Steve Rogers: There is non-traditional content available to sports bettors, but it’s mostly virtuals, free-play games or sports-themed slots. These games appeal to certain sports bettors but they don’t really help operators engage with new audiences, especially those who like to play sports-themed mobile and video games.
Why are we yet to see games that combine these elements? It’s the challenge of bringing two different formats and experiences together in the right way. This takes a high degree of specialism in both mobile gaming and betting and before Playbook Fusion there have been very few, if any, providers that possess the depth of understanding and degree of experience required to pull it off.
Just as we have seen in the casino vertical, the demand for non-traditional content is incredibly high and it needs to be met if sportsbooks are to appeal to the next generation of bettors. Playbook Fusion has the potential to shake up the sportsbook industry just as crash games have shaken up the casino industry.
NEXT: It seems like Playbook Fusion is on a mission to fill this significant gap in the market.
SR: Absolutely. We are on a mission to bring never-seen-before sports gaming content to operators. With Playbook Fusion, the worlds of mobile/video games and gambling collide to forge an entirely new genre of immersive sports-themed betting games.
These games combine elements of mobile/video games such as strategy and skill development with the ability to wager and win money but also to earn in-game rewards and buy in-game assets such as player packs and boosts.
This makes for a rich, captivating and compelling experience that we’re excited for players to try for the first time via our debut game, Playbook Football™. As we were told many times at ICE25, there’s really nothing else like it in the market right now.
NEXT: Talk us through Playbook Football™ and the experience it offers to players?
SR: With Playbook Football™, players get to create and manage their own football teams of real-world football players and then wager on their team’s performance. They get to personalise their teams including being able to set the team name, badge and kit colours.
Players then take their teams into matches against other player-managed teams in an asynchronous PVP format allowing players to feel part of a community. When they compete, they earn rewards and progress through divisions during a season – they start in Division 10 with the aim of reaching Division 1.
To do this, players manage team performance and chemistry, and through unlocking and purchasing player packs and boost cards to enhance the ratings of their players and their team. Player packs can be purchased using in-game currency which is won by progres the league system.
In addition to earning in-game currency, players earn points through the wagers they place – they can win money from these wagers as well as XP points which can be cashed in for packs and boosts.
Odds are generated from the comparative team stats which are displayed prominently for each game. Bets include match result, over/under goals, correct score and first/last/anytime goal scorer.
As you can see, Playbook Football™ offers a deep, persistent and highly engaged experience where the player has a high degree of control over the management of their team and players and which delivers a very strong connective bond with the game.NEXT: The game is clearly a “fusion” of mobile sports games and betting, but who has it aimed at – mobile gamers, bettors or both?
SR: Playbook Football™ will appeal to the next generation of sports bettors – these people are currently engaged with strategy-driven mobile sports games like FC Ultimate Team or Championship Manager.
These are not people who would typically walk into a high-street bookie and place a bet, and nor would they sign up to an online betting brand simply because they have been sent a free bet offer. They are players who are looking for a more immersive experience and this means they are more concerned about the type of experience they receive than the ability to simply bet and win money.
You just need to look at the well established fantasy sports market and the meteoric rise of esports betting to see how big the opportunity is here.
NEXT: What makes this such a valuable audience for operators to engage?
SR: For operators, this is the next generation of sports bettors that they need to engage with today. The challenge for sportsbooks is that right now, they don’t offer the content and experiences that appeal to Millennials, Gen Zs and the other cohorts coming through.
If operators wait to connect with these audiences, they will miss the boat – they will either spend their entertainment time and money away from betting brands or they will end up wagering with esports betting operators and perhaps even casino brands offering crash, mines and the like.
Of course, Playbook Football™ provides a sports game and betting experience that absolutely hits that mark with these demographics and means operators can introduce them to their brands and offerings today.
NEXT: Tell us more about your exclusive deal with Games Global and how it will help get Playbook Football™ into sportsbook lobbies.
SR: This is a significant deal for Playbook Fusion and will see Games Global be the exclusive distributor of Playbook Football™ for the next 12 months.
Games Global is one of the most established and trusted third-party content providers in the business and its reach and roster of operator partners are unrivalled.
The deal means we can get Playbook Football™ live with high-calibre operators quickly and easily, and from there build momentum behind the game and the business.
Steve Rogers, a gambling industry veteran of 20+ years, has launched a pioneering studio on a mission to bring never-before-seen sports gaming content to the market.
Steve previously worked as chief commercial officer – Virtual Sports at Inspired Entertainment during which time the business unit grew to generate revenues of over $55m p.a. across interactive and retail betting and gaming sectors in 20+ countries, winning multiple industry awards.
