2021 has been an interesting year for the online sports betting community. It was a time for companies to recover from the Covid pandemic. Tournaments that were canceled the year before are back on. This has allowed punters to place plenty more wagers. Gamblers can use Betting Ranker to find the ideal bookmakers.
This year has also seen several high-profile deals within the industry. One of the most recent is the acquisition of ELK Studios by Scientific Games Corporation. The question is, how will this affect sports betting online for the average person?
The move appears to be a positive one. Scientific Games sought ELK's content to corner the American and Canadian markets. Their main focus is now to distribute high-quality iGames within this region. At the same time, the deal is sure to boost the company's position as a prominent content provider in Europe and the United Kingdom.
ELK Studios was originally established in Stockholm. It has a long history of creating critically acclaimed titles. More recent ones have had a focus on mobile gaming. This is due to a shift in the tastes of modern gamblers. If Scientific Games seeks to make new sports betting apps in the near future, they will likely also take a mobile-first approach.
Barry Cottle, the Scientific Games president, stated that the acquisition demonstrates the firm's commitment to cross-platform capabilities. This suggests that fans of web browser-based betting will not miss out either. He went on to praise the in-house team at ELK Studios. One of the aims of the deal is to combine their high-ranking content with the OpenGaming ecosystem that Scientific Games is known for.
The main takeaway is that American, Canadian, European, and British gamblers will soon be able to experience the benefits of this synergy. It will be exciting news for customers who are already fans of both brands. Scientific Games will take on more of a marketing role. Meanwhile, ELK plans to continue working independently on future software releases.
Those concerned that this will cause too much change will likely not need to worry. For several years the two companies have already been working together. This deal simply signals a strengthening of the partnership. According to a CEO at Scientific Games, immersion and engaging gameplay are being emphasized.
However, it should also be noted that ELK primarily makes casino site games. In fact, a recent statement expressed excitement about new slot game releases. Their software does not emphasize sports betting capabilities.
It is possible that the partnership could shift towards this market in the near future. Gambling firms are always attempting to fulfill the gaming needs of the public. Sports betting is exceedingly popular. If Scientific Games notices this, they could commission ELK to work on sports-based software. It is also fair to say that there is some overlap between the two gambling types. A person may enjoy playing slots and making sports wagers. It remains to be seen if Scientific Games and ELK will end up catering to both.
