The biggest talking point was the shrinking Independent Bookmaker market in the UK and Ireland and how it is now subject to a variety of government policy changes that are making the trading environment uncertain for some. The Bookmakers Trade Fair was a good place to meet and discuss the potential impact on the industry and its future.
Recent legislation on both sides of the Irish Sea has put further pressure on margins in the independent sector and businesses are looking hard at the impact. There is an expectation that some shops will close. Others are looking hard at how to ensure the product in-shop is of the highest quality to ensure their customers are getting the best experience.
For our part, all we can do is to continue developing LiveSpace digital signage so that it will eventually replace the BIDS application. Our goal is to provide customers from all sectors (Retail, Hospitality, Government and Leisure etc.) with an enhanced customer experience full of the production values required to keep an audience engaged, whilst interacting with the content.
The Single Meeting Screen was received well by many who joined us on the stand. Our separation of the 4K screen and the interactive touchscreen was a popular choice, with many recognising the cost saving and how easy it is to use. For large clients like PaddyPower Betfair who visited the stand, we were able to describe how easy it is to create menu options and add content if they chose to develop their own interactive solution through LiveSpace.