888 eyeing European mobile expansion after UK success

CEO Brian Mattingley details plans to release mobile apps in Spain and reveals app launch in Italy this month

888 is planning to launch its mobile products across Europe following success in its core UK market, CEO Brian Mattingley has revealed.

The operator overhauled its UK mobile product portfolio over the course of the past year, with a number of updates for its casino, sports and bingo apps.

The operator now intends to roll-out these products into new markets and this month 888 released its first apps in Italy, with Spain set to follow in the coming months.

“We are planning to introduce mobile to the Spanish market in the second half of the year to capitalise on this important growth channel and see further opportunities in the marketplace for 888 from the anticipated regulation of slot games,” Mattingley added.

888 posted a a near trebling of mobile revenues in H1, with the operator’s UK-facing B2C business with 29% of all revenues derived from handheld devices, up from the 11% in the corresponding period a year ago.

And Mattingley said the firm’s “continued focus on innovation” had provided the operator with a “best-in-class mobile offering”.

“888 is now a truly mobile first business and continually improving and developing the customer experience on touch devices is embedded across our operations and all product development,” he said.

Mattingley also used the results disclosure to announce he was to stand down from the chief executive role next May to take up the position of executive chairman following the retirement of current non-executive chairman Richard Kilsby.

Read next month’s issue of eGR Mobile Intelligence for a more in-depth look at 888’s mobile business.