Yurii Berest: “Product development is consistently a top priority at DATA.BET”

Yurii Berest, CEO of DATA.BET, reflected on the company’s remarkable achievements in 2023 and outlined key priorities for 2024.

In an exclusive interview with Focus Gaming News, Yurii Berest, CEO of DATA.BET, celebrated the company’s impressive 2023 accomplishments, marked by substantial growth, innovative product launches, and industry recognition.

Berest also teased a groundbreaking Multi-competitive LIVE fixture set to debut at ICE London 2024 and highlighted the success of the ‘Player Props’ feature, showcasing positive client feedback and plans for its expansion into other popular disciplines.

How would you characterize the year 2023 for DATA.BET? What are you, as the CEO, the proudest of the company accomplishing this year?

In 2023, DATA.BET experienced significant growth and progress in various areas. We covered over 2,000 tournaments ranging from Tier 1 to Tier 4 and introduced seven new disciplines to our game line.

Moreover, we managed to bring the esports betting experience to a new level of personalization, launching the breakthrough ‘Player Props’ feature in three popular disciplines such as CS:GO, LOL, and Valorant.

Throughout the year, we actively participated in major industry events like ICE London, SBC Barcelona, and SiGMA Europe, fostering connections within the esports community and establishing valuable partnerships. Furthermore, we won the SBC LatAm Award for Esports Supplier of the Year. This acknowledgement is a testament to our dedication, expertise, and professionalism. And we will continue to improve our products.

I’m especially proud of how we are able to continuously improve our products thanks to an assembled team of professionals. In 2023, we welcomed more than 40 new employees to our enthusiastic esports community, setting the stage for exciting developments in the year ahead.

Which esports events of 2023 can you define as the most prominent or even revolutionary for the industry and why?

I would say that the noteworthy ones for the gaming community from last year were the World Championship League of Legends, The International Dota 2, and the Last CS:GO Major. As key events in popular esports disciplines, they triggered increased betting activity, sparked diverse market interests, and heightened engagement among esports enthusiasts.

People are always interested in the results of such tournaments, that’s why our team shares the most interesting ones on DATA.BET’s social media.

What are your key priorities in 2024? And do you have any short-term plans that can affect the success of the whole year?

Product development is consistently a top priority at DATA.BET, ensuring the delivery of advanced products to our clients. As we step into 2024, our central focus revolves around fostering sustained growth, encompassing the expansion of our client base and continuous improvement of our product offerings.

We’re putting our efforts into introducing new features that will make the end user’s time on an operator’s platform more engaging, influencing retention and stimulating turnover growth. To meet this goal, we plan to launch several new products, including advanced Scoreboards and Pitch Tracker widgets, as well as licensed live streams of ongoing tournaments for CS2, LOL, Dota 2, and Valorant.

Additionally, we are proud to present soon an unprecedented Multi-competitive LIVE fixture that enables live bets on games with multiple competitors at our stand S2-401 at the ICE London 2024.

One of the most significant events in the industry, ICE London, is coming soon. Have you prepared anything special for us?

This year DATA.BET goes further than just having a stand and, in collaboration with ICE London organizers, hosts the F1-themed ICE Esports Arena. We have prepared an array of exciting activities, including the F1 esports showcase, a live battle between pro esports racers, driving simulations with virtual reality and haptic feedback, different team challenges, a bar with complimentary drinks and the most interesting – a special tournament with prizes called ‘Stig Challenge’.

Beyond the product presentations, we’re set to offer a distinctive live betting experience and real-time odds creation driven by the dynamic activity of arena visitors. We aim to showcase the full spectrum of esports opportunities to operators and enthusiasts alike, ensuring a fantastic time and an unparalleled experience for everyone attending ICE London.

What are your general predictions for the growth of the esports market in 2024? What is the main trend observed in customer demand?

Predicting the growth of the esports market in 2024 is quite challenging due to the rapid pace of technological advancements. Nevertheless, virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) emerge as formidable forces, promising advancements in broadcast technologies. They usher in innovations such as player biometrics and wearables, mirroring trends seen in traditional sports. The esports market is poised for continuous evolution and innovation in 2024, with technological advancements shaping the landscape.

Last year, DATA.BET introduced an innovative “Player Props” feature to transform esports betting. What was the feedback that you received from this innovation?

Our clients enthusiastically welcomed the new feature and seized the opportunity to diversify their offerings, expanding the array of available markets and bets. This not only elevated the overall betting experience for players but also empowered companies to offer more personalized and engaging markets, fostering brand loyalty and trust among users.

Tailored content and an individual approach resonate well with users who have diverse preferences, especially when it comes to pro players. Since launch, the monthly growth rate of polarity has surged by +50 per cent in both monetary value and the number of bets, maintaining a steady 10 per cent month-to-month increase.

The positive outcomes of the ‘Player Props’ feature confirmed our belief in the significance of such innovations in the esports betting landscape. Therefore, we plan to continue improving this feature to make it available in other popular disciplines as well.