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https://www.imageholders.com/case-studies/betxs-use-imageholders-kiosks-to-open-the-worlds-first-fully-automated-retail-bookmakers/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0d2495eaPek
Colm Finlay on why BetXS is taking a punt on staff-less betting shops
Has this taken off in Ireland?
Started in 2022 or thereabouts but I'd not heard of him or his fully automated betting shops thus far.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0d2495eaPek
Colm Finlay on why BetXS is taking a punt on staff-less betting shops
Has this taken off in Ireland?
Started in 2022 or thereabouts but I'd not heard of him or his fully automated betting shops thus far.
Show More
Amazingly there is one in Kilbeggan a one horse town with a tiny population...Haven't a clue how its doing only see it as I turn off for the races never saw anyone go in or out while passing..
I reckon the guy is on to something, not so much with stand alone betting shops but with the technology that can be used in tandem with other 'amusements'.
I've believed for many years that betting would be part of a larger entertaiment emporium. And, that a TOTE based system would eventually replace conventional bookmakers.
Too many racecourses, many of which may disappear in due course.
Betting terminals within 'entertainment' venues could become a concept in my opinion.
This Orcadia systems outfit is developing technology to re-shape the landscape for future generations.
Up to 50% reduction in running costs claims must have Betting firms salivating.
Finlay has seen the future
I've believed for many years that betting would be part of a larger entertaiment emporium. And, that a TOTE based system would eventually replace conventional bookmakers.
Too many racecourses, many of which may disappear in due course.
Betting terminals within 'entertainment' venues could become a concept in my opinion.
This Orcadia systems outfit is developing technology to re-shape the landscape for future generations.
Up to 50% reduction in running costs claims must have Betting firms salivating.
Finlay has seen the future
Inevitable
Protecting the public while offering a service/entertainment source.
Stood in front of a machine that uses eye-recognition to verify your eligibility.
Protecting the public while offering a service/entertainment source.
Stood in front of a machine that uses eye-recognition to verify your eligibility.
'We're starting to see green shoots again' - investment in technology fuelling hopes of a brighter future for betting shops
Bill Barber talks to Toals Bookmakers about their investment in an enhanced customer experience
Times are hard on the high street but Toals Bookmakers have plenty of confidence in the future of betting shops, as their continued investment in the sector reflects.
This month the Belfast-based firm, whose history goes back close to 100 years, acquired three outlets from J Rainey Bookmakers to take their portfolio to more than 50 betting shops.
Toals have not been slow to put their stamp on the new acquisitions either, with the three shops having already been digitised as part of the company's strategy of investing in technology.
They launched the Racing Post Digital Betting Shop Display screens in their retail estate as long ago as 2020 and are rolling out their own self-service betting terminals (SSBTs) too.
Sean Toal, the bookmaker's racing director, says of the new acquisitions: "Those shops have started well and we've been able to digitise straight away. There was a lot of space in the shops and we've got some more self-service betting terminals in there.
"Where maybe others don't have as much confidence in the retail space, I think this shows we're very keen."
Toal says the shock caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and the shutdowns that followed resulted in a "massive pivot" for the business but that they have come out the other end now.
"We've seen customers come back and they're happy to go back into the shops," he adds. "We've seen a real influx of business in the morning. People are getting in, doing their accumulators and Lucky 15s for the day."
Toal says that, while younger gamblers tend to start online, he believes that as they get older they are coming back to betting shops.
Nevertheless, since Covid there has been greater demand for self-service terminals, especially among the younger demographic.
"Self-service is what younger customers are used to," he says. "When I'm trying to explain that to someone out of the industry, it's basically a gambling website on a terminal.
"With the digital experience in shops, when we first took out the hard copy of the Racing Post you were always going to get some customers who didn't like change and there was a bit of a kickback.
"But we have great staff who are briefed to make it as easy as possible, get out on the shop floor, show these guys how to use these terminals. Within a week or so once one customer switches over and realises the benefit of the product and how much insight there is in those Racing Post digital screens, they start to show their friends and then it snowballs from there. Likewise with the self-service terminals."
The move online has been reflected in how people consume news and Toal says he sees that reflected in betting shops.
He says: "My generation now are just straight on a phone or they download the app as opposed to a hard copy and we see that in our shops.
"We have it well laid out in that we'll have tables in front of the live screens showing pictures. We have a 32-inch screen and the customer can sit on the stool and then just flick through the Racing Post.
"They're reading the paper that way, they're getting all of their Racing Post digital looking at the smart insights and you'll see them flicking through the digitalised paper version. We've integrated our odds too so Toals odds are straight on those Racing Post screens and that definitely helps."
Toal's father Gary, the managing director of the company, is also the majority shareholder of betting shop supplier Biztech Software, which shares the same building as Toals in Belfast with offices above the firm's flagship store, reputed to be the largest in Britain and Ireland.
Aside from an Epos (electronic point of sale) system which services 850 betting shops in Britain and Ireland, Biztech also supplies SSBTs too, which include Racing Post content.
Toal says: "When we look at the figures, soccer is the vast majority of the self-service business but we added the Racing Post data at the tail-end of last year and we're seeing the horseracing figures improve."
Having Biztech and the firm's main betting shop on hand also gives Toals plenty of agility when it comes to introducing new products.
Toal says: "When we try any of these new concepts we can throw them into the shop in Belfast straight away. That is one of our busiest shops and we can immediately see after a day or two what's working and what isn't.
"Biztech has 15 developers and is flexible enough that we can quickly make changes and adapt our offer. We can also see what other guys are offering and try to make our offer as competitive as possible."
Toal see betting shops as having a community feel, even in their main Belfast store.
He says: "We get to know all those customers, we see the same faces and the same group of guys who are having a coffee in the morning, coming into the shop and it's a community hub for them."
Toal adds: "That is our strategy in that you want it to be a comfortable betting experience with good technology and a place that customers are happy to be in and staff are happy to work.
"We have seen correlation. Our flagship store started out as just a small shop in the corner and then we were able to extend on the high street. That has been a great case study for us in that comfort and great facilities are key to a good shop."
Gambling regulation is a hot topic in both Britain, where implementation of the proposals from the last government's review of the 2005 Gambling Act continues, and in the Republic of Ireland, where legislation was updated through a new Gambling Regulation Act last year.
However, in Northern Ireland the current rules go back to the Betting, Gaming, Lotteries and Amusements (Northern Ireland) Order 1985, although it was amended three years ago, and there have been calls for an overhaul.
Toal says: "There haven't been many updates to gambling laws. We were only allowed Sunday opening as of May 2022 and that was a big thing for us.
"Most importantly when we weren't open on a Sunday there was a lot of illegal gambling happening in certain pubs across the country and guys laying illegal books.
"That is still a major threat and challenge for us in some parts of the country. Sunday opening has helped that but more clarity is still needed in the regulation."
Three years ago proposals for a Gambling Code of Practice appeared, including affordability checks with a "trigger" limit of £100 a month.
"When you hear stuff like that you don't rest easy," Toal says. "It will go quiet for a while and then suddenly it's back on the radar and people are talking about it again. So we await clarity."
In the meantime Toals continue to put their faith in betting shops and retail betting.
Toal says: "It's a tough time for retail in general not just with the high street, but we fully believe in our strategy – make a comfortable environment for our customers and accompany that with leading technology.
"We're starting to see green shoots again. Things are coming back to life."
https://www.racingpost.com/news/features/interviews/were-starting-to-see-green-shoots-again-investment-in-technology-fuelling-hopes-of-a-brighter-future-for-betting-shops-aUiz66a1KSqH/
Bill Barber talks to Toals Bookmakers about their investment in an enhanced customer experience
Times are hard on the high street but Toals Bookmakers have plenty of confidence in the future of betting shops, as their continued investment in the sector reflects.
This month the Belfast-based firm, whose history goes back close to 100 years, acquired three outlets from J Rainey Bookmakers to take their portfolio to more than 50 betting shops.
Toals have not been slow to put their stamp on the new acquisitions either, with the three shops having already been digitised as part of the company's strategy of investing in technology.
They launched the Racing Post Digital Betting Shop Display screens in their retail estate as long ago as 2020 and are rolling out their own self-service betting terminals (SSBTs) too.
Sean Toal, the bookmaker's racing director, says of the new acquisitions: "Those shops have started well and we've been able to digitise straight away. There was a lot of space in the shops and we've got some more self-service betting terminals in there.
"Where maybe others don't have as much confidence in the retail space, I think this shows we're very keen."
Toal says the shock caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and the shutdowns that followed resulted in a "massive pivot" for the business but that they have come out the other end now.
"We've seen customers come back and they're happy to go back into the shops," he adds. "We've seen a real influx of business in the morning. People are getting in, doing their accumulators and Lucky 15s for the day."
Toal says that, while younger gamblers tend to start online, he believes that as they get older they are coming back to betting shops.
Nevertheless, since Covid there has been greater demand for self-service terminals, especially among the younger demographic.
"Self-service is what younger customers are used to," he says. "When I'm trying to explain that to someone out of the industry, it's basically a gambling website on a terminal.
"With the digital experience in shops, when we first took out the hard copy of the Racing Post you were always going to get some customers who didn't like change and there was a bit of a kickback.
"But we have great staff who are briefed to make it as easy as possible, get out on the shop floor, show these guys how to use these terminals. Within a week or so once one customer switches over and realises the benefit of the product and how much insight there is in those Racing Post digital screens, they start to show their friends and then it snowballs from there. Likewise with the self-service terminals."
The move online has been reflected in how people consume news and Toal says he sees that reflected in betting shops.
He says: "My generation now are just straight on a phone or they download the app as opposed to a hard copy and we see that in our shops.
"We have it well laid out in that we'll have tables in front of the live screens showing pictures. We have a 32-inch screen and the customer can sit on the stool and then just flick through the Racing Post.
"They're reading the paper that way, they're getting all of their Racing Post digital looking at the smart insights and you'll see them flicking through the digitalised paper version. We've integrated our odds too so Toals odds are straight on those Racing Post screens and that definitely helps."
Toal's father Gary, the managing director of the company, is also the majority shareholder of betting shop supplier Biztech Software, which shares the same building as Toals in Belfast with offices above the firm's flagship store, reputed to be the largest in Britain and Ireland.
Aside from an Epos (electronic point of sale) system which services 850 betting shops in Britain and Ireland, Biztech also supplies SSBTs too, which include Racing Post content.
Toal says: "When we look at the figures, soccer is the vast majority of the self-service business but we added the Racing Post data at the tail-end of last year and we're seeing the horseracing figures improve."
Having Biztech and the firm's main betting shop on hand also gives Toals plenty of agility when it comes to introducing new products.
Toal says: "When we try any of these new concepts we can throw them into the shop in Belfast straight away. That is one of our busiest shops and we can immediately see after a day or two what's working and what isn't.
"Biztech has 15 developers and is flexible enough that we can quickly make changes and adapt our offer. We can also see what other guys are offering and try to make our offer as competitive as possible."
Toal see betting shops as having a community feel, even in their main Belfast store.
He says: "We get to know all those customers, we see the same faces and the same group of guys who are having a coffee in the morning, coming into the shop and it's a community hub for them."
Toal adds: "That is our strategy in that you want it to be a comfortable betting experience with good technology and a place that customers are happy to be in and staff are happy to work.
"We have seen correlation. Our flagship store started out as just a small shop in the corner and then we were able to extend on the high street. That has been a great case study for us in that comfort and great facilities are key to a good shop."
Gambling regulation is a hot topic in both Britain, where implementation of the proposals from the last government's review of the 2005 Gambling Act continues, and in the Republic of Ireland, where legislation was updated through a new Gambling Regulation Act last year.
However, in Northern Ireland the current rules go back to the Betting, Gaming, Lotteries and Amusements (Northern Ireland) Order 1985, although it was amended three years ago, and there have been calls for an overhaul.
Toal says: "There haven't been many updates to gambling laws. We were only allowed Sunday opening as of May 2022 and that was a big thing for us.
"Most importantly when we weren't open on a Sunday there was a lot of illegal gambling happening in certain pubs across the country and guys laying illegal books.
"That is still a major threat and challenge for us in some parts of the country. Sunday opening has helped that but more clarity is still needed in the regulation."
Three years ago proposals for a Gambling Code of Practice appeared, including affordability checks with a "trigger" limit of £100 a month.
"When you hear stuff like that you don't rest easy," Toal says. "It will go quiet for a while and then suddenly it's back on the radar and people are talking about it again. So we await clarity."
In the meantime Toals continue to put their faith in betting shops and retail betting.
Toal says: "It's a tough time for retail in general not just with the high street, but we fully believe in our strategy – make a comfortable environment for our customers and accompany that with leading technology.
"We're starting to see green shoots again. Things are coming back to life."
https://www.racingpost.com/news/features/interviews/were-starting-to-see-green-shoots-again-investment-in-technology-fuelling-hopes-of-a-brighter-future-for-betting-shops-aUiz66a1KSqH/
"Self-service is what younger customers are used to," he says. "When I'm trying to explain that to someone out of the industry, it's basically a gambling website on a terminal.
"With the digital experience in shops, when we first took out the hard copy of the Racing Post you were always going to get some customers who didn't like change and there was a bit of a kickback.
"But we have great staff who are briefed to make it as easy as possible, get out on the shop floor, show these guys how to use these terminals. Within a week or so once one customer switches over and realises the benefit of the product and how much insight there is in those Racing Post digital screens, they start to show their friends and then it snowballs from there. Likewise with the self-service terminals."
Only takes a generation
"With the digital experience in shops, when we first took out the hard copy of the Racing Post you were always going to get some customers who didn't like change and there was a bit of a kickback.
"But we have great staff who are briefed to make it as easy as possible, get out on the shop floor, show these guys how to use these terminals. Within a week or so once one customer switches over and realises the benefit of the product and how much insight there is in those Racing Post digital screens, they start to show their friends and then it snowballs from there. Likewise with the self-service terminals."
Only takes a generation
"We've seen customers come back and they're happy to go back into the shops," he adds. "We've seen a real influx of business in the morning. People are getting in, doing their accumulators and Lucky 15s for the day."
Toal says that, while younger gamblers tend to start online, he believes that as they get older they are coming back to betting shops.
I don't use betting shops any more, and haven't done so for many a year but the only people I see through the square window tend to be sat on the crack-cocaine type machimes spinning wheels etc.
Must be 19 hundred and frozen to death since I heard anyone uner 40 saying they've just placed a yankee or a Lucky 15 bet.
Young uns want quick hits.
Toal says that, while younger gamblers tend to start online, he believes that as they get older they are coming back to betting shops.
I don't use betting shops any more, and haven't done so for many a year but the only people I see through the square window tend to be sat on the crack-cocaine type machimes spinning wheels etc.
Must be 19 hundred and frozen to death since I heard anyone uner 40 saying they've just placed a yankee or a Lucky 15 bet.
Young uns want quick hits.
@leif
"And, that a TOTE based system would eventually replace conventional bookmakers"
How do you see that happening/working? AIUI, younger punters are mainly betting on football, and betting on single-game multis. I don't see how those bets can be backed by a tote - unlike simple Home/Away/Draw etc singles?
"And, that a TOTE based system would eventually replace conventional bookmakers"
How do you see that happening/working? AIUI, younger punters are mainly betting on football, and betting on single-game multis. I don't see how those bets can be backed by a tote - unlike simple Home/Away/Draw etc singles?
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