Bet365 Dampen Tax And Marketing Challenges Following Campaign Launch

UK operator Bet365 remains undeterred in its ambition to show how its betting expertise can continue to benefit customers after launching its new campaign “We Know Betting”.

Boasting more than 25 years of knowledge, Bet365 is counting on the “We Know Betting” branding platform underpinned by the ad entitled “Reasons”, which was unveiled for the start of the new Premier League season, to take off. Replacing the “Never Ordinary” campaign, Bet365 believes it is well placed to set new marketing benchmarks in a tougher economic landscape.

Trying to ride out the tax storm

One of the major changes affecting sports betting operators has been the steep tax rises. In April, the UK government almost doubled the remote gaming duty (RGD) rate, where the amount paid on online casino bets rose from 21% to 40% of gross gambling yield (GGY). From April next year, general betting duty (GBD) paid on online sports bets will leap from 15% to 25% of GGY, with horseracing exempt.

Many operators have had to mitigate the tax impact, and some betting groups, such as Entain and Flutter Entertainment, have conceded that marketing budgets could shrink by as much as 20% this year. But Bet365, which teamed up with marketing agency Drummond Central to create the campaign centred around betting products and experiences, believe their ad can be cost-effective.

When questioned about financial burdens placed on marketing strategy, Bet365’s Global Deputy Head of Brand Marketing, Ben Reeves, tried to downplay such concerns. In an interview with SBC News, he said:

“Like any major business operating in the UK, we continually assess our investment against the economic, regulatory, and fiscal environment, and clearly the sector is operating against a changing backdrop.

“What hasn’t changed is our belief in investing behind the brand and customer experience. We’re very disciplined about where we invest and increasingly focused on ensuring our channels work together and that activity is accountable. Rather than simply looking to be louder, we’re looking to be more distinctive and consistent, and to make every element of our marketing work harder.”

Making the marketing strategy work harder

Apart from tax obstacles faced, betting sites have had to tread carefully so as not to overstep boundaries created by the UK Code of Non-Broadcast Advertising and Direct & Promotional Marketing (CAP Code).

Rules surrounding the use of prominent sporting personalities on social media platforms have been stringent, but bet365 is adamant their campaign won’t fall foul of such requirements.

Reeves added:

“We’re very conscious of our responsibilities as one of the largest brands in the sector and of standards expected when advertising around football.

“Regulation inevitably shapes some of the channels, talents, and creative choices available to betting brands, but we don’t see responsible marketing as being at odds with effective marketing. If anything, it puts an even greater premium on having a distinctive brand idea.

“We Know Betting gives us a much broader territory than relying on personalities, promotions or short-term acquisition messages — we can demonstrate expertise through our products, customer experience and knowledge in a way that’s both responsible and creatively compelling."

Refusing to stand still

In a constantly evolving industry, Bet365 refuses to stand still. While its competitors have been quick off the mark in launching eye-catching marketing campaigns, Bet365 is deliberately trying to position itself in a way to make themselves stand out. Ultimately, the proof will be in how well the “We Know Betting” campaign performs in the long term.