In the world of sports betting and DFS, where technology, user expectations, and appetite for sports betting due to loosened regulations are constantly evolving, staying ahead of the competition demands more than just offering the best odds or most exciting promotions. Operators must deliver fast, seamless, and innovative digital experiences that engage users and encourage repeat business. But with so many moving parts—ranging from backend development and live sports data feeds, to UI/UX design and customer experience—it’s easy for teams to feel overwhelmed, especially when they’re tasked with meeting tight deadlines while continuously improving the user journey.
In this high-pressure environment, the most effective way forward isn’t simply adding more people to your team or relying on external contractors for piecemeal work. The true advantage comes when your design agency operates as a true extension of your internal team—bringing the benefits of an in-house partnership with the flexibility and agility that the fast-paced sports betting industry demands.
By integrating closely with your developers and other internal stakeholders, an agency can streamline workflows, adapt quickly to changing priorities, and deliver high-quality, user-centred designs that drive performance—without the delays that often accompany traditional agency-client relationships.
The fast-paced sports betting landscape
Sports betting platforms operate in a fast-paced, 24/7 environment, where products need to be updated in real-time and user expectations can shift at a moment’s notice. Whether it’s integrating new betting markets, enhancing the mobile experience for users placing live bets, or adjusting the design to meet new legal requirements, agility is key.
The ability to rapidly adapt and release features quickly can be the difference between retaining users and losing them to the competition. And in this environment, speed and efficiency in design are non-negotiable.
Why the 'in-house agency' model works for sports betting
1. Closer collaboration with development teams
At the heart of agile design is collaboration. The sports betting industry requires fast-paced changes to both front-end and back-end components. When a design agency works as part of your internal team, it creates a seamless connection between design and development. Designers can easily sync with developers on technical constraints, test prototypes in real-time, and make quick adjustments based on immediate feedback.
This close collaboration ensures that design solutions are always feasible, and helps avoid the delays and misunderstandings that can occur when design and development teams are siloed. Developers are part of the process from the start, allowing for smoother handoffs and quicker turnaround times on new features.
2. Agility in adapting to change
The sports betting space is defined by its need to adapt quickly—whether it’s a sudden market shift, a major sporting event, or a breadth of betting user personas. In-house design agencies can be agile and responsive, adjusting priorities and timelines without the need for long-winded proposals or waiting for third-party approvals.
The iterative, agile methodology works particularly well in this environment, allowing design teams to release new features in smaller, more manageable chunks. By continuously refining the user experience based on real-time data and feedback, you ensure that you remain nimble and able to meet changing customer needs and industry demands.
3. Speed to market
The key to standing out in a competitive market like sports betting is speed to market. With the right design agency integrated directly into your team, ideas can be quickly prototyped, tested, and refined without unnecessary delays. When designers and developers are tightly aligned, this accelerates the process, reducing friction and increasing your ability to deliver new features faster.
An in-house agency is particularly well-positioned to deliver quick design sprints for new campaigns, special events, or new product features that need to be rolled out fast. Whether it’s designing an intuitive interface for new bet types, optimising the app for high traffic during major events, or fine-tuning a feature to boost user engagement, working closely together makes it possible to meet deadlines without compromising quality.
4. Continuous iteration and optimisation
Sports betting isn’t a one-and-done proposition—it’s an ongoing process of iteration. New features need to be rolled out regularly, and your design needs to keep evolving based on data-driven insights, user testing, and emerging trends. By embedding an external agency as part of your internal team, it ensures that design isn't static. It becomes part of a continuous feedback loop, where user feedback, analytics, and internal stakeholder input all shape ongoing product iterations.
Your team can pivot on the fly, updating the platform’s design and functionality in response to changing player behaviour or shifting market demands—whether that’s updating live betting experiences or refining the look and feel of the site to drive conversions. This constant refinement allows sports betting platforms to stay ahead of the curve and consistently deliver on user expectations.
5. Access to specialist expertise with the agility you need
Working with an agency that functions like an in-house team brings you the specialised skills of top-tier designers without the overhead of full-time hires. In the fast-paced world of sports betting, having access to expertise in areas like UX design, mobile-first design, and user testing is essential for staying competitive.
But the key advantage of an in-house agency partnership is the agility it provides. This model allows you to tap into design expertise only when needed, without the constraints of traditional agency-client relationships. You get the expertise of a full-fledged design team, but with the speed, flexibility, and alignment of an in-house operation.
The future of sports betting design
As the sports betting landscape becomes increasingly competitive, the need for agile, responsive, and highly integrated design processes will only grow. Operators who can deliver seamless, high-quality digital experiences across all touchpoints will have a distinct competitive advantage. And in an industry where speed and efficiency are paramount, the key to long-term success lies in fostering an in-house agency relationship that can adapt quickly to market changes, optimise the user journey, and stay ahead of the competition.
We’ve partnered with some of the world’s leading sports betting platforms such as Taeks, Gambly, Unabated and OddsJam (acquired by Gambling.com for $160m), working alongside them to design and implement a comprehensive user experience overhaul across their desktop and mobile platforms. By working closely with their development teams, we are able to deliver a seamless betting experience that adapts to the needs of live events, resulting in higher engagement and improved conversion rates.
