“Sport will continue to be the major attraction”
Exclusive interview.- Focus Gaming News talks with Peter Nolan, strategic consultant at Digitain.
Peter Nolan is a man with a great deal of experience in the industry, first in retail betting and since 1999 in the online sector.
As a former head of operations for Ladbrokes and Sky Bet, he’s seen the online betting sector develop over the past two decades, going on to work as a consultant for a number of operators.
He’s been involved with Digitain since 2011 and took up a more formal position as a strategic advisor in May, helping the management board with research, strategy, business development and marketing.
He took time out to speak to Focus Gaming News about the future of the industry and how a company like Digitain works closely with its business customers.
“Everyone’s really excited about America.”
Peter Nolan, strategic consultant at Digitain.
In a week when all eyes are on America, Nolan signals the American market as the one to watch for the near future.
He’s particularly keen to see how media-operator deals pan out, following his own involvement in Sky Bet.
“Brazil is a sleeping giant.”
Peter Nolan, strategic consultant at Digitain.
Latin America is also a big opportunity, he notes, particularly Brasil if gaming is finally legalised there.
Elsewhere, Nolan expects to see some move towards consolidation and cost savings to allow companies to be competitive.
He noted the intense competition, and expense, of markets like the UK where increased regulation is pushing up overheads.
“What starts in the UK can all emerge in other regulated markets at some point,” he notes.
“Sport will continue to be the major attraction.”
Peter Nolan, strategic consultant at Digitain.
Nolan believes sports will continue to be the major driver for betting, noting that esports is interesting but requires a lot of work to be done.
Digitain has continued to develop its own sportsbook and sport products in response to customer feedback and the changing situation.
“Covid is a good example of needing to quickly reassess the product roadmap. We pivoted quite quickly to develop our own sports products.”
“You have to be flexible and ready to listen to customer requirements.”
Peter Nolan, strategic consultant at Digitain.
That nimbleness and ability to pivot is one of Digitain’s great strengths, Nolan says, allowing it to react quickly to the challenges presented by the global pandemic.
“Some B2B suppliers are like oil tankers. They’re so big, with so many moving parts, it’s difficult to change direction,” he says.
Digitain has worked to allow flexibility for clients, for example with its plugin sportsbook API.
“We don’t necessarily have to wait until a client wants a new platform,” Nolans notes.
They have also worked to offer solutions for land-based venues that suddenly found themselves without business due to the pandemic, including helping operators who previously had no intentions of going online to protect their business from the impact of possible future pandemics.
Check out the full interview with Peter Nolan on the Focus Gaming News YouTube channel. Don’t forget to subscribe!
