The Guardian Has a Sportsbook? What Does it Mean for the iGaming Business

Earlier this year the Guardian newspaper took a major step into the future when it opened its own online sports wagering service.
This unique value add for Guardian readers may tread some ethically questionable ground for journalists, but it’s great news for casino affiliates. After all, the Guardian is one the UK’s biggest newspapers and its website, www.theguardian.com is amongst the most heavily trafficked sites on the planet.
If you’re considering jumping on board with the Guardian’s bold experiment, here are a few points to consider.
A Newspaper with a Sportsbook?
It’s no secret that the internet has beaten the tar out of the traditional newspaper business. Circulation for even the biggest papers has been declining for years and the situation is only getting worse.
Because circulation numbers are used to set advertising rates, this decline caused some major pain advertising revenues. As a result, newspapers are constantly struggling to come up with new revenue model…which is where sports wagering comes into the picture.
By entering the sports betting business the Guardian is opening a brand new, internet-based, revenue stream. Even better, that revenue stream is fueled by a younger demographic that’s unlikely to ever subscribe to the Guardian print edition.
It’s a sound business strategy that offers plenty of benefits for sports betting affiliates.
Advantages for Affiliates
Though the Guardian’s print empire is in decline, its footprint across print and web editions is very impressive. Every month Guardian publications reach more than 9 million readers in the UK and abroad.
While those numbers are pretty impressive all on their own, they come with an added advantage for sports betting affiliates; name brand credibility and big league marketing.
UK punters are very familiar with the Guardian brand which makes selling them on a new bookmaker that much easier. Even better, the Guardian is a massive enterprise that’s throwing plenty of promotional muscle behind its new venture.
That kind of marketing firepower is a big help for affiliates who are looking to promote Guardian-based sports betting.
Hypocrisy in Action?
Regular Guardian readers probably did a double take when they first read about the paper’s new role as a bookmaker. After all, isn’t this the same paper that regularly attacks land-based bookmakers in the UK?
While it is true that the Guardian has criticized fixed-odds video betting terminals in the past, their critiques have been based more on marketing techniques (such as offering candy to children while their parents gamble) rather than on the gambling itself.
At the end of the day, the newspaper’s take on VBT gambling won’t mean much for affiliates who link to the paper’s sprawling sports coverage.
Finally
The Guardian sportsbook is an oddity today but it could be the cutting edge of new trend that bolsters revenue streams for newspapers and sports betting affiliates alike.