bet365 and DraftKings Lead in Fairness, According to FPSM Survey

FairPlay Sports Media conducted a survey to understand bettor perceptions of fairness among sportsbooks in the UK and the US. The survey, involving around a thousand participants from both countries, aimed to find out how fairness influences customer loyalty and what constitutes a fair betting experience.

In the UK, bet365 was highlighted as the fairest sportsbook by 40% of respondents, followed by SkyBet at 16% and Paddy Power at 12%. In the US, DraftKings was selected by 37% as the fairest, with FanDuel close behind at 33%.

The survey identified ‘best odds’, ‘best odds guaranteed’, and ‘ease of use of the site/app’ as key factors for a fair experience in the UK. In the US, ‘best odds’ and ‘easy withdrawals’ were deemed most important. Notably, 87% of UK bettors and 78% of US bettors rated fairness as very important in their choice of sportsbook.

However, perceptions of unfair treatment varied significantly between the two markets. In the UK, over half of the respondents felt they had been treated unfairly by a sportsbook at some point, whereas in the US, this figure was much lower at 16%.

The concept of fairness was generally associated with being treated with honour and respect, and having a transparent relationship with the bookmaker. The UK participants emphasized the importance of being offered good odds, while US responses focused more on equal treatment and transparency.

Interestingly, a significant portion of UK bettors stated they would cease using a sportsbook following an unfair experience, underlining the importance of fairness in retaining customers.

This survey, conducted from January 5th to February 6th, 2024, offers insights into the importance of fairness in the betting industry and how it shapes customer loyalty and preferences in different markets.

Stuart Simms, Group CEO at FairPlay Sports Media, said of the inaugural survey: “It’s fascinating to see how ‘fairness’ fits into the bettor’s psyche when choosing their operators. Many might not consider it as a key factor, but it’s clear from these results that being treated fairly is extremely important for a strong bookmaker-customer relationship.

“It’s a hunch we had before the survey that those brands who were deemed ‘fairest’ might also be the leaders in their respective markets, and I’d like to commend the likes of bet365, FanDuel and DraftKings on performing well in this regard. It’s clear that the US and UK markets have crossover when it comes to what ‘fairness’ means, and although the UK may be a more mature market, it could be said – based on these results – that to drive lifetime value and decrease churn, it could learn some more in customer service from across the pond.”