Vigen Badalyan: “Data is too important to be controlled by one or two companies”

d of ICE 2017, BetConstruct and SBC Events held H2O Data Seminar in London, UK.

In his welcome speech, BetConstruct Executive Chairman Vigen Badalyan shared with the participants why the technology provider decided to co-produce and sponsor the sports data seminar: “First of all, we believe that sports data is vital as H2O, water. About 5 years ago, we, like many of you, bought scouting data from one large provider. Then the data provider demanded that we give details about our turnover, our customers and B2B partners. In this case they could charge us more. This was disturbing and unjustified. It is not the way I like to do business. We ended our partnership and backed an alternative solution.

2 years later this large provider bought two other companies that were selling data to us. This consolidation and monopolization of the market was expected.”

Then Vigen Badalyan added: “With time, some operators invested in suppliers of their competitors. This confirmed our belief that data is too important to be controlled by one or two companies. These companies can be bought by your competitors one day. It is not healthy. It makes everything more expensive for everyone and leaves all to the whims of a few.”

The event is dedicated to the discussion of sports data and how it is used by bookmakers to drive their business forward brought together over 150 industry professionals. The seminar also featured an address by two sporting celebrities: Ruud Gullit and John Barnes.