SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
Sportingwin plans to ‘take market share’ away from the established big names in the Romanian sports betting sector after securing a licence in the country.
The Malta-based bookmaker will take its offering live in Romania in Q1 of next year under the domain name Sportingwin.ro, operating via a licence from the National Gambling Office.
Having already established itself in the Bulgarian market – a development which the firm’s Investment Director, Mark Chakravarti, broke down to SBC earlier this year – Sportingwin’s long-term target is a dominant position across Eastern Europe, which it believes will establish itself as an acquisition opportunity for major firms interested in the region.
On the Romanian licence, Chakravarti remarked: “From day one, we have made it clear that we see huge potential in regulated markets across Eastern Europe and already our brand is well recognised by players across the region.
“With our Romania licence in hand, we can now get ready to make our move in the market where again we see massive potential for our brand and the sports betting experience that we offer to players. This is a stand-out experience that will allow us to quickly gain market share.”
Romania is currently dominated by a plethora of well-established brands, including the likes of Kindred Group’s Unibet, Entain’s Entain CEE Eastern Europe-focused subsidiary and market leader Superbet.
However, Sportingwin is confident that it can gain ground in the country and compete well against its competitors, using a ‘superior’ betting offering and its experienced leadership teams. The group hopes to replicate its experience of Bulgaria, where it has become the fifth largest operator with revenue of €1m generated so far.
To secure visibility ahead of the planned launch next year, Sportingwin has signed an agreement with 2023 Romanian Cup winners Sepsi FC which will coincide with the commencement of its business.
Chakravarti added: “Competition is stiff, especially with the likes of Unibet and Superbet already live and engaging players, but we believe our offering is a cut above the rest and that with the right strategy, we will be able to match the revenues we are achieving in Bulgaria within the first year.
“Partnerships with the likes of Sepsi FC will really help towards not just hitting that target but surpassing it.”
