Exclusive interview – Focus Gaming News catches up on the future of sports betting with Stanislav Silin, Chief Executive Officer at sportsbook software provider Altenar.
Altenar took the Covid-19 pandemic as an opportunity to regroup and launch a new version of its sportsbook with select operators.
With the platform now being rolled out to a broader group of clients, Focus Gaming News spoke with CEO Stanislav Silin.
“It was an opportunity to regroup and do some housekeeping,” Silin says of the pandemic. “We took the opportunity last year, during a slower period around April/May, to launch our new version of the sportsbook with a select group of customers—and so far, the feedback has been very positive.”
Regarding Altenar’s new sportsbook, he says: “The new version is better in terms of technology, and it's geographically distributed through an advanced application delivery network.
“From a features perspective, it also uses a newer engine for content aggregation, allowing for multiple sources and odds providers to feed into it. That gives us the ability to offer a much more comprehensive product, which we plan to continue rolling out over the coming months.”
Altenar is now migrating more operators but remains committed to supporting multiple products simultaneously, giving partners the flexibility to transition when they’re ready.
“The migration timeline really depends on our customers. They need to be ready; they need to feel comfortable,” Silin says.
Virtuals, simulated reality, and esports betting
So what’s Silin’s take on how sports betting evolved during the Covid-19 pandemic?
“It’s very interesting. What we saw during the coronavirus lockdown was not just a surge in virtual sports—virtuals weren’t the only emerging trend. We also saw a rise in simulated reality events and esports.”
“There are, I’d say, different flavors of synthetically generated content and I think we’ll continue to see more of that.”
“It might not even matter whether the event is synthetic or real—after all, you can’t have a Premier League match happening every hour of the day.”
"Esports needs more innovative bet models or betting types to make it simpler." Stanislav Silin, CEO at Altenar
What’s holding esports betting back from reaching a wider audience is its complexity. Silin believes that new betting models are needed to make it more accessible.
“The younger generation—those who grew up with esports—could become a major part of the sports betting market in the future. But I think more innovative bet types need to emerge to simplify the experience,” he says. “Right now, esports is still a niche market for those who really understand it.”
He notes that young esports fans may have greater buying power in the future and could become sports bettors, but the industry needs to offer something that appeals to their preferences.
“There has to be something more than just a gambling aspect,” he says. “It needs to involve competition, because I think this demographic is looking for more than a wagering experience.”
Check out the full interview with Stanislav Silin on the Focus Gaming News YouTube channel. Don’t forget to subscribe!
