A real evaluation for the first virtual year
Beyond the encouraging data that leaks from the concessionaires of the Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli, it is very complex to perfectly dig in the field and have a complete picture of all the operators. However, thanks to a research carried out by Lottomatica and presented to Gioco News by Paolo Leonori, Retail and Licences Management of the group, we can get a pretty accurate idea of virtual better and virtual betting field.
Scritto da Cesare Antonini
THE SITUATION OF THE MARKET - We must define the precise profile of market segment in question to well analyse a phenomenon. Virtual games were launched in December 2013. During the year 2014 all the processes and the extension of the sales network have been developed and consolidated. Virtual games have allowed to bring new costumer base into stores in favour of fixed odds collection and of economic sustainability of the operator.These benefits have become even more important giving to sale points one or more additional virtual channels to the existing one.
GUESS WHO? HERE IS THE PROFILE OF VIRTUAL BETTER - Virtual better is male and has an average age of around 43 years. His level of education ranging from medium to high level and means that the betting product in question also requires
some skills and mental abilities. The person in question has an employment in 78% of cases and this is another important signal to outline a simple figure but at the same time with remarkable facets. Well, but how he behaves as better? He mainly bets on sporting events and he does it on average 13 times per month. In particular, he bets on average 10 times per month on virtual betting and spends an average of 57 euro per month for this gaming mode. He bets on four events in each session and it is a reasonable gaming ability for a profile that mainly focuses in retail. However, we must consider that virtual betting player mainly bets in addition to other games in 81% of cases and this confirms that this product launched in public gaming programme has been important to complete the offer in betting agencies.
FAVOURITE GAMES - The gaming preference is important: player type of virtual bets does it along with other people (this situation occurs in 56% of cases).
Obviously 79% of players prefers football, even if simulated and played at the Playstation, and that many do not appreciate at all. In conclusion, it is confirmed as a very right product, given that 90% of Lottomatica's customers said they are fully satisfied with this game.
MARKET PERFORMANCE - It's important that we perfectly define virtual better and the effects it has on the traditional betting product. We talked and keep talking about cannibalization regarding other products and markets. It seems that it is not right. On the contrary, according to the Lottomatica's analysis, virtual betting enjoys a life of its own without cannibalizing other products. And, in general, it seems not to follow normal collection peaks linked to the dimension of the programme and to the seasonality. For example, in summer months, lacking major sporting events like World Cup or the Olympic games, betting suffers a decline because of the lack of many events in the programme. This critical situation is solved enlarging the markets themselves and, now, thanks to virtual betting too, that can offer even new events in betting agency and online without the need to wait for special times and special events. This is also why virtual betting maintains constant volumes regardless of the day of the week and daily gaming focuses with more than 80% in these timeframes: in online we mainly bet from 12 to 23, while in retail from 11 to 19.