Gambling Insider Jul/Aug 2020

Page 34

FEATURES

PREMIER LEAGUE

EXCITEMENT VS CRITICISM AS THE PREMIER LEAGUE RETURNS

Gambling Insider spoke with several operators ahead of the English Premier League’s restart, and looks into media criticism that arrived with the return of major sports

34

GAMBLINGINSIDER.COM

In June, gambling operators were able to breathe a sigh of relief as the English Premier League finally returned from its three-month COVID-19 hiatus. After a long sport-less summer in which operators were struggling to mitigate the impact of revenue declines, the return of one of the most popular betting leagues in the world would have been music to the ears of CEOs across the industry. The anticipation ahead of the competition’s return was understandably palpable, and in their eagerness to wager on England’s top flight, fans had been giving plenty of extra attention to the prices of away teams, according to Betway.

The operator told Gambling Insider that German Bundesliga results – with home advantage lessening due to the absence of crowds – swayed punters ahead of the Premier League’s long-awaited comeback. After the suspension was enforced in March due to the coronavirus pandemic, football restarted across Europe’s premier competitions without supporters in stadiums. A Betway spokesperson told Gambling Insider: “Like all football fans we’re delighted to see the return of the Premier League. Punters have whetted their appetite on the Bundesliga and other leagues which returned in the last few weeks, but I’d expect the vast majority of our Betway customers were


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.