By Windsor Holden

The report found that more than $13bn in bets – including more than $3bn in the UK – were placed via mobile devices worldwide in 2011, a figure expected to reach $45bn by 2017.

The report, ‘Mobile Gambling: Casinos, Lotteries & Betting 2012-2017’, notes that last year saw most leading sportsbooks experience a dramatic increase in the volume of bets from European (primarily UK) customers.

Companies such as Ladbrokes, William Hill and Paddy Power are all seeing 40% or more of online sportsbook customers placing bets via a mobile or a tablet, with the result that those devices already account for around 20% of bets placed.

Mobile to become customer acquisition tool

While the mobile was currently viewed as a device for customer retention, the report suggested that operator strategies should increasingly view mobile as a means of customer acquisition. It cited feedback from bookmakers expecting mobile devices to comprise more than 40% of bets within two years, while also highlighting the surge in “solus” – mobile only – sportsbook customers. Furthermore, although in-play betting will be one of the key drivers for mobile betting, the report noted that network coverage will continue to be a constraint on adoption of such services from in-stadia customers.

Other key findings from the report include:

• While most sportsbooks are moving towards browser-based applications for betting, native apps remain a key mechanism for service discovery.

• Adoption of casino-type mobile gambling is expected to accelerate rapidly in the US in the wake of last year’s landmark Department of Justice ruling which effectively reopened that market for remote gamblers.

• Wagers via mobile devices across all forms of gambling are expected to reach $100bn by 2017.

The ‘Mobile Betting – Game On!’ whitepaper is available to download from the Juniper website together with further details of the full report. •

About the author

Dr Windsor Holden is the author of the report, working at Juniper Research, which provides research and analytical services to the global hi-tech communications sector, providing consultancy, analyst reports and industry commentary.