Neds joins flurry of operators in launching an Alexa skill

Australian sportsbook Neds has developed a new skill for Amazon Alexa devices that will offer punters exclusive audio content about upcoming racing events.

After enabling the skill, Neds users can get the latest audio information from Alexa to find out when the next race is, who the favourite is, and updates on track conditions.

“We see a bright future in assistants helping punters while they enjoy race and sporting events at home,” said Neds’ customer experience general manager Christian Bowman.

“We are also in the process of releasing apps to market for Google Home to allow customers to get access to racing and sports event information, as well as our Facebook Messenger bot which will help guide customers through using our innovative cloud based platform,” he added.

The use of voice technology in the gambling sector has become increasingly popular in recent months, with Paddy Power the first to release an Amazon Alexa skill in the UK, followed by Sky Betting and Gaming and DFS operator DraftKings in the US.

Newly-appointed Kindred CPO Fredrik Kjell reiterated the importance of embracing the latest in voice recognition software just two days ago.

He said: “Take voice, for instance, we have just started to scrape the surface of how that will influence our daily lives and I am sure we will see a very wide adaptation rate by consumers.

“In order to cement our market-leading position, we need to embrace all the new tech that is made available and change accordingly,” he added.

Neds recently gained recognition for innovation at the EGR Australia Awards 2018 after picking up the trophies for Rising Star in the Australian market and Marketing Campaign of the Year.