Paddy Power Betfair has been voted the winner of the Playtech Award
In 2016, the Playtech Award Scheme was launched, an awards program that celebrates the achievements, innovation and hard work that Playtech operators and partners deliver above and beyond the everyday. The gambling operators are judged by a panel of key figures across various Playtech teams and product areas. The annual award honours success and innovation around game launches and promotions, acquisition and new product and feature adoption.
Playtech Award Winner
Paddy power Betfair was crowned the 2018 winner after seeing off fierce competition from William Hill and Betfred – both companies were highly commended for their sterling efforts and great success in recent months.
Judging panellist Gary Keaney, Director of Bingo Products, commented: ‘We have an excellent working relationship with Paddy Power Betfair, but several examples of early adoption and innovation, for multiple successful campaigns, gave them the final edge in the latest vote. Paddy Power Betfair consistently launches and promotes new games as early as possible, and also has a great track record in actively embracing new features. The perfect example of this is their successful early adoption of In-Game Messaging, which we’re confident will lead to greater exposure and further growth for this innovative marketing channel.’
The panel highlighted William Hill’s ‘Record-breaking month during the traditionally strong racing period, achieved by utilising gamification tool Thunderbite to increase active player days’, as well as praising the company’s focus on Spain and Italy as ‘excellent to see, regulated market growth being a key part of Playtech’s strategy’.
Betfred was praised for its strong focus on ‘the ever-growing Live Casino, with a new dedicated live area launched’.
James Gilbert, Betfair Casino Manager, commented; ‘We’re delighted to have won the latest Playtech Award. This reflects both our continuous collaboration with the team at Playtech and our commitment to delivering personalised player experiences at the heart of our proposition. As a brand we’re always pushing the boundaries of our customer marketing, and tools like In-Game Messaging enable that innovation through contextual, real time interactions with our Casino players.’
About Paddy Power Betfair
Paddy Power Betfair is a leading international sports betting and gaming operator and a constituent of the FTSE 100 index of the London Stock Exchange. In 1988, Paddy Power began life with 42 high street betting shops. Eleven years later, in 1999, the sporting exchange was formed. A year later in 2000, the first website was launched and floated on the Irish Stock Exchange. This same year, the first Paddy Power shop opened in London. From here, the time line for the company is really rather spectacular;
2000: The Betfair Betting Exchange launched with its first market as Epsom oaks.
2001: Betfair invented the concept of ‘In Play’.
2003: Paddy Power Games & Casino launched.
2008: Paddy Power opened their first shops in Northern Ireland.
2009: Acquired Sportsbet. Acquired TVG Horse Racing & a technology team in Romania who are now called Betfair Romania.
2011: First betting company with a mobile app. Betfair floated on the London Stock Exchange.
2012: Blip, a web developing company who called themselves the Blipers, were acquired by Betfair. Invented the ‘Cash Out’ concept.
2014: Paddy Power opened their 500th shop.
2016: Paddy Power and Betfair merged to create Paddy Power Betfair.
2016: Paddy Power Betfair acquired US fantasy gaming company, DRAFT.