EasyJet parent company expands into sports betting with Matchbook
EasyGroup enters online gambling market after penning a white-label partnership with betting exchange Matchbook as group cites Sky and Virgin case studies for brand-led success in the market
EasyGroup, the firm behind budget airline easyJet, has ventured into the world of online sports betting with its new easyBet.net brand.
Via a white-label partnership with betting exchange Matchbook, easyBet will offer customers markets on various sports including football, horseracing and cricket, as well as several North American sports such as American Football, baseball and ice hockey.
Players will also be able to bet on politics, with the website offering odds on who will win the upcoming US presidential election.
Operating via Matchbook’s betting exchange product, easyBet said its offering would give punters the “the best price for backing their team” while the exchange model was “designed for smart bettors who want more value”.
EasyBet will operate in the UK via a white-label deal with Triplebet Limited, the company behind Matchbook that is licensed by the Gambling Commission.
Back in February 2020, the Gambling Commission suspended Triplebet’s licence due to its failings in its social responsibility and anti-money laundering practices over a two-year period.
Matchbook relaunched in August that year after the firm implemented “significant improvements” to its compliance practices.
EasyGroup said Matchbook had “vested in a new industry leading management team and has implemented ‘best in class’ compliance and regulation systems”.
By expanding into the UK market, easyGroup said it was following “other big UK consumer-facing brands” in moving into gambling.
The group cited Sky (Sky Bet), Virgin (a LiveScore Group sportsbook and Bally’s casino) and The Sun (a Playtech B2C brand) as previous examples of earlier brand successes into the betting industry.
Additionally, easyGroup highlighted previous attempts by other companies to use the “easy” brand when setting up sports betting brands, including easyBet.com and easyBet.co.za.
The easyGroup has publicised long-running battles with so-called “brand thieves” in the past, including forcing UK-brand Easy Life to rebrand as Hard Life.
The business said the launch will provide players with a trusted “easy” brand and halt further infringements in the gambling industry.
EasyGroup owner Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou noted that expanding into the gambling sector represented a “natural” move for the business.
He said: “We are delighted to welcome easyBet.net to the ‘easy’ family of brands which is a natural new market to complement our other large consumer brands in the UK and Ireland.
“Launched at the beginning of October 2024, easyBet offers peer-to-peer betting with the aim of giving customers fairer odds than traditional bookmakers.”
Malcolm Graham, Matchbook CEO, added: “Matchbook is delighted to be partnering with the easyGroup to offer its betting exchange product.
“The ‘easy’ brand is renowned for consistently supplying quality and value to its customers. EasyBet.net offers its customers industry leading odds across a wide range of sports and geographic markets, offering a top-tier user experience.
“We are also thrilled we will be supporting Stelios’ philanthropic activities via the licence fees being paid to easyGroup.”