SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
Buzz Group has diversified its business model with the launch of a new igaming vertical this week, Buzz Casino, complementing its existing omni-channel bingo operation.
The platform has been developed by Playtech, the firm’s long-term igaming tech partner, and will feature table games, live casino titles and slot releases.
As its business continues to push for a full post-pandemic recovery, Buzz Group has been seeking ways to enhance its product range, launching a live bingo streaming service prior to taking its casino offering live.
Dave Evans, Digital Operations Director at Buzz Group, said: “We’re really proud to announce the launch of our newest Buzz Brand that strengthens our position as the UK’s best omni-channel venue for playing slots, games, casino and bingo.
“Casino is an important part of our product mix, and whilst bingo is still at the heart of our business, our players love to experience new content and spend their leisure time playing in different ways.
“Buzz Casino is the latest part of our journey and we continue to use our brand spirit and over 50 years of hosting players in our clubs to build our product with community at the heart.”
The launch of a casino offering marks the latest step in Buzz’s commercial journey since its retail and online Bingo division began business back in 2018, after rebranding from Gala Bingo Clubs.
This five year journey has not been without its hurdles, however, as retail bingo – and betting and gaming in general – was hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic that forced closure of venues.
Buzz maintains a suite of 91 bingo halls throughout the year, but an “ongoing and challenging operating environment” prompted the firm to announce the closure of nine of these locations last month.
The company’s entry into the UK online casino space, setting a goal of providing casino and slots players a ‘dedicated place to safely play’ igaming titles, suggests a continuing shift towards web operations.
Laura Craddock, Head of Product Management at Buzz Group, said: “It’s very exciting to be bringing a new Casino product to market, especially one that brings all the fun of Buzz Bingo to the casino world, whilst adopting different principles in its design.
“Inspiration from the streaming video world has helped make content the focus of the UI, making it easy for players to find the games they love, in a fun and trusted environment they know they’ll get from a Buzz venue.”.
