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Spain – Spain next on the list for Bantasy
By Phil - 12 August 2016
Daily fantasy sports (DFS) has already taken the US by storm, and now several industry leaders are gearing up to bring that same excitement to Europe.
This growth is not without hiccups, however, as the legality of DFS betting is something of a grey area, and varies from one nation to the next. Enter Bantasy (www.bantasy.com), the US-based DFS site that has adopted a virtual currency model to bring more players into this exciting and social world – and to avoid the legal harangues that other companies have encountered.
“We at Bantasy believe that using virtual currency can deliver the same thrills as gambling with real money, but without the risk of losing one’s shirt, so to speak,” explains company Founder Manuel Concepción. “Nearly 60 million people participate in fantasy sports across the US and Canada. There’s no reason to think the potential isn’t equally big in Europe.”
Whereas American football is the bread and butter of DFS on this side of the pond, Europeans are largely captivated by Football and rugby. Both of these sports afford the kind of fan engagement and team management that make for great fantasy sports experiences.
Bantasy will initially test the waters of DFS in the UK before expanding to Spain. Barclay’s Premier League, one of the most-watched sports leagues in the world, will offer an informative testing ground for the site. Many of the world’s elite Football stars play on teams in one of these leagues. Just this summer, the European Championships drew huge crowds and captivated TV viewers around the world. Bantasy wants to help contribute to that kind of glorious spectacle.
DraftKings and FanDuel were among the first to establish brands in the UK, but because both these sites involve betting with real money, they’ve faced an uphill climb to earn licensure. Bantasy’s innovative virtual currency model will not face these same obstacles. Instead of outright gambling, the site has created a system in which players purchase and wager “chips” (virtual currency). The company believes this approach can entice even more people to try their hand at DFS without financial risk. Plus, the virtual currency model can encourage a more social and friendly approach to fantasy gaming.
