There are less than 72 hours before Christmas, and Hanukkah has already begun. You probably still have last-minute Christmas shopping to complete if you’re like many Americans.
You might find the perfect gift for sports enthusiasts in your household if you live in a state that allows regulated online betting.
Blackhawk Network might be a brand you don’t recognize but almost all of your products have been purchased by them. They work with retailers to provide gift cards that can be used for restaurants, apps and online services, as well as retail shops. The company also offers gift cards for sportsbooks, which are branded Games On.
After PASPA was repealed in 2018 by the Supreme Court, the obvious question for Blackhawk was whether they were allowed to participate in sports betting.
BlackHawk was able to get involved in sports gambling almost immediately
At the time, I ran a division in Black Hawk’s lottery. My CEO came by when PASPA was being repealed and asked me if I would like to participate in sports betting. It seemed very exciting to me, so I decided that sports betting was for me. “And I thought I would have time to kind of craft a carefully planned strategy,” Richard Gottlieb, BlackHawk Network Head of Lottery and Gaming said. “Literally, four days later that Tuesday night, the head for prepaid at one of our largest distribution partners called me and asked what my plans were regarding sports betting.”
They ordered a study of bettors to see if Blackhawk Network could get involved before they pulled the trigger.
We learned many interesting things. He said that sports betting was not giftable. We thought that we had something special by gifting it.
The Game On Cards address more than just finding gifts for people
The group also learned other valuable lessons about betting and the potential benefits of gift cards that could be used to address problems beyond stocking stuffers.
Gottlieb said that many people were reluctant to connect their bank information to these not-well-known brands, regardless of whether they were using ACH or credit cards. As others have pointed, there was a high rejection rate for debit and credit cards when the first sports betting began in the United States. It was an alternative solution to the problem of consumers hesitancy and a way for people who were having trouble financing their accounts.
“There were a lot of people that care about privacy. They wanted to be able to see how they spend their money on sports betting.
This wasn’t all there was to non-gifting. This was not the only upside to responsible gambling.
People said that if it was linked to my bank account or credit card, it could make it easier for me to spend less than what I budgeted. Gottlieb said that it is used by many people as a budgeting tool.
The launchpad to those who are interested in gambling is Game On Cards
Gottlieb believes that these cards can be used in many other ways, but Gottlieb thinks they are best as gifts. It is a great way for someone to try their luck at betting.
It is my belief that most people who buy gift cards for sports betting, such as Game On, or other brands, and gift it as gifts to sports enthusiasts are giving it away to those people, but not to someone who has made the leap to becoming a sports gambler.
Cards for betting on sports can be issued with multiple brands so that the recipient can choose from a variety of markets. Although you don’t need to give a bank account or credit card number to get the card, it is necessary to know the customer protocol to open an account.
Game On, like lotto tickets, should only be gifted to people over 21. This could make a great gift this holiday season for someone who is interested in betting on sports.
