Introduction to New Bookmakers
We know that it’s a crowded sportsbook industry right now and any new company coming online has to compete with established brands, many of whom predate the internet and have been around for decades.
However, every bookie has something to offer and deserves to make their mark. Our task is to bring you the best of these so that you don’t miss out on great offers, choice and value that can complement and even outdo some of the older names.
Here then is a round up of the best new bookmakers online in key categories.
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Most Promising Bookmakers for UK Customers
Following changes to tax regulations in 2014, a number of existing bookmakers closed their doors to UK customers. That was an obvious blow to the British betting community so it’s important that a good selection of new outlets have come along to fill the gap.
The UK sector is a profitable one for sportsbooks and the following would be excellent additions to any portfolio of sites.
GentingBet
Genting own a number of land based casinos and their online casino arm gets a good set of sign ups as a result. They are a respected name in this particular side of the iGaming industry so it was logical that they should set up GentingBet as a sportsbook.
GentingBet have recently started to give good value from the start with enhanced trebles for new customers on Premier league football. All profits have been paid in cash which makes this very tempting but if you prefer not to have a gamble at such an early stage, we have an exclusive welcome offer which gives a risk free opening bet of £25.00.
Unlike other new betting sites, there are ongoing promos here including Acca Insurances on football matches and some innovative offers which can give multiple free bets on football and golf. Prices are strong and the choice of markets is an extensive one so this is another new bookie to include on your portfolio alongside the established brands.
EnergyBet
EnergyBet came along in 2016 and began to make themselves known by getting behind English football clubs such as Aston Villa and Leyton Orient. Those sponsorship and betting partner arrangements helped to get them noticed and for those who took things a stage further by signing up for a new account, there was plenty to enjoy.
Promotions were introduced after a short period and a welcome offer of £25.00 as a 100% match on opening credits was brought in. Loyal punters were rewarded too as EnergyBet started to bring more ongoing promos to add in some extra value. As of September 2017, a choice of Acca Insurance deals is available in the football markets.
Football is therefore an obvious focus but the choice of markets here is a good one. The only possible disadvantage for UK bettors is the absence of horse racing but all the remaining popular sports are here alongside some obscure niches and this is also one of the best places to play for anyone interest in the growing eSports markets.
Royal Panda
A number of recognised casino providers have recently added a sportsbook arm to their company but few have done this as successfully as Royal Panda. Often, the sports betting page looks like an afterthought with little in the way of offers or choice of markets to bet on.
Happily, the great offers that Royal Panda have become known for as a casino operator have been carried across so for new customers, things start off very positively with a welcome offer that has a low entry level of £10.00 and can provide up to £100.00 as a bonus at the top end of the scale.
That’s an excellent start and one which compensates for the lack of any ongoing promos but regular players can get value in a long term relationship that provides some of the best odds around. The choice of sports covers all of the popular options so once again this is a new bookmaker that is proving to be a great all-rounder.
New Bookmakers for Mobile Users
Bookee
Bookee have not only taken the category of best newcomer, they have also revolutionised the way that we bet on the go. It’s been described as the Tinder of sports betting – an app only service aimed specifically at mobile users that suggests bets on your preferred sporting event and you decide whether to take them up or not by swiping in the appropriate direction.
Bookee is very much a developing service and as of September 2017 you could only bet on four specific sports – horse racing, football, boxing and golf. However, this is a bookmaker that is evolving all the time and having launched with just two sports, it’s already started to grow and will continue to do so in the future.
A regular general welcome offer has yet to arrive but we have seen the type of enhanced odds deals for new customers that are common with other bookmakers. These have included some very generous odds at times so look out for these as they come along.
It’s evolving all the time so it’s a good time to get on board with something really new and positive in the betting industry.
Recommended New Bookies for Football Betting
Grosvenor Sports
Grosvenor are another operator who are primarily a casino who have crossed to provide sports service but why do we feel they are such a good option for football betting? One of the reasons is the coverage and you can enjoy all the games from the top leagues around the world as well as many obscure options.
Logging on to the site on a random day in September 2017 gave us games in Indonesia and Mongolia so it really is a diverse service and the options for live betting are also very extensive.
General prices are good too and there is a double the odds offer for new customers so this is a sportsbook site that offers good value while really scoring on the choice of markets.
SportNation.Bet
The overall list of sporting markets at SportNation is a relatively small one but if you like to concentrate on football then this is one of the best places to be. The company changed from its original name of Bet on Brazil in 2017 but despite dropping Alan Brazil as their brand ambassador, they carried on the ethos and focus of the former professional footballer.
As a result, football is a big deal here and there is huge choice of leagues from all around the world from the big games in the top divisions in Europe right down to the more obscure competitions in the far flung corners of the globe. SportNation also provide excellent odds and a good selection of side bets for all of those games.
Live betting on football is also popular and there are promotions geared specifically to the game including regular enhanced odds offers to tempt in new customers. Look out for these as the boosts can be more generous than other deals of this type.
Recommended Bookies for Horse Racing
RaceBets
Adding horse racing in their offer is a must for all bookies nowadays. It’s not enough to just add the sport, however – in order to stay ahead of the rest, a bookie must include a wide selection of races and competitive odds as well.
RaceBets excels in both areas. Specifically focused on horse racing, RaceBets offers racing from more than 40 countries, including the UK, Ireland, South Africa, Italy, and Norway. The site has a simple theme that is easy to navigate and a quick glance at the odds show how serious RaceBets is about horse racing.
Found in 2006 in Germany, RaceBets is partly owned by the German Racing Association, which means they invest money back into the sport. Besides the great odds, the bookie offers race streams and statistics where serious horse racing punters can get information about the jockeys, trainers, and the form of the horses.
There’s a load of great promotions as well – besides the industry standard Best Odds Guaranteed on UK and Irish races, RaceBets allows punters to double their first deposit and get free bets or money back with numerous special promotions.
MansionBet
Although a newcomer, MansionBet certainly doesn’t feel like it. This fresh bookie launched just a few months ago and is already well on its way to the top. MansionBet features a variety of sports you can place your bets on, including horse racing.
As a bookie that isn’t focused on horse racing solely, MansionBet is doing great. Featuring a number of races and markets for UK, Irish, and international horse racing, punters will definitely find something they like at MansionBet.
As part of the Mansion Group, MansionBet features some of the best odds on the market for different sports including horse racing. The website is pretty easy to navigate and the horse racing section is neatly organized. You can see the current and previous odds for all the horses and evaluate their chances on your own.
Unfortunately, MansionBet doesn’t offer special promotions for horse racing, but with the variety of markets it offers and the great odds, it doesn’t really need to.
New Betting Sites for US Sports
RedZoneSports.Bet
Betting on US Sports is a popular pastime but it can be tricky to find a bookmaker that really gets behind those events. As the name suggests, RedZoneSports are a bookie that focuses a lot on these options so it’s logical that we should see what they have to offer.
Choice is the first plus point and while NFL games are routinely picked up by other outlets. RedZoneSports go a step further by offering plenty of prices for College Football and for the CFL in Canada.
They go further still by quoting extensively for Baseball, Basketball and Ice Hockey and once again, while the major games in the MLB, NHL and NBA are priced up, you can get options for games from all over the world.
Odds for all US Sports are very competitive too so if you like to get involved with any of the above, RedZoneSports is one of the first bookmakers to check out.
All new UK bookmakers give us different options and as we’ve seen from the above list, some are strong in certain areas such as football while for horse racing, we can look at other alternatives. All of them give us extra choice however and in an industry that gets busier all the time, it’s punters such as ourselves that continue to benefit.
The UK Gambling Commission
As one of the most popular leisure activities, gambling has millions of fans around the world. People like to gamble on sports, the lottery, bingo or casino games. There are many organizations that offer these kinds of activities, both land-based and online. However, before you start spending money on the games, you need to check if the bookmaker you want to play at is properly licensed.
One of the most powerful governing bodies responsible for regulating gambling in the world is the United Kingdom Gambling Commission. The license covers arcades, sports betting, bingo, slot machines, lotteries, and of course, online casinos, which are exceptionally popular today.
If you’re wondering why does gambling need to be regulated, the answer is simple. In short terms, gambling needs to be regulated so it can be conducted in a safe and secure environment, and that’s what the UKGC guarantees. If the bookmaker you’re meaning to register at has the UKGC badge on its site, you can bet that it’s a reputable operator and that your interests are protected.
Additionally, the UKGC will also help you file a complaint against an operator and is always on the side of consumers, assuming they haven’t done anything wrong.
The Gambling Commission was set up under the 2005 Gambling Act. Its goal is to regulate gambling activities in the UK in partnership with licensing authorities. The Commission is financed by the Department of Culture, Media, and Sport and is a non-departmental governing body. It regulates all the aforementioned gambling activities apart from spread betting which falls under the jurisdiction of the Financial Conduct Authority.
The UKGC assumed full power in 2007. Apart from regulating online casinos and all gambling activities in Great Britain, it also regulates offshore gambling based in the UK. The UKGC absorbed the National Lottery Commission in 2013.
Consumers can submit a complaint about suspicious activity from an operator to the UKGC. Although not a complaints service, the UKGC will conduct a full investigation if needed and act as a mediator between the consumer and operator. The investigation depends on the amount of information provided by the operator and consumer. The UKGC can also use other information at their disposal in order to get all the facts and make a ruling.
Of course, the complaint process takes time, so you shouldn’t expect swift action. The Commission most often receives consumer complaints about a gambling operator that may have breached the British gambling license. If facts are confirmed, the operator will lose the license or pay a hefty fine.
Although it may seem so, a UKGC license does not grant operators access to UK audience. Many people think that the license automatically means the bookmaker accepts UK players, but the truth is something much different.
The gambling laws differ from country to country and don’t have anything to do with bookmaker licenses. The UKGC license regulates the gambling in a bookmaker and its activity but doesn’t give it access to UK audience.
BeGambleAware is an organization administered and funded by GambleAware, an independent charity. As the name suggests, the organization helps players make informed decisions about their gambling. It’s one of the biggest charities in the UK committed to reducing the dangers of gambling and is closely associated with the UKGC.
BeGambleAware’s program is guided by the National Responsible Gambling Strategy that is endorsed by the UKGC. The Gambling Commission and BeGambleAware are always working together to provide treatment, educations, and harm prevention related to gambling.
The IBAS, short for Independent Betting Adjudication Service, is an ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution Service) approved and supported by the UKGC. The IBAS’ aim is to provide impartial and informed decisions on disputes between gambling operators and customers. An IBAS complaint can only be filed after they have completed the operator’s own internal dispute in case a deadlock still exists.
The members of the IBAS are professionals who use all their knowledge and experience to adjudicate in reference to the operator’s T&Cs. Of course, the service will also check to see if the operator follows all the rules and regulations provided by the UKGC and the IBAS as well. The decisions made by the IBAS is non-binding to the customer – if they wish to seek resolution via court, they are free to do so after IBAS’ ruling.
In terms of operators, the rulings are binding up to £10,000. If the dispute is over a bigger amount, the operator can take the case to court as well. IBAS’ site is full of helpful information. Both consumers and operators can easily check if they have a claim and decide if they want to complete an adjudication form. After a ruling has been made, they can either proceed to court or accept the decision.
Unlike the IBAS, the ASA is a non-statutory organization that can’t enforce or interpret any laws. The Advertising Standards Authority is focused on the advertising aspect of gambling, regulating the content of advertisements, direct marketing, and sales promotions in the UK. The organization acts on complaints made by consumers and makes a decision after conducting an investigation.
The organization is not funded by the British government – it’s funded by a levy on the gambling industry. ASA was initially established in 1962 under the name of Committee of Advertising Practice which drafted the first Code of Advertising Practice. The ASA regulates advertisements in print media and broadcast media, direct marketing, and on the internet, while also regulating sales promotions. It usually considers ads that have appeared in the last three months, although the time limit can be stretched further back if the organization deems it necessary.
Once a complaint has been made, the ASA will contact the advertiser and ask about their opinions on the ads. It can seek advice from industry experts if it feels its required. If there are grounds for an appeal, a request for independent review will be made in 21 days. The sanctions usually come in the form of bad publicity or copy advice.
The organization can order not to advertise unless the Copy Team removes the problematic claims. It also publishes reports on its website each Wednesday, and we all know how much companies hate bad publicity. Additionally, the ASA can refer matters to the Office of Fair Trading which can impose fines and take legal action against advertising companies.
