Sports Betting and Self-Service Terminals

Across the world, gaming is a pastime that’s only skyrocketed following the technological advancements made in the 20 and 21 centuries. However, while gaming as a whole is worth some $450 billion dollars worldwide, only 25% of that global market share belongs to physical casinos. The other 75% of revenue comes from sports betting and mobile gaming, both of which have been particularly prone to evolve with technology.

Game developers for mobile today are competing against one another to create the most beautiful online experience that can be played on both desktop and handheld devices. The competition has been so fierce that there are new trends in gaming introduced at Casinoguiden.biz, such as role-player games (RPGs) for slots or even massive multi-user online (MMO) features for card games like blackjack.

There are also more subtle technical points like random number generators (RNGs) and even legal points, as will be discussed below. As the gaming world goes online business, sports betting is also subject to the same massive changes.

Sports betting, as a type of gaming, is much simpler for the masses to understand and participate in, unlike complex card games like poker. That being said, however, even with the huge fan bases of big league sporting leagues worldwide, there remains ample room for sports betting to expand.

While punting is common throughout countries like the UK or Norway, it is a new addition to the US. That being said, with the NFL being the highest-grossing sports league in the world with annual revenue plateauing at about $8 billion, it comes as little surprise that many fans wish to join in on the action with their favorite team.

Yet, there is more to it than the legalization of sports betting. First, there has to be betting technology available to the fans. Second, bets, from moneylines to prop bets, need to be interpretable to newcomers. Third, the experience itself has to be seamless and enjoyable to the user.

While online sports betting sites are already on the move in making this process a reality (with some sites achieving it), an excellent idea among the sports betting companies is a self-serve kiosk that is a one-stop-shop for gamblers who want a bet to put a stake on.

Not only does a kiosk offer a physical space for betting, it also grounds the experience in the 'real world'. Consider: for all the popularity of internet-based betting sites, there are some players who simply require the sensation of a ceramic chip in their hand.

Sports betting in the US

Sports betting will continue to increase in the US market as additional states introduce bills that bypass the federal ban on sports betting. More and more physical kiosks should therefore be on the way not only to the Vegas Strip casinos but even to venues such as stadiums or dedicated viewing centers.

Take the US's most lucrative sports league, for example, the NFL. Once NFL futures odds for the season are set by seasoned handicappers, betting begins for the NFL's some 150 million fans—but confusing legalities and even a generational tech gap keep many from trying parlays or prop bets.

A kiosk can remedy these problems. A kiosk is a physical entity, so the law can more easily regulate where it may be located and how it is allowed to work overall. It is far easier for a regulatory body to work within the physical world than in virtual space.

A kiosk is also familiar to older generations who have no desire to use a mobile device. Several others also don't wish to link their personal banking information with a mobile device, so the self-service payment utilized by the kiosk is familiar and secure for a user of this inclination.

Terminals are able to print physical receipts, offering some form of security to the user. The kiosks are also able to authenticate coins and bills. This offers added security in cash handling, which is a massive problem throughout the gaming world.

Self-service terminals

SUZOHAPP is one of the few self-service terminals introduced in recent years with immense success. Not only can this kiosk offer the entire range of sports betting services, but it can also be automated for gaming, amusement, lottery, and bingo programs.

In fact, SUZOHAPP is now the world's most complete self-service kiosk for the gaming industry. The kiosks are designed from scratch for three different needs: sports betting, casino features, and cash handling.

• The most important part of SUZOHAPP, though, is probably the cash handling component, which also deals with the security of the kiosk itself.
• The SDS-35 Smart Deposit Solution is a key component of the company's cash management solution.
• This kiosk offers greater customization than most sports betting shopping kiosks will appreciate.
• In fact, one of the main selling points of the Playtech BGT Sport is the variety of bets that can be created and uploaded to the software of each kiosk.

Whilst the Playtech BGT has the UK in its stranglehold with a market share in excess of 95%, the Playtech is incredibly versatile. There is even a mini terminal, which is roughly the same size and scale as an Apple iPad.

Playtech also offers a till, 'shop' TV, retail tablet, and online solution in addition to their standard and compact terminals. Playtech even offers a mobile app, via which one can track their bet no matter how far they've wandered from the physical kiosk. This wide range of options could quite easily be adapted to a US market.

Conclusion

In fact, in the UK, Playtech specifically forced itself to create physical kiosks for punters that were not only able to physically fit into smaller locations (corner shops or pubs, for example) but also be integrated into software already installed without slowing it down or commandeering bandwidth.

While the US market may not be ready for this type of onslaught of kiosks because of the slower development of sports betting compared to a market like the UK bettors market, it does show the use and viability of the sports betting kiosk. We have only to wait a bit longer to start seeing technologies like this in a lot more places around the world.