Examining the importance of a best-in-class user interface to customer acquisition and retention
Read More Breaking into new regulated markets is a major opportunity for sportsbooks, but only if done right. This article explores five critical areas that operators must master to ensure a successful launch
For sportsbooks, entering a new market can be a high-stakes opportunity. When done right, it can set the foundation for sustainable growth and long-term profitability. However, executed haphazardly, operators can run the risk of regulatory setbacks, operational restrictions and a lack of user traction.
Whether expanding into a newly regulated region or a promising established market, the path to success depends on a well-executed strategy that touches every part of the sportsbook operation.
Below, we explore five essential areas that sports betting operators must prioritise to set themselves up for success in any market.
1. Cutting-edge compliance
Every market has its own regulatory landscape, and ensuring offering compliance is a critical step toward sustainable market entry. Sportsbooks must ensure that their entire product, from front-end features to trading systems and bet offers, is aligned with the legal and regulatory requirements of that jurisdiction. It’s not just about being compliant at the time of entry either – as operators must also be equipped to manage evolving regulations and submit required reporting on an ongoing basis.
Why it’s important to get this right
Being compliant is non-negotiable when entering a market. It is the foundation for sustainable success in any jurisdiction, with many regulators requiring detailed approval for specific bet types, features and promotional activity. Failure to meet these requirements doesn’t just slow the process down but it can result in penalties, suspension of licences, or even permanent exclusion from the market.
A proactive and precise compliance strategy helps build trust with both regulators and end users, while a pre-certified or adaptable platform can significantly accelerate your time to market.
2. Comprehensive product localisation
No two markets are exactly alike, and neither are their bettors. From language and currency to preferences in sports and user interfaces, product localisation is vital for user engagement and retention. This includes everything from the availability of popular local sports leagues to the inclusion of familiar payment methods and odds formats.
Why it’s important to get this right
Localising your sportsbook product ensures a seamless and intuitive experience that resonates with users in a specific region. By providing a deep offering covering the right sports, bet types, odds formats and languages, operators can build trust and appeal to local preferences, a key driver of acquisition and retention.
Without proper localisation, products can feel generic or out of place, resulting in low engagement and user turnover. In many cases, localistion is also a compliance requirement, with regulators mandating the use of local language, content or user interface features. Getting it right means delivering a product that not only performs but feels native to the market.
3. Leveraging customer intelligence strategically
The best sportsbooks don’t just launch, they learn. Leveraging customer intelligence means using player data to understand local behaviour, betting preferences, and potential risk patterns. This intelligence allows sports betting operators to tailor their offering and customer interactions with a high degree of precision.
Why it’s important to get this right
Using customer intelligence strategically is essential when entering new markets. By understanding which sports, bet types and features resonate locally, sportsbooks can personalise the user experience and drive stronger engagement. This data also informs smarter segmentation and marketing, leading to more efficient acquisition and better ROI. Additionally, Kambi’s vast network provides unparalleled insights into player behaviour, giving operators a significant advantage when entering new markets. Instead of starting from scratch with limited data, partners can leverage our global intelligence to make more informed decisions and gain a head start over competitors.
4. Effective liability management
Managing liability and exposure is essential for profitability, especially when entering unfamiliar markets. Without strong controls in place, operators may face losses due to unbalanced books, unexpected local betting behaviour or arbitrage.
Why it’s important to get this right
Effective liability management is crucial when entering new markets, helping sports betting operators protect their margins in unfamiliar and potentially volatile environments. With the right tools in place, operators can identify and mitigate liability growth before it becomes an issue, reduce exposure, and build a scalable foundation for long-term growth.
5. Operational readiness
Beyond the product, operational infrastructure plays a massive role in market success. From risk operations, to trading, to compliance, your behind-the-scenes setup must be able to scale and adapt to local requirements and user expectations.
Why it’s important to get this right
Operational readiness is vital when launching in a new market. Strong customer support, tailored risk management, and reliable infrastructure ensure a smooth rollout and help build early trust with users. Without it, even minor issues at launch can lead to lasting reputational damage and missed growth opportunities.
Enter new markets with confidence with Kambi
Kambi’s premium sportsbook technology and modular product suite are designed to support seamless market entry. Whether launching a full end-to-end sportsbook or enhancing in-house technology with Kambi’s expanded portfolio of premium sports betting solutions, Kambi’s offering helps operators navigate the complexities of new markets with complete assurance.
- Kambi’s AI-powered trading and advanced risk management helps partners handle liability and exposure across different market conditions, backed by a global network that processes over €17bn in betting volume annually.
- With advanced, automated offering compliance, operators can offer market-leading products with confidence in a consistently compliant, market-leading offer
- Our fully compliant, modular sportsbook allows operators to accelerate market entry while tailoring their offering to local needs, integrating everything from localised front ends to region-specific compliance modules.
Sportsbook market entry is never simple, but with the right strategy and partners in place, success is well within reach. From offering compliance and localisation to liability management and operations, each piece plays a vital role in achieving long-term growth.
Learn more about how Kambi’s comprehensive suite of products can support your market entry and elevate your sportsbook operation: Discover what we do
