Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/750768
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 13 NOVEMBER 2016 XXX Gaming The future of sports betting in Europe NOBODY can refute the fact that the rate at which mobile and digital tech- nologies have advanced in the past ten years has dramatically affected day-to-day life for almost everyone in the western world. Androids and iPads are now practically ubiquitous across Europe, and this change in the way we communicate and consume is quickly having an impact on many sectors outside of the tech industry - and the sports betting industry is no exception. Going digital Easily the biggest change that has faced the industry in the past few years is the spread of online sports betting services, and this is still a factor which is catching many of the more traditional betting operators off guard. Betting Gods itself is primarily an online venture, which offers betting tips and advice to punters via email and, soon, a mobile app. Online betting exchanges and book- makers are making it easier for punters to place bets from home or work, and to shop around for the best odds, view- ing multiple sites and offers within just a few minutes. Not only is this putting pressure on bookies to match each others' odds, but it's changing the way we bet and the way we think about betting. Betting online is quicker, easier, and also in many ways less 'fun'. The switch to online betting means we no longer head to the bookies for a quick flutter and a chat before popping into the pub for a pint; the social aspects of gambling are being eroded and replaced by something else, a profes- sionalism and seriousness which is ar- guably just as thrilling. Online gambling is essentially upping the stakes of the hobby - why bet online for any other reason than to win? The ups and downs of legislation These changes in the culture of gambling are having knock-on effects on the way legislators and law-makers view the hobby; regulations on the hobby are being tightened every year. In most cases, these regulations are intended to protect the rights of cus- tomers and bettors, though some can seem overzealous and perhaps some- times even harmful to the industry. One clear effect of globalisation on the gambling industry is that punters are no longer restricted to only placing bets in their own country. This itself is a brilliant thing for both bettors and bookmakers; bettors have access to a more varied and diverse array of sports and events to play with, and bookmakers open their odds up to a wider international audience. However, it also creates problems when differ- ent countries have different laws and regulations regarding gambling. The future of international betting Until recently, this issue has been simplified by definitions of illegal sports betting being based on the regulations and laws of the country in which the betting operator is situated. In other words, provided a bookie is operating within the laws of its own nation, all is well. However, recent pushes from the EU to change this definition to apply to the laws of the country in which the customer is located could infinitely complicate matters. For example if these regulations are passed, an operator in the UK could be deemed to be operating illegally if their services are offered to customers in countries with different regulations to online gambling. Of course, with the uncertainties of Brexit hovering overhead, it's not clear whether the UK will be affected by this EU legis- lation or not. But consider countries like Malta - which relies on its healthy online gambling industry for 11% of its GDP - whose reach and income will be seriously constrained under these new terms. A growing industry While the exact nature of European sports betting in the future will be heavily dictated by the direction in which legislation is taken by the EU and its individual nations, it's clear that sports betting itself is on the rise. The convenience of online gambling is opening the hobby up to more consum- ers than ever before. Online gambling accounted for 35% of the UK sports betting market in the 11 months lead- ing up to September 2015, and this number is climbing every year. The culture of sports betting is growing and changing, and it's certainly an exciting time to be an insider – or an outsider – in this industry. Darren Moore is founder and managing director of Betting Gods European sports betting will be heavily dictated by the direction of EU laws and individual nations' laws, but it's clear sports betting itself is on the rise Darren Moore