I first heard about fantasy sports over a decade ago when I was just starting out in the industry. At that time, it was already popular in North America and quickly became a global phenomenon. Currently, fantasy sports are widely popular in Europe, America, India, and other regions, with leading platforms like FanDuel (USA) and Dream11 (India). Dream11 in India has achieved annual revenues of over $800 million and has more than 160 million active users, making it the fastest-growing market for fantasy sports globally. The mainstream platforms now cover sports including basketball, soccer, cricket, American football, hockey, golf, etc. The global market size is expected to reach $14.29 billion by 2025.
The gameplay is straightforward. Taking basketball as an example, players pay an entry fee to join a room, and within the system's set "salary cap," they select players from the league roster to form their "dream team." Points are awarded based on the players' real-game performances (such as scoring, rebounds, steals, blocks, etc.), and teams are ranked by total points, with the top-ranked players winning the prize money. The winner takes the prize pool, and the platform takes a 10–15% cut for operational profit. This mechanism is exactly the same as that of Texas Hold'em poker.
Feature 1: Skill-based
Fantasy sports are highly dependent on skill, and in some countries, they are not considered gambling but are classified as games. However, in most regions, they are still categorized as gambling. In the Philippines, such products are defined as gambling and are directly regulated by the government. Because of this attribute, it attracts many players who dislike purely random games, especially sports enthusiasts. Its strong interactivity and strategic nature also facilitate long-term retention and active participation.
Feature 2: Rake
Fantasy sports are profitable regardless of the season. Profits rely solely on entry fee commissions, with no risk of prize pool shortfalls and no arbitrage opportunities, almost eliminating the need for risk control, making operations very stable. This mechanism was the core path for card games going international and is the fundamental logic behind the global sweep of Texas Hold'em poker.
Feature 3: High Acceptance
Fantasy sports combine real events with public enthusiasm, posing low social risks and are unlikely to face suppression. In actual promotions, they are much "cleaner" than products like slot machines. This allows fantasy sports to have a foundation for long-term operation in foreign markets, making them a good choice in the gambling industry.
Feature 4: Suitable for Sports-Crazed Countries
The markets currently covered almost all have a strong sports culture background, such as the USA (NFL, NBA), India (cricket), and the UK (Premier League). Countries with a similarly fervent sports culture but yet to be tapped, such as Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand (soccer), and the Philippines (basketball), are fertile grounds for the future of fantasy sports. The Philippines currently has only one local platform, Daily Fantasy, which was established just a year ago and is still considered a blue ocean market.
Feature 5: Maturity
After market tempering, the fantasy sports industry chain has become very mature. From data supply to system integration, and then to event interfaces, the barrier to entry is extremely low. The deployment efficiency of fantasy sports is much higher than that of traditional sports betting or live entertainment products.
The title is merely subjective imagination. Ultimately, the best for you is what suits you best.
If I had a sports betting license, I would do this.
Comments0
If I had a sports license, I would sell it immediately.
Smart Bro
Thank you for sharing.
Doing something unique is fine, but focusing solely on this might be a bit of a loss.
Doing something unique is fine, but focusing solely on this might be a bit of a loss.
The frequency is too slow, where is it comfortable to roll the ball?
Every day, there is something new to learn, thank you.
It still feels too complicated.
I've never heard of this platform in the Philippines.
Go to India to play cricket, some do it
It's a good category, but few people are doing it.
India's head seems to be backed by Chinese as well.
Is that so?
The audience is still too small now.
Fantasy sports make money too slowly.
If I had a sports license, I would go all out in rolling ball betting. Is there anything more profitable than rolling ball betting?
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