US predictions for 2020 – including betting on college sports and responsible gambling measures

Dr Laila Mintas, chair of advisory board for Bet.Works

Tracking data: Tracking data has always been “nice to have” in the sports industry, but even on a global level, data companies have been struggling to monetize the very unique datasets for media products outside of athlete improvement products. In the post-PASPA sports betting industry 2020, we will eventually see tracking data being monetized by using it for a new generation of betting products as a premium differentiator and to create very unique and deep storytelling content that broadcasters will use to engage sports fans while watching the games.

NCAA will embrace betting: Also in 2020, the data war will continue. The leagues will push for betting operators to be obliged to use the “official data” feeds. The NFL was the last of the four major US leagues to finally embrace sports betting in 2019 by selling its betting data rights to a data company. Betting on NFL is huge. However, the major betting sport in the US is betting on college sports. As athletes are not paid, there is a higher potential risk that they get approached by match fixers to compromise games. My prediction for 2020 is that NCAA will sell its official data rights to data companies, like the four major US leagues did, and use the new revenue stream to pay its athletes to lower the potential risk of match manipulation.

Sports jersey sponsorships: Sponsorship through bookmakers will make their way into the sports industry. On a global level, bookmakers spend an average of 25% of revenues on team jersey sponsorships, in-stadium advertising and on TV. In Europe and other mature sports betting markets around the globe, sponsorships are very common. So far, we have mostly seen “marketing deals” between the league and some established bookmakers where the bookmaker is able to use the league´s brand and logo on the sports betting offerings.

Casey Clark, senior vice president of strategic communications at the AGA

Realizing the sports betting opportunity: The expansion of sports betting will continue to move at a rapid pace with at least a dozen more states reconsidering legalization, potential referendums in states like California and Maryland, more commercial partnerships between sports and gaming entities, and additional sovereign tribal nations looking to enter the marketplace. Several firsts for the US sports betting industry will take place as six states plus DC come online in the new year, including the first state with a mobile-only framework in Tennessee and the first in-stadium sportsbook in DC. More than $14 billion has been wagered legally since PASPA was overturned, indicating that even more Americans will move away from the dangerous, illegal market in 2020.

Expanding the responsibility conversation: Next year, the AGA and gaming industry will continue to enhance our commitment to responsible gaming, with operators and suppliers rolling out new initiatives and training tools, the activation of AGA’s Responsible Marketing Code for Sports Wagering, and an increased focus on the efficacy of current responsible gaming programs. This will begin in January with the Responsible Gambling Collaborative releasing new principles designed to advance more effective responsible-gambling policies and regulations, establishing a high standard for responsibility for the rest of the year.

More payment choice: In 2020, casinos will begin testing pilot programs to enable consumers payment choice through the growth of digital payment options. Suppliers will create products that recognize patrons’ needs for tools like setting budgets, time limits, and other safeguards that promote responsible gaming. These advancements will also provide more detailed data to help law enforcement and regulators further strengthen the AML compliance efforts already in place on casino floors. The AGA looks forward to working with stakeholders across gaming and adjacent industries to advance payment modernization in 2020.