How to create a web platform for sports betting?
Focusing on a small niche will create a better user experience and make the site more recognisable
According to a report by Zion Market Research, the global sports betting market is expected to grow at a steady 9% per annum over the next five years,
... with most of the growth coming "from the digital revolution that is changing the world every second". Consequently, if you're planning to set up a sports betting website, now is the time. Our article will tell you how to do it properly and legally.
What you need to launch a sports betting website:
- Choose a betting niche (football, basketball, equestrian, cybersport, etc.).
- Choose a development approach (from scratch, get licensed software, become a licensee).
- Obtain a betting license for the target jurisdiction.
- Choose a payment service provider.
- Develop the design and functionality of the site.
- Choose a betting system.
Which niche, which sport to choose
Major online betting brokers, such as betway.com, 888sport.com and Betting Sites in India, cover almost all sports. And you're unlikely to be able to compete with them at first, unless you're prepared to invest a lot of money in a marketing campaign. If your budget is limited, it is better to bet on a specific category or a specific sport.
Focusing on a small niche will create a better user experience and make the site more recognisable. In practice, this means that you need to:
Develop a niche-specific website design and interface
Develop unique game offerings specific to the chosen sport. For example, if it is football, you need to bet on the first touch time, infringement of rules, shots into the opponent's goal plane, the number of yellow cards, etc. If it is Dota 2 (video game), you want to bet on the time of the first blood, the number of ultra kills in a match, etc.
Develop a niche marketing strategy. With a narrower target audience, you can target your advertising campaign more effectively and increase player loyalty.
Choose a niche based on the region in which you plan to operate. The simplest example: Soccer is popular in Europe and almost no American football is played, and vice versa, American football is popular in the US and almost no interest in soccer. You can find out about the popularity of betting on particular sports in a country by using Google Trends, for example.
The use of Google Trends is simple: enter keywords ("sport name" + "betting"), select the region and the period to be monitored. Keywords should be entered in the local language(s). The tracking period should be longer than a year. And the region should be chosen with a solvent population.
Which development approach to take
Creating software for the gambling industry is not exactly a typical development, as standardization, licensing and trust in the software creators play an important role. In other words, players should be confident that their money will not be stolen, the probability of winning will not be "tampered with" and the developers will provide an appropriate level of protection against hacking and/or unauthorized interference.
That is why it is recommended to use services developed by reputable companies in the market. In the case of online sports betting, custom development allows the implementation of additional features. In addition, it is useful from a budget and marketing point of view.