Polish bookmaker STS announces expansion to new markets

Polish bookmaker STS has announced plans to expand its core brand into a number of regulated European markets, with operator targeting the UK and German markets in particular.

Speaking to iGamingBusiness.com at ICE London 2019, chief executive Mateusz Juroszek explained that the business would look to secure licences from the Malta Gaming Authority and Gambling Commission licences to facilitate the move.

The operator plans to open an office in Malta and embark on a major recruitment drive in preparation for expansion.

“The idea is that we’ll operate on the MGA licence and GC, approach Polish customers at the beginning and show them what we’re doing. After that, our focus will be on improving the product,” Juroszek said.

One such development spurring the company’s move into other markets is the number of Polish nationals living in countries across Europe.

“There’s almost 1.5m people in the UK, 1m in Germany, et cetera,” Juroszek explained. “We thought it would be a good idea to approach these clients outside of Poland because they know us.”

Polish players, he says, also bet on a much wider variety of sports than punters in other markets.

“People bet on Olympic games, ski jumping, sports you don’t even know. There’s a need for live betting solutions around these sports outside of Poland, and that’s not the case right now.”

Bearing in mind these two elements, Polish players across Europe wanting to bet on more than the standard offerings are left unserviced by incumbent sports betting companies whose focuses are more fixed on broader audiences, says Juroszek.

Despite this move, the company is not planning on biting off more than they can chew, and will be keeping their focus on serving their audience: “Normally I would say it’s pretty crazy to try and enter the UK sports betting market, but you have to know where you’re competing. We know the Polish audience, we can offer them the sports they want.”

The company will also continue working on its esports and virtual betting offerings, which he says continue to see success in Poland.

Over its years in operation, Juroszek says STS has seen a number of significant developments in the country.

STS currently has a market share of around 49% in Poland, where igaming is strictly taxed and regulated, with only sports betting permitted online.