- 888 Holdings has changed its plans for an online sportsbook with a Sports Illustrated (SI) theme and will instead focus on an SI-themed casino product.
- The move comes after 888 found the US market to be extremely competitive in sports betting.
- The company will now focus on the “unsexy sweet spot” of older male players aged 39 to 60.
More than a year after the 888 Holdings launched bold plans to launch an online sportsbook with a Sports Illustrated (SI) theme in several US states, the company said it will change course and instead focus on offering an SI-themed casino product in states with legal regulated online casino gaming.
While 888 made no mention of an SI-themed online poker product — which may or may not be called SI Poker — a shift by the company to focus on states with multiple verticals could lead to opportunities for such a product to launch in the future.
During 888’s Capital Markets Day call on November 29, Chief Strategy Officer Vaughan Lewis said that while the US represents one of the most attractive growth opportunities for the UK-based 888, the states are also extremely competitive markets.
