The sports and casino brand is constantly experimenting with new ideas, promotions and ways of attracting and retaining customers. A prime example was during the 2022 World Cup where new customers were off ered a free takeaway with Uber Eats instead of free bets or free casino spins. CEO Rob Jarrett-Smith says the promotion proved very popular and provided an alternative to its competitors that are able to be more generous with free bets and bonuses. “It was just a diff erent way, at a lower price point really, for us to stand out,” he explains.
While some established operators have gone down the tried-and-tested route of hiring ex-Premier League footballers to act as ambassadors, Rhino.Bet has chosen to invest in grassroots and women’s football. The most notable is its sponsorship deal with National League South team Dartford FC announced in July 2023. Rhino is the team’s offi cial East Stand sponsor, aff ectionately known as the ‘Rhino Enclosure’, for the 2023-24 season. The operator’s branding will also appear on all training wear for the men’s and women’s team.
However, Jarrett-Smith is quick to point out that the word ‘Bet’ doesn’t appear on its stand or any of the advertising boards in that part of the stadium. He remarks: “Personally, I don’t think it’s a good thing for a football ground where there are children present. It’s fairly obvious what we do and people who are interested can fi nd out. I’m not embarrassed that we’re a betting company, but I think football, particularly grassroots, is often a family event.”
The firm’s CEO is proud to be investing in a local team and getting involved with the community in Kent. Some people have compared the Dartford partnership to the ‘Wrexham eff ect’, which saw the Welsh football club elevated to new heights following investment from Hollywood A-listers Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. Jarrett-Smith acknowledges that it has stirred up interest where other clubs, even from League One and Two, have contacted him in order to show their support.
Dartford women’s team has “progressed incredibly” while having had the opportunity to play against well-known sides such as Fulham and Millwall. Rhino. Bet’s CEO highlights that the women’s team is more active on social media, seeing it as a way to boost their profi les further. On the importance of the money invested at this level, he notes: “I don’t think we’re ever going to get the exposure you get from higher-tier football sponsorship obviously, but it feels good. We’re doing a lot of video content about the journey and what it’s like to be a grassroots footballer both on the men’s and women’s side. So, it isn’t simply just about directing bets. There’s a story to be told.”
Outside of sponsorship, Rhino.Bet works closely with its platform partner, Playbook Engineering, to showcase new ideas and test those out in the UK market. With staff hailing from a digital background and senior management having worked at larger tier-one UK operators in the past, ex-Betfair exec Jarrett- Smith describes the employee mix of “old and new blood” as promising young starters within gaming have also joined its workforce, bringing it up to a total of 18 staff across the business. By owning the platform Rhino.Bet sits on, it allows the challenger brand to direct resources to be able to build what it needs when required. Jarrett-Smith observes that “there’s not been a great deal of innovation for a long time” in the industry but the operator has projects under way around bonusing and rewards.
He tells EGR that although it’s diffi cult to compete in the UK, there is still plenty of opportunity to grab as some of the strongest brands in the early 2000s have since disappeared or merged. “We’ve been realistic in our expectations,” he explains. “We have a very small, streamlined team, we’ve been very willing to take on risk in the way we do things. From day one, we’ve always been keen to off er a service to bettors at all levels. We’re fortunate to have backing and I appreciate a lot of challenger brands can’t do that. But we’ve always taken on some of the bets that other companies would turn away. We want it to be a place where everyone, whatever size of bet, can bet with us.”
Although Rhino.Bet is solely UK-focused, its platform provider, Playbook Engineering, has ambitions to operate globally and is already moving into new markets. While rivals have set their sights on other regions such as the US and Latam, Rhino.Bet’s late entry into the market has meant it’s not burdened by some of the legacy issues. “We have a very strict adherence to compliance policies. We don’t carry any baggage from when the rules were less clear. So, from day one, we’ve done everything by the book, not just because it’s legally a requirement, but morally I think it’s the right thing to do. It means at a later date we won’t have the issues some fi rms have been having in recent times,” Jarrett-Smith concludes.
