Global sports streaming platform offering on-demand original programs and live world championship boxing in over 200 countries DAZN has partnered with Rome-based Bet Class Italia for the soft launch of a new sportsbook service in Italy.

The company that launched its services in Japan, Austria, Switzerland, and Germany in 2016, followed by Canada a year later, the US and Italy in 2018, Brazil and Spain in 2019, and dozens of other countries and territories worldwide in 2020 has announced a fanfare-free debut of its DAZNBet.it sportsbook brand on the Italian market. 

No Bells and Whistles Around the Launch

The Over-the-Top platform that lets customers access top-tier video content while enjoying a premium on-demand experience has been a crucial market of DAZN since 2018 when it started covering exclusive UEFA Champions League and Series A matches. Now, according to the new agreement between the two companies, Bet Class Italia will be responsible for running the DAZN Bet service for Italian consumers. This will be possible through a separate betting company led by Francesco Mastantuoni.

The start of the month marked the launch that did not benefit from any heavy coverage in the media. The two parties only expressed their intention to test and work on building a sportsbook that can offer top services to domestic bettors. The discreet launch offered limited information on the two companies’ future plans and milestones for the Italian market. The launch was described as “the start of an exciting journey for a new sports betting and gaming product in the country,“ according to Mastantuoni, DAZN Bet’s managing director in Italy.

Both DAZN and Bet Class Italia are interested in nurturing a safe and recreational offer for bettors while looking forward to making the journey together. 

DAZN Determined to Turn Into the One-Stop Destination for Digital Audiences

During the SBC Summit held in Barcelona in September, DAZN’s chief executive officer Shay Segev emphasized the company’s plans to turn sports betting into the only destination where online audiences can engage with their favorite sports. In 2022, DAZN launched its sportsbook services for the sports betting market in the UK and Spain. No clear plans have been, however, presented to the public in relation to the brand’s future market launches.

Speaking at September’s SBC Summit Barcelona, DAZN CEO Shay Segev outlined the importance of sports betting for DAZN to become the “single destination point for digital audiences to engage with sports.” Segev called sports betting an enabler that would help the brand build a full-service platform that would cater to all forms of sports engagement, including on-demand streaming, betting, ticketing, or NFT purchases. In August, DAZN used a similar soft-launch strategy for a beta product for the UK market.