Sports Betting: Should You Build a Website, Mobile App, or Both?

Knowing whether to build an online betting site, a sports betting mobile app, or both is a tough decision. Operators need to assess the preferred betting methods of their target market and how existing customers like to wager. It could be on the move, relaxing at home, or the need to access both, depending on their situation at the time of placing a bet.

Choosing the right platforms to offer iGaming entertainment that best aligns with strategic goals will bolster revenue, increase player acquisition rates, and contribute to the brand's overall success.

Let’s examine all options more closely, look at the markets they are most suitable for, and consider the benefits and drawbacks of each.

It is not uncommon for iGaming operators to grapple with decisions on how to best allocate resources. From a strategic perspective, focusing on developing a comprehensive sports betting site, to the exclusion of a mobile app, can offer several distinct advantages:

The Advantages of a Website-only Approach

1. Cost Efficiency

Developing and maintaining a sports betting website alone is considerably less costly than a dual approach. Development can include separate designs and functionalities for multiple platforms. It will also incur ongoing operational expenses such as app updates, testing across different devices, and compliance with app store regulations. By concentrating on a website alone, operators can better appropriate their budget to free up investment in essential areas like marketing, customer service and security.

2. Browser Accessibility

Unlike mobile apps, a well-optimised sports betting website can be accessed from any device with a web browser, offering a universal platform without the need for downloads or app-specific adjustments. With broader accessibility, iGaming operators can reach larger audiences, particularly in regions where installing apps might be restricted or where consumers may not have devices compatible with the latest app versions.

The website-only approach ensures that anyone with internet access can engage with the betting platform and removes the need to download and carry an additional app, thus maximising potential user engagement.

3. Simplified Regulatory Compliance

Operating a sports betting website can simplify regulatory compliance. Mobile apps often face burdensome regulations that vary significantly across app stores and jurisdictions. Moreover, each update or modification can require re-submission for approval, leading to potential downtime and delays in getting updates to users. Websites, however, can be updated universally and immediately without needing such approvals.

4. Ease of Integration

In addition to easier and faster updates, integration with third-party services and tools can be more straightforward on a web-based platform, enhancing the site’s capabilities and allowing for quick adoption of new technologies and trends.

5. Enhanced Performance and Scalability

Concentrating on a single platform helps optimise platform performance, such as load speeds and interface responsiveness. Furthermore, websites can be scaled more readily to handle increased traffic, especially during major sporting events, without the bottlenecks that can throttle mobile apps with device-specific limitations. In turn, this aids customer retention and satisfaction.

6. SEO and Visibility

A strong web presence boosts search engine visibility and organic traffic, which could be more complex in app-centric ecosystems. SEO strategies can be more focused and employed strategically to enhance the visibility of a sports betting website, attracting new users through search engines.

The Drawbacks of a Website-only Approach

While there remain some compelling arguments for a website-only approach, it also carries some notable disadvantages.

For instance, it may alienate a tech-savvy demographic that prefers to access betting platforms via mobile apps due to their convenience and user-friendly interfaces. Mobile apps can also enhance user engagement through features like push notifications and location-based services. Features like this are not always easily integrated into websites.

Ultimately, the absence of a mobile app can place an operator at a competitive disadvantage since rivals offering both platforms cater to wider audience preferences, particularly in mobile-first regions.

Most Suitable For:

The website-only model is particularly suitable for iGaming operators focused on cost efficiency, broader accessibility and simplified regulatory compliance. It benefits operators who target regions with less prevalent mobile app usage and a more mature market and customer base.

Furthermore, this can be the optimal option for iGaming operators aiming to invest significantly in web-based marketing strategies for customer acquisition and retention.

Stand-alone mobile betting apps offer several unique advantages for iGaming operators, too. The benefits increase user engagement by providing a smooth on-the-go betting experience that resonates with modern consumer preferences, particularly among younger demographics. Here are a few specific advantages of mobile betting apps :

The Advantages of a Mobile App-only Approach

1. Instant Feedback

Mobile sports betting apps provide online betting operators an excellent opportunity for instant feedback. This direct line to user insights, primarily through player reviews focused on the app's performance, acts like an ongoing debugging program. Operators can observe and analyse the feedback in real time. This helps identify technical issues or interface improvements and allows them to customise the in-app experience to meet player preferences.

2. Offline Access

One of the best arguments for mobile apps is their limited offline functionality. Users can access essential features such as reviewing past bets or checking account balances even without an internet connection. This encourages users to remain engaged with the app regardless of connectivity status.

3. Focused User Experience

Mobile apps are uniquely designed for on-the-go betting usage, providing a user-friendly interface that prioritises speed and accessibility. This is particularly advantageous in sports betting, where the ability to make quick decisions and place bets in real time can significantly influence betting volumes and outcomes.

4. Advanced Personalisation

Mobile apps excel at offering a customised betting experience by leveraging user data to adapt functionalities and content to individual needs. They analyse user behaviour to curate personalised betting options, notifications, and relevant updates. This level of customisation makes the betting experience more engaging, boosting retention rates to keep users consistently interested in app offerings.

5. Geolocation Services

Mobile apps incorporate geolocation services to enhance regulatory compliance and user experience. By using the device’s built-in GPS, these apps ensure that players can place bets within jurisdictions where betting is legal, which is essential for maintaining compliance. Ultimately, this feature protects both the user and the operator from potential legal consequences.

6. Push Notifications

Unlike websites, mobile apps can use push notifications to engage users directly with timely information. This feature is invaluable for informing bettors of last-minute betting lines, game starts, and promotional offers. The immediate delivery of such updates stimulates increased app interaction, leading to a higher number of bets placed and greater user retention.

7. Technological Integration

Mobile apps seamlessly integrate with the device’s inherent capabilities and other applications, enhancing both functionality and security. For instance, they can easily connect with payment gateways for smooth transactions and social media for social betting experiences. This integration results in a holistic user experience that ensures convenience and speed.

The Drawbacks to a Mobile-only Betting App Approach

While forward-thinking, adopting a mobile app-only strategy can also introduce challenges that could restrict an operator's reach and growth. First, operators risk alienating users who prefer a desktop computer's expansive views and stable interface. Furthermore, this limitation is compounded by requirements imposed by app stores, which can restrict content delivery and complicate the process of rolling out updates. The need for frequent updates to accommodate new operating systems and hardware will also invariably increase maintenance costs.

In terms of online presence, mobile apps lack visibility in search engine results, severely hindering organic user acquisition and potentially impacting the operator’s competitiveness in the broader marketplace.

Most Suitable For:

A stand-alone mobile app-only platform is most suitable for iGaming operators focused on a young, mobile-first demographic that prioritises convenience, speed, and personalisation in their gaming experience. This type of operator might be new to the market or looking to carve out a niche in urban, tech-savvy environments where mobile usage significantly outweighs desktop computing.

This approach significantly benefits agile operators targeting users who want fast on-the-go betting opportunities for live sports bets where timing is critical.

Deploying both betting websites and mobile app platforms into your business strategy has some unique advantages. Here are several compelling reasons to mobile betting with ekbet in India...