Fantasy Sports: A Detailed Guide for iGaming Project Owners

Technological progress contributes to the emergence of new interactive entertainment. The modern casino industry offers innovative virtual products, such as fantasy sports, that can attract a multi-million audience.

Users form their dream teams from actual athletes and participate in competitions, the results of which are based on the outcome of real matches.

Experts from the Rosloto company have prepared a detailed article about the features and benefits of launching a specialised platform. We provide assistance in implementing profitable gambling projects aimed at quick payback and consistent profit.

Key Information on the Niche

The high customer engagement level is explained by using statistical data regarding the outcome of real athletic events.

Players form teams from global sports stars and receive points depending on their performance. This motivates people to carefully study statistics, reposts on injuries, etc.

To manage virtual competitions, operators create special platforms that have administrative software with many functions.

In recent years, the promising niche has significantly expanded and strengthened its position in the iGaming market. Financial performance has also improved. Developers of program components and betting business owners make multimillion-dollar investments every year, which demonstrates the relevance of such projects.

The following indicators deserve special attention:

• At the beginning of 2024, the anticipated turnover was $28 billion.
• By 2028, the niche will grow at least twice.
• In the US alone, more than 60 million users participate in gambling entertainment.
• In India, customer acquisition metrics are even higher — more than 160 million people.

According to the niche analysis conducted by the Straits Research marketing research centre, market prospects are quite extensive. The company's specialists predict that the industry's financial performance in 2031 will exceed $90 billion. Active development is expected in the US, China, and the European Union.

As claimed by the study, sports fans choose gambling entertainment for the following reasons (it was possible to indicate several answer options):

• because it is exciting (54% of respondents);
• because of love for sports (51%);
• for greater involvement in competitions (50%);
• to compete with friends (47%);
• to communicate with like-minded people (15%);
• for cash prizes and valuable gifts (14%);
• for other reasons (4%).

Researchers from Google/Kantar add that almost 49% of fantasy sports fans choose this pastime for fun.

The overall prosperity of each digital platform directly depends on the disciplines presented on it.

When forming an offer for users, entrepreneurs need to take into account the characteristics of the operating region. For example, visitors from European or Latin American countries prefer football, Indians — cricket, and users from the US normally choose hockey, basketball, or the American version of football.

Stages of the Fantasy Sports' Formation

The first mentions of this trend date back to the 1950s. At that time, baseball fans organised and held a championship, the results of which were calculated based on real matches. Within more than 60 years, the principle and concept of such competitions have changed significantly.

Key milestones in the development of the niche:

• 1960s — composition of the first official rules for tournaments based on the American Football League.
• 1981 — growth in popularity associated with a pause in the series of baseball matches due to the athletes' strike;
• 1990s — the emergence of the first online platforms;
• 2000s — release of the television program “League”, which contributed to the spread of the industry's popularity.

Today, the trend is actively developing and attracting millions of users. Consumers are offered a wide range of entertainment on different digital resources.

How to Play Fantasy Sports

The software attracts clients with understandable mechanics. First, it is necessary to select the discipline a customer is interested in among the following options:

• football;
• baseball;
• hockey;
• basketball, and many others.

Each sport has its rules, participation criteria, and a unique scoring system.

The process is divided into several successive stages:

1. Team building. Athletes are measured a certain number of points, depending on their status, achievements, and statistics. Users have a virtual balance of coins for which they can buy players.
2. Formation of the squad. Before the match, gamblers choose who will participate in the game.
3. Results tracking. The team is given a score based on the achievements of real players on the field.
4. Management. During the championship, additional windows are provided for changing the squad.

Based on the outcome of the championship, the winner is determined (the team that got the most points).

Main Areas of Fantasy Products

The following competition formats are usually offered:

1. Sporting events. Normally, the item includes football, basketball, hockey, and biathlon matches.
2. Categories of contests. These can be either single games where the winner is determined immediately, or full-fledged tournaments, in which many users participate at the same time. In the second version, there can be one winner but additional prizes are also provided.
3. Type of rewards. Many clients choose competitions “for fun”. Professional players prefer matches with financial prizes. However, in this case, an entry fee is expected. Besides, participants often receive extra rewards — the club's merchandise, etc.

Based on the duration of tournaments, 2 directions can be distinguished:

1. Seasonal. It is assumed that large contests (house or international leagues) will be covered. When putting together a team, the manager must thoroughly define a strategy that takes into account the calendar of meetings, the strength of athletes, possible injuries, etc. One of the most famous tournaments of this kind is called the Fantasy Premier League.
2. Daily matches. In this case, the winner is determined immediately after the end of the event. Before each game, the cost of sportsmen changes depending on their performances, and the managers need to choose a new squad each time. Such meetings are held on the well-known Sorare platform.

About the Audience of Fantasy Sports

According to research by the FSGA, this ​​gambling direction is mainly chosen by people with higher education and a stable job. They are willing to pay for the necessary information, such as:

• analytical data;
• additional statistics.

Users also take part in competitions with entry-level cash contributions.

Research conducted in the United States and Canada has shown that fantasy sports fans are hedonists, that is, people for whom there is nothing more important than their pleasure.

Gamers regularly visit restaurants, use food delivery services, and spend a lot of time on social networks. For them, virtual entertainment is competition and communication. Only 30% of North Americans consider fantasy sports as a way of earning money.

Existing leagues also show their interest in virtual tournaments. According to research by the National Football League, digital team managers watch real matches 1,5 times more often. This has a positive effect on the overall NFL audience, the cost of broadcasting, and advertising contracts.

Fantasy Sports and Betting

The entertainment market is constantly expanding. The latest analytical studies demonstrate that the largest number of bids on real events is made in the US. Virtual contests are one of the promising gambling niches with some peculiarities of regulation:

• Seasonal fantasy tournaments are legalised in the state of Texas, and daily matches are banned.
• Ukraine is actively changing the casino field by adopting relevant laws, but the virtual competition sector is still not settled.
• The Japanese government prohibits betting on real matches but allows fantasy sports.
• In Brazil and Argentina, market regulation is the prerogative of local authorities.
• Estonia equates the industry to betting only if the entertainment structure provides for a wagering system or prizes for participation.

The Main Things about the Prospects of Fantasy Sports

The niche is actively developing and growing, opening up prospects for operators. Many countries have not yet regulated the market, and in some regions, this sphere is not equated to gambling.

Among the industry's advantages, it is worth highlighting the following:

• Fantasy solutions are based on the user skills and experience of users who create virtual teams of real athletes based on real statistics.
• The vast majority of customers take part in tournaments because they want to communicate with like-minded people and win real rewards.
• Competitions of this kind have simple rules, and gamblers can choose from a wide range of disciplines, including football, hockey, basketball, biathlon, and others.

The Rosloto studio offers high-quality software from reliable vendors. We will help you create a high-quality bookmaker business that will bring constant income.

From us, it is also possible to order the following useful services:

• development of unique slots by the individual sketches;
• promotion of turnkey projects;
• assistance in casino licensing;
• legal support, etc.