Sam Sadi, LiveScore CEO Discusses Overregulation and Growing Demand for Sports Content
LiveScore Group CEO Sam Sadi recently shared insights into the evolving landscape of sports betting and content consumption during an interview with iGB. Sadi explained that the demand for sports content has reached unprecedented levels, urging the company to consider generative AI to meet users’ needs. “Producing this, almost to individual needs, is expensive to be able to deliver at scale,” he noted. Overregulation
Sadi highlighted the shift in betting behaviors over the past decade, stating, “Betting has moved towards the recreational, socially acceptable way to consume sports.” He elaborated that where users once focused on traditional markets like the winner or number of goals, they now engage with a diverse range of entertainment-like products, such as bet builders and same game parlays (SGPs). This shift, Sadi says, has led fans to follow sports “in a much deeper way than they used to.”
With the evolution in user engagement, Sadi sees the potential for generative AI to play a crucial role in enhancing personalization within their offerings. He emphasized the company’s aim to customize its app to individual user behaviors, stating, “How do we customise our app more to [suit] an individual’s behaviour? And how do we deliver a single personalised app to every fan around the world? I think we’re not too far away from being able to do that at scale with the use of genAI.”
However, challenges persist as LiveScore navigates the complexities of overregulation in various markets. Currently, LiveScore Bet operates in the UK, Ireland, Nigeria, and the Netherlands, but the firm’s expansion plans have slowed since 2022. Sadi admitted that if faced with the current regulatory environment in the Netherlands, he might have reconsidered entering the market. “Single-digit market share owner operators are on the brink of being exited from the market due to regulation,” he stated, highlighting the financial burdens imposed by compliance. Sam Sadi Livescore Overregulation
Sadi noted, “Making decisions to enter a market rely on complex models towards investment and, at some point, reaching profitability. If the fundamentals change over time, you need to revisit and refinance your business and question whether there is long-term viability in the market.” He expressed concern about the uncertainty created by regulatory changes, stating, “The most damaging regulatory environment is one that is full of uncertainty.”
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As the company sets its sights on expanding its operations in Africa, Sadi expressed optimism about the region’s regulatory landscape, which he believes strikes a good balance between consumer protection and operator growth. He highlighted potential opportunities in countries like South Africa, Kenya, and Ghana while acknowledging that Nigeria has not yet been prioritized.
The conversation also ventured into the competition surrounding convergence in the industry. While others scramble to combine media and betting, Sadi maintained that not all sports media has the potential to converge effectively. “Not every type of sports media has the propensity to converge,” he said, noting that the term convergence is “used a bit too loosely in our industry.”
Nonetheless, Sadi remains focused on delivering exceptional value to LiveScore’s media consumers engaged in betting across various platforms. “At the receiving end of that audience you need to have a sportsbook that is just as good or better than the market leaders,” he asserted, reinforcing the importance of providing top-notch betting experiences. As LiveScore continues to adapt in a rapidly changing environment, the balance between innovation and regulatory compliance remains crucial to its success. Sam Sadi Livescore Overregulation
Source: iGB
By nicolemacedo
