Industry is competing with TikTok and Netflix, says LeoVegas Group sports director
Per Carlander insists innovation must be delivered to drive engagement and retention in what is a highly competitive digital market
LeoVegas Group director of sports strategy Per Carlander has said the industry is facing competition from the likes of TikTok and Netflix for customer attention, and innovation is “crucial” to win the battle.
Speaking as part of an in-house interview, Carlander reflected on his experiences from ICE Barcelona, and highlighted two key themes in the current state of sports betting were “rich data and entertainment”.
He said “fast, accurate and rich data” would allow operators to provide a greater depth of in-play markets, including prop bets, which he said would be a “key growth driver”.
Data released from Kambi at the start of 2025 showed prop bets had soared in popularity, with 12% of pre-match bets on the 2024-25 Champions League being player-specific, compared to 6% in 2021.
Additionally, in the 2024 NFL season, seven of the 10 most popular markets included in bet builder were player props.
On the theme of entertainment, the former Svenska Spel head went on to explain how sports betting operators were no longer competing against one another due to changing consumer trends.
He argued that innovation would be key to engaging and retaining today’s audiences, including the digitally native Gen Z (born from 1997 to 2012).
Carlander said: “It’s really about the broader context in which we’re competing for our customers’ time.
“We’re no longer just competing with other betting operators. We’re up against the TikToks, the Netflixes, the gaming apps and all other forms of digital entertainment. People have limited time and they want to be entertained.
“If we’re not providing an exciting and engaging experience, they’ll simply spend that time elsewhere. So, innovation is crucial – not just in terms of technology but in creating a high level of player engagement, which makes people want to keep coming back.”
On what that innovation could look like, Carlander said AI-powered personalisation tools and an expanded virtuals and esports betting offering were intriguing growth areas.
Again, looking at Kambi’s recent report, esports betting has continued to grow in popularity across its operator network, with esports bets almost tripling year on year from 2023 to 2024, although specific numbers weren’t divulged.
Carlander continued: “I’m most excited about how we can leverage AI for personalisation, helping us to better understand our customers so that we can deliver relevant betting experiences that they can’t get anywhere else.
“Another key trend [from ICE] was esoccer and ebasketball. These sports have quickly risen in popularity, and we’ve seen interest grow over time. The demand for esports betting is here to stay, and it’s an area where we’re doubling down on our efforts to provide the best gaming experience for our customers.”
In other LeoVegas Group news, at the start of this month the operator secured former Spotlight Sports Group chief marketing officer Gethin Evans as its UK and Ireland managing director.