Scottish bookmakers plan to go online with new ScotBet brand name.
Tuesday 20th May 2008
Edinburgh-based bookmakers Morrisons has announced that it will be re-branding its land-based operations under the ScotBet name along with inaugurating an online offering.
According to The Scotsman newspaper, Morrisons has been a major player in the Scottish bookmaking industry for 47 years but has decided to change its name in order to differentiate itself from the supermarket chain and building firm of the same name.
Kenneth Waugh, Managing Director for the bookmakers stated that the popularity of slot machines and online gambling had reduced in-shop horserace betting to only 30 percent of its total shop income. He said that the firm’s decision to enter the online gaming market was determined by the fact that many of its customers would bet in its shops during the week but then go home and bet online.
Waugh stated that the company had expanded its network of betting shops over the past year by 20 to bring its total number to 74 and expected ScotBet’s online offering to gain approximately 1,000 active customers by the end of the year.
The newspaper reported that the bookmaker was continuing its strategy of buying up independent Scottish bookmakers and was also interested in several of the UK Government's Tote outlets.
