Fans of PENN Play Casino have a new way to play thanks to a partnership that taps into Sparket’s customizable “Social Betwork” capabilities. The deal with PENN Entertainment, announced earlier this month, allows the gaming giant to enhance its social casino offering with Sparket’s free-to-play live event technology.
The “bet-on-anything” pool wagering platform offers “limitless” bet types on everything from traditional and alternative sports through reality TV, awards shows, and esports—nearly anything imaginable. With Sparket’s social community, the company says operators like PENN can grow revenue and reach while allowing players to engage in “friendly wagers.”
In an interview, CEO Aaron Basch told Bonus that Sparket is “very excited about that partnership and opportunity” to bring more customers to PENN Play Casino.
We are offering content categories that we don’t think anyone else is offering, whether it’s traditional football with new bet types or the World Surf League, cornhole, professional fighting, or racing.
We have a bunch of new things coming out, whether for the Bachelorette, the Oscars, or the Grammys. We’re augmenting that whole marketplace with stuff no one else is offering… And I think a lot of people want to participate.
Revenue Climbing As Partnerships Grow
Simultaneously, Sparket announced new partnerships with Soboba Casino Resort and Casino Pauma in California. For the former, Sparket is supplying its live wagering software to the casino’s latest offering, Soboba Sports, via its new Soboba App. The app, powered by Aristocrat Digital, provides free-to-play and play-to-play markets and is tied to the casino’s reward program.
For Casino Pauma, Sparket provides contest capabilities through its in-house tech.
Basch said that having unique offerings can help retail casinos stand out and build customer loyalty. Sparket’s ability to offer localized regional events provides another advantage for casino destinations.
The company has existing deals with Station and Red Rock casinos in Nevada and partners with a growing list of companies, including Xpoint, WagerWire, Pro League Network (PLN), and the World Jai Alai League. And Basch said they hope to announce additional Olympics-adjacent partnerships soon.
As a result, Sparket’s revenue grew 300% this fiscal year between its first and second quarters.
By helping casinos build up their database of players and having that virtual product, it helps their customers engage and stay loyal.
For now, all Sparket’s partners benefit from its free-to-play offering, but the goal is to add pay-to-play partners. It already holds the appropriate Gaming Labs International (GLI) certification to operate as a real-money software supplier.
Basch told Bonus the company expects to add real-money clients soon.
That is our next step. Knock on wood, we’ll have announcements later this year.
Powered to Engage Any Audience
Tailored to a “new generation of casual betters,” Sparket says its Social Betwork opens up new betting opportunities and facilitates social connections, benefiting operators and players alike.
Basch said Sparket also wants to encourage education. He noted that, in some partnerships, their offering helps players learn a game’s rules. A good example is their work with the World Jai Alai League, which, as a newer sport, is not always well understood.
We’ll have a pop up that explains a feature, and then we’ll have a bet based on that. That’s something fun for user experience, so they can learn more about the sport.
He added that players can engage by playing low-stakes games until they get more comfortable.
When we do something fun, like, what color is the Gatorade going to be at the end of the game, it’s really just a guess, right? And I think that lowers that barrier to entry.
With how people consume media constantly changing, particularly with sports, Basch said he expects more leagues, teams, and even influencers and content creators to add Sparket-like tech to their toolboxes.
He highlights the PLN, which is preparing to launch an owned media channel.
Why do they need another place to broadcast? They don’t. And they can just tap into all those viewers directly…
That’s where our product really is great. We can turn this on for any kind of bet, league, team, or even the influencer watching the roller derby, and boom, they just pop in their whole network, and they play.
For the love of a game or show, content creators often start creating for free. “Why not let them monetize?” he asked.
Gamifying Engagement FTW
Something that’s surprised Basch since launching Sparket is the number of women and younger folks engaging with their product.
We definitely have a good female demographic. We thought it would skew more male-heavy, but it’s closer to 50/50.
However, Basch said the company’s end users reflect a broad spectrum overall, and he’s excited about the future, for Sparket and the wider industry.
If you make it fun for people, they’re going to play, and you’re going to win.
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