Poll: Is there a future for the “WhatsApp of betting”?
This week we ask if start-up Bet Blocks can survive the ferociously competitive UK betting market
Last week EGR covered the launch of Bet Blocks, a new messaging app that aims to be the “WhatsApp of betting”.
In short, the app integrates betting tools like odds comparison and tips and previews, into a group messaging feed.
For example, if a group is discussing Chelsea to beat Burnley, that text is converted into a link to Oddschecker’s comparison grid, with options to bet directly in the app.
The app also includes speak-to-bet functionality, group betting options (similar to Colossus Syndicates) and a stream of tipster recommendations to encourage activity.
Founder Jonny Robb told EGR Bet Blocks was headed for success because it improved upon apps like WhatsApp and Messenger which are becoming an increasingly important part of the betting lifecycle.
“They are being used to discuss and share upcoming betting options, but they were never designed for betting.
“The experience is clunky, static and disconnected from the highly dynamic, fast paced world of live sports and betting,” Robb added.
The team behind the app also has some strong betting credentials, with Robb and his partner Nilesh Mistry both having worked at developer Grand Parade – purchased by William Hill in 2016.
However, getting people to download the app and start using it in the first place is going to be the major hurdle for Bet Blocks, with tools like WhatsApp already firmly entrenched as the go-to destination for group chats.
Getting the features of Bet Blocks integrated into an existing messenger service would arguably be the easier route forward for instance.
Likewise the betting industry is not a particularly hospitable landscape for start-ups with rising CPAs, huge amounts of regulatory red-tape and massive incumbents spending heavily on advertising.
With that in mind, this week we ask if Bet Blocks has a future and can establish itself as a legitimate betting messenger service.
Have your say below:
POLL: Is there a future for the recently-launched "WhatsApp of betting"?
More details here: https://t.co/T5JaG28V0w
— EGR Global (@EGRIntel) August 21, 2017