Sportradar is expanding in the online casino space with a new brand, Playradar, which aims to bring together sports data and casino gaming.
Sportradar is expanding its presence in the online casino space with a new brand, Playradar, which aims to bring together sports data and online casino gaming for international operators.
The launch is part of a larger goal for Sportradar, which wants to integrate sportsbook and online casino gaming into a single platform with a view to improving user engagement and retention.
The new brand uses Sportradar’s existing infrastructure and brings together sports data and casino gaming to create a new form of hybrid gaming.
At the heart of the new brand is a 24/7 live experience environment. Here, users can view sports streams and experience gaming features on the same platform.
The product range includes hybrid sports and casino products, which aims to bring sports action to life in an engaging and immersive way.
The range also includes prediction-based products fuelled by real-time data feeds. These products are not part of the growing prediction markets segment. Instead, the games will predict the outcome of a sports game based on live data.
Sportradar told Next.io that an example might be golf with grid squares on the green near the pin/hole. Players will need to predict which grid square the golf ball will land in. For basketball, it could be which grid square each basket is scored from.
Playradar will make traditional iGaming products available too, such as slots, table games, and virtual sports.
Sportradar already works with a global network of operators, many of which are both sportsbook and casino operators, making cross-selling a key aspect of the new brand.
The launch is being led by Edo Haitin, who was recently hired and appointed to head Sportradar’s iGaming division. He brings over two decades of experience in live casino and gaming operations, having previously led Playtech Live.
Haitin said of the launch: “By combining our unrivalled experience in sports data and live streaming, along with a proven track record of product development, we aim to create hybrid content and gaming experiences to capitalise on the rising popularity of sports casino consumption.
“We’re uniquely positioned to seamlessly blend live and historical sports events, innovative gaming mechanics, and casino content and have the advantage of being able to distribute games to an already licensed portfolio of operators.
“I’m incredibly excited to be further strengthening our iGaming business through Playradar and to grow it into a leader in iGaming content, leveraging Sportradar’s existing resources and the highly experienced and skilled team already in place.”
The natural evolution of gaming
This initiative signals the company’s commitment to expanding in the competitive iGaming segment.
Sportradar’s executives have been clear about Playradar’s key goals: increasing player engagement and session lengths. This is a key focus for operators as the cost of acquiring players continues to rise.
Sportradar Founder and CEO Carsten Koerl explained: “iGaming represents a natural and scalable extension of our business, and a strategic acceleration of our long-term growth roadmap.
“Playradar content is designed to provide optimised cross-sell between the worlds of sport and casinos, helping operators to increase player value and session length at a time when engagement and retention are key to operational sustainability.”
Combining sports viewing with gaming is designed to improve the player experience while enhancing monetisation opportunities for operators.
Playradar also reflects a broader industry shift as sports betting and casino gaming continue to converge.
Sportradar says its approach unites data-driven services with entertainment-focused content, which is intended to further support operators.
The rollout will take place in regulated markets and begin with the UK, North America, and Latin America. Some launches are expected to begin later this year.