Research and Markets: Betting Exchanges - The eBay of the Betting Industry

[Louis Cypher]

DUBLIN, Ireland, March 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Research and Markets
(http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c14451) has announced the addition
of Betting Exchanges -- The eBay of the Betting Industry to their offering.
Because current discussions of betting focus mostly on legal issues, one
of the most successful new phenomena of the betting industry unfortunately
remains largely overlooked. But the fact is that potentially betting exchanges
are more likely to revolutionize the sports betting market in Europe than the
Gambelli case.

Betting exchanges are intermediaries in a person-to-person model (similar
to eBay and Napster); they arrange bets between individual customers on an
Internet platform. Their customers can act as traditional bettors, and they
can also function as bookmakers. Thus, customers can offer their own bets and
ask for better odds without having to have a betting license. And according to
decisions of the first European legislature, the provider of the platform also
does not need to have a bookmaker's license.
What eBay and Napster did to the retail and the music industries, betting
exchanges will do to the betting industry throughout Europe - they will
revolutionize and change it forever:

- The betting exchanges, Betfair, Betdaq and co. represent the greatest
revolution in gambling in generations." BBC (17 August 2003)
- Industry experts predict that across Europe betting exchanges by 2008
will match bets totaling USD 159 billion. Based on their current (2004)
volume of USD 16 billion, this would mean a CAGR of 79%.
- Betfair, the market leader, currently arranges bets worth an estimated
USD 9.8 billion per year and realizes an annual profit (EBIT) of about
USD 70 million.
- Among experienced Internet users, betting exchanges are attractive to
the following user groups: heavy punters, casual punters, traders, and
professional bookmakers.

The following topics are covered in this report:

- Betting Exchanges - The Biggest Phenomenon in Betting?
- What are Betting Exchanges?
- The Business Model of Betting Exchanges
- Overview of the Biggest Players in the Market
- Regulatory and Taxation Issues
- Betting Exchanges - Bringing Betting and Entertainment Together
- New Areas of Growth
- Partnership - Essential to Success
- Taking Action - What Should be Done
- Case Studies
- Betfair - The Dominant Player to Beat
- MyBet.com - Challenging the UK Players in local continental European
Markets

Companies Mentioned:

- eBay
- Napster
- Betfair
- Betdaq
- MyBet.com

For more information visit
http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c14451

Laura Wood
Senior Manager
Research and Markets
press@researchandmarkets.com
Fax: +353 1 4100 980



SOURCE Research and Markets
Web Site: http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c14451