North American horse racing action will now be available in Italy courtesy of a new distribution deal between racing content provider XB Net and Italian white-label platform provider MST (Media System Technologies).
The agreement adds XB Net’s supply of live pictures, data and fixed-odds betting services – from a network of North American tracks – to MST’s own suite of products from over 200 racecourses on four different continents.
XB Net’s end-to-end solution, drawing from a deep stateside well that covers approximately 90% of US racing, grants access to many of the world’s most prestigious horse races – including Triple Crown events at the Belmont and Preakness Stakes, the Pegasus World Cup and the forthcoming Breeders’ Cup (6-7 November).
This daily schedule of engaging content, which complements Italy’s domestic racing action, provides MST with a reliable source of fast-settling betting opportunities between 18:00 and 05:00 CET. This immersive action is proven to capture and retain the attention of audiences during competitive digital-entertainment cycles, driving new revenue streams for ongoing partnerships and new clients.
MST’s proprietary platform can now support its clients (including Eurobet, Goldbet, Sisal, BetFlag, SKS365, Lottomatica and the Microgame network) with an authentic 24/7 horse racing service which plugs the gaps on a fragmented betting calendar. Its platform harnesses everything required to run a responsible horse racing business across online, mobile and retail.
XB Net is a pacesetter for live North American horse racing content, providing rights, betting data, live broadcast and video streaming on behalf of its growing global portfolio of partners. Harnessing low-latency feeds from more than 2,500 meetings, showcasing over 25,000 races per year, North American racing is delivering fan engagement across global markets as operators bid to fill the void on a stop-start schedule for live sport.
Moreno Tanfani, Head of Horse Racing Business at MST, said: “For Italian operators, US racing represents a great opportunity to expand their offering beyond traditional fixtures and is already proving a major boost for acquisition and retention with those clients who’ve been the first to take it. Their players have quickly seen the added fun and value that US racing brings to the betting experience, providing a trustworthy and regular flow of rapid-cycle opportunities.
“Thanks to some recent amendments in our domestic framework, we were delighted to go straight to the rights holder in XB Net for a seamless platform integration. On top of that, their intuitive marketing packages and content make the betting experience both intelligible and exciting for any unfamiliar end users.
“After Italian restrictions on broadcasting horse racing from overseas were belatedly eased last year, international content is growing in its appeal and assimilation. In fact, XB Net now represents 20% of the MST network’s total turnover, including Italian races.
“XB Net is now helping MST meet the demands of any kind of player, allowing our partners and their customers to enjoy the best live racing from around the world 24/7. It’s a boon for both increased betting activity and engagement.”
Simon Fraser, Senior Vice President of International at XB Net, added: “Wherever you set your scene in the world, delivering the right content at peak leisure-times remains paramount during a period of great variability on any sportsbook tab. XB Net’s wide range of low-latency racing solutions and racetracks is now ensuring the requisite flexibility for MST and their impressive rollcall of operators, and we’re delighted with this progressive partnership.
“While it’s always great to plan globally, you need to remember to deliver a flexible enough solution that works locally. Live, premium daily sport is ostensibly an easy sell wherever you are in the world, particularly in the current climate. However, if that sport’s betting markets are consistent and the framework familiar to customers, and the timing matches up well with local leisure periods, then traction will take hold more quickly and prove long-lasting.”
