Gambling industry experts on the hot topics surrounding ICE London

ICE takes place ahead of significant industry change. How do you see the challenge?

Sharon Byrne, Irish Bookmakers Association
The Irish market place is facing unprecedented challenges. The 100 per cent increase in betting tax, which is now in place, will put most smaller operators out of business if it isn’t amended. The introduction of AMLD4 (anti-money laundering) will see huge changes for operators and for customers who will now have to provide ID and possibly proof of income at a specific level of stakes.

Nicola Frampton, William Hill director UK Retail
We’ve been here before in the 1990s when the National Lottery was introduced. We survived then and innovation will be key to responding to the changes, but with innovation will need to come ‘responsibility by design’ that help customers stay in control. It’s the only way we will be able to rebuild public and regulatory trust; a prerequisite to a sustainable business.

Sam Houlding, Racing Post commercial director
The most common industry term used seems to be ‘headwinds’ right now. The key is diversification. There are some huge challenges but I expect operators and suppliers who pro-actively define their strategic, commercial vision to overcome these challenges by diversifying and adapting. Global marketplaces have never been more key to facilitating this.

Greg Knight, MD JenningsBet
How will B2 customers react to a £2 stake? There are a plethora of forecasts but none of us will know until it happens. April-June will see the phoney war when all retailers will be monitoring the stats and then the big decisions have to be made. It is how lean and fit we emerge from that process as a company that will be the challenge.

Peter Martinelli, independent bookmaker, College Racing
The main challenge for betting shops is to convert the roulette fans into slot machine players and to get them interested in our over-the-counter products and also the sports betting terminals.

‘Spirit Of Genius’ is the event marketing slogan. What do you make of the three days ahead?

Sharon Byrne
ICE is a great opportunity to see new technologies, particularly in the area of customer protection. It gives operators the chance to view newer alternatives to those processes and systems they have in place. It also provides a great opportunity to see newer technologies in the area of data/pictures delivery, as these costs have soared in the last few years.

Nicola Frampton
ICE is all anyone talks about in my team in the build-up to the three days. It’s a one-stop shop for all that is new and innovative in our industry, and probably one of the best opportunities to come together as an industry with renewed optimism.

Sam Houlding
Racing Post B2B is continually evolving and improving what we supply to the industry, and these three days provide the biggest opportunity of the year to communicate this to both existing and potential partners. We then move straight into the London Affiliate Conference!

Greg Knight
ICE is an excellent opportunity to network and is a great meeting point. Innovation is always important, but with 2019 likely to be the most significant year in retail betting since 1961 the industry is desperate to find new products and customers. Necessity is the mother of invention and I’m keen to see what’s being developed.

Peter Martinelli
ICE is a great place to meet people and to compare products and prices especially as we need to make major savings this year. If you read up on the daily seminars you should hopefully find one or two that might be of interest to you.

The Consumer Protection Zone is here again. What problem area are you the most conscious of?

Sharon Byrne
The fact the internet provides 24-hour access to gambling websites makes it an area that needs particular focus and awareness. There are excellent customer protection measures in place such as deposit limits and time-outs. I know operators and some customers are using these effectively, but we should continue to promote development and awareness of these even more vigorously.

Nicola Frampton
The big priority for me is around player protection. There are a lot of stages in the customer journey, but before play, during play and just after play are the real opportunities to inform, influence and protect customers along the way.

Sam Houlding
Self-regulation is one of the most important developments. All platforms which help raise awareness of the need for every company to take responsibility in defining their own standards of regulation, above and beyond industry frameworks, are crucial. As an industry voice piece it’s essential that the biggest operators lead the way, which some have done really well.

Greg Knight
Over the past ten years the compliance side of the business has become more and more important to the extent that it’s top of our priority list. Any retailer paying lip service and neglecting their responsibilities will soon find it is self-defeating. Educating the industry on harm prevention is vital and the CPZ is really helpful.

Peter Martinelli
We simply have to be aware of customers spending money they can’t afford or gambling with the proceeds of crime and, of course, to also be aware of money laundering.

Have you any suggestions for first-time visitors to get the most out of ICE?

Sharon Byrne
It’s important to make a list of your ‘must-see’ operators and visit them first. ICE is filled with a world of possibilities and it’s easy to get carried away and lost in time and conversations with so many suppliers and colleagues to see.

Nicola Frampton
ICE gets bigger each year and it can be a bit daunting for the first-time visitor, so if you think about who you want to see and make a plan that would be a good start.

Sam Houlding
Don’t over-book meeting schedules! Often just as much value is gained from having flexible time outside of meetings to engage with all exhibitors and socialise. In my experience this is normally where more promising partnerships and business conversations are established.

Greg Knight
It can be a bit frustrating walking around acres and acres of fruit machines with no sense of purpose. Work out who you need to see, what you need to see and keep to a schedule.

Peter Martinelli
I would recommend a brisk walk around the whole arena to start with. This may take some time, though, as it’s a bit like walking around a mini-Las Vegas. Make a note of which stands and products are relevant to your own business and that you would like to come back to see in more detail later, this way you won’t miss anything.

What sector of future development do you think holds the most industry potential?

Sharon Byrne
Customer safety and satisfaction will be a primary differentiator between operators. I think ensuring our betting shops or sites are fun and safe, in a genuine and easy way, will be the key to future success for many operators.

Nicola Frampton
I’m keeping a close eye on developments in Esports, but I don’t see this being a short term thing. Post-April, I expect sports betting will return to dominance and so a strong sportsbook offering will be key. To that end, I think that SSBTs still have a lot to offer. Customer adoption is strong and customer research shows there are bags of unlocked potential.

Sam Houlding
Zero marks for originality but with the US being so buzzy it’s impossible to ignore and anyone with serious long-term growth aspirations will be closely looking at how they can operate and expand within this marketplace. I expect the emergence of higher quality trading services, in particular across international sports/markets, to be an area of key focus as well.

Greg Knight
SSBTs have been the only positive light in what has been a very gloomy couple of years. Interactive technology has huge potential. Betting needs to be seen as relevant and cutting edge and interactive betting shifts us away from the flat cap and Woodbine image.

Peter Martinelli
SSBTs could hold the key to the future. Many independent bookmakers now have their own apps that allow punters to cash out at home. Looking to the future if our customers can bet responsibly, load cash on to their apps via the shop terminals and be able to bet at home then it will give us a chance to compete with online.

Which sport do you like most and how might the industry further improve its betting appeal?

Sharon Byrne
I’m a huge fan of snooker. Keeping a supply of new players joining the sport is important, so I think increasing prize-money for many tournaments would certainly help. I think Ronnie O’Sullivan is probably the best player snooker has ever or will ever see and his views on improving the game should be heeded and supported by its governing body and sponsors.

Nicola Frampton
I’d say Formula One, but it’s not going to move the dial for retail. The sport that can make a difference is horseracing. Sir Anthony McCoy wrote a column in the Racing Post suggesting it needed the ‘Barry Hearn touch’. I agree. If racing can work together with the betting industry to broaden its appeal, I’d be a happy racegoer, punter and retailer.

Sam Houlding
Horseracing! The expert content is outstanding and its loyal audience are well catered for, but to broaden appeal we need more focus on content that is easily digestible for the less knowledgeable punter. More profiles that can appeal to them, making content easily understandable, delivering it in relevant formats (video) and across relevant channels (social), are all key.

Greg Knight
Horseracing is still the main man in the shops but in the wider world is a niche sport. It needs to appeal to the betting public and not be a hen do waiting for Michael Buble to come on. The BHA is looking to create more quality racing and festivals especially when there is a dead Premier League weekend and that has to be applauded.

Peter Martinelli
Horseracing has a great ITV Saturday shop window, though weekday competitiveness needs sharpening. Football is more profitable because of the margin achieved from the accumulators placed – customers simply feel they ‘know’ about teams. Greyhounds and horses need to address that – ITV and the racing channels, including RPGTV, all help.

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