market. As we know, the poker market is a tough market, and maybe the focus has turned more to the customer than branding.

IPB Do you think it is important to have sponsored players then?

DS I think it is important, but it is more important from a customer perspective. You need to have pro players contributing time to your customers. I don't think it is important to have a poster name, just for the sake of having one. What we want is to have our pro players teaching customers that are new to Betfair poker. Educating the customer, while also providing entertainment for them. It is providing them with the experience of what it is like to be a pro player day to day. So for us, it is how can a sponsored player provide Betfair with this.

IPB What do you think sets Betfair apart from its rivals?

DS It is more about the community aspect of our business, and the person-to-person element that sets us apart. It is how Betfair acts and interact with our customers.

IPB But don't all sites emphasise the community aspect now?

DS You are right, lots of sites now emphasise the community aspect. I do however think we have our own perception of what it is. It is not just about technology, features or promotions. It is more about the face-to-face contact with our customers. By using key account managers and having a lot of employees talk to our customers, we know what our customers' wants and needs are.

IPB Can you guess where your growth as a business is going to come from in the next few years?

DS It will more likely be in markets where we are not fully established already. This could be Southern or Eastern Europe, where people are starting to know about the Betfair brand.

IPB Are there some completely untapped markets in Europe still? Where can you gain the most market share?

DS No I don't think so, now all businesses are tapping into every market more or less. Dominance in the market will come as soon as there is understanding for our business. It is a long-term approach.