BetMakers enters five-year deal with Betfair Australia to launch CrownBet
Supplier BetMakers has partnered with Betfair Australia to launch its fixed-odds betting brand CrownBet in early 2026, eight years after the brand went into recess.
CrownBet has been subject to several rebrands via various mergers and acquisitions over the past decade, being rebranded back to its earlier moniker BetEasy in 2018 and then absorbed into Sportsbet in 2020.
The five-year agreement enables BetMakers to provide its wagering technology to Betfair, including its customized wagering platform, Apollo, which features trading and risk management software, as well as the group’s content engine.
BetMakers Chief Operating Officer Martin Tripp said, “This partnership is a major endorsement of our end-to-end B2B strategy and a milestone for the Apollo platform. To be selected by Betfair to power the return of CrownBet demonstrates the scalability, performance and commercial flexibility of our technology stack.
“By combining our Apollo platform with deep industry expertise and talent within Betfair, we are confident we can deliver a market-leading wagering experience and help to position CrownBet as a formidable player in the Australian market.”
Under the deal, BetMakers will become the ‘technology backbone’ of CrownBet, as well as allow BetMakers to establish new relationships with Betfair and its parent company, Crown Resorts.
Betfair Chief Executive Amy Zavros added, “[BetMakers] technology, trading and services capability provides the foundation we need to bring CrownBet to market at the intended scale and complement our Betfair betting exchange, giving customers greater choice, value and innovation.”
Last month, Betfair and other operators, represented by Responsible Wagering Australia, called for a crackdown on offshore operators after it was found that bettors had lost AU$3.9 billion (US$2.6 billion)1 AUD = 0.6629 USD
2025-12-05Powered by CMG CurrenShift to illegal sites.
Charlotte Capewell brings her passion for storytelling and expertise in writing, researching, and the gambling industry to every article she writes. Her specialties include the US gambling industry, regulator legislation, igaming, and more.
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The Backstory
Why CrownBet is coming back now
The planned relaunch of CrownBet under a five-year technology deal between BetMakers and Betfair Australia lands at a strategic moment. The Australian online wagering market is consolidating around scale, data and compliance as operators juggle growth and regulatory risk. Betfair’s decision to revive a shelved brand through a business-to-business model suggests a hedged expansion: extend reach without diluting its core betting exchange while leveraging an external tech stack to move faster and contain fixed costs. The relaunch also reopens a familiar name in Australian wagering that was sidelined by years of mergers and rebrands, positioning Betfair to reenter the fixed-odds lane with a clean-sheet build rather than retrofit legacy systems.
The near-term calculus hinges on execution. A revived CrownBet must carve a position against incumbents that have entrenched scale and marketing clout. The bet is that a modern platform, tighter trading tools and differentiated content can punch above weight, win price-sensitive customers and defend margins under higher compliance expenses. The medium-term prize is leverage: if the technology stack is modular and efficient, Betfair can calibrate product, promos and risk in tighter cycles than peers still untangling legacy stacks.
Technology tailwinds from BetMakers’ reset
BetMakers’ pitch centers on its Apollo wagering platform as an end-to-end backbone that improves pricing, risk and content delivery. The supplier has been signaling that the rebuild is translating into operating gains. In April, it reported margin expansion, positive EBITDA and stronger cash flow following a third-quarter upswing, crediting Apollo with a jump in active users and betting volumes. Those trends were detailed in a trading update showing April gross margin improvement and momentum into fiscal 2026. For Betfair, tapping that stack reduces time-to-market and shifts development risk to a partner that is already iterating at scale.
The commercial logic cuts both ways. By becoming the technology spine for CrownBet, BetMakers converts its platform into a flagship reference in one of the world’s most competitive betting markets. Success would validate its B2B strategy, deepen its credentials with top-tier operators and potentially open doors across the region. It would also stress-test the platform under the high-frequency, high-liquidity demands of Australian sports and racing calendars, giving BetMakers a live environment to refine trading and personalization engines.
The financial stakes are straightforward. BetMakers has targeted a long-run gross margin of 70% and positive free cash flow in the next financial year. Delivering an on-time, stable CrownBet launch offers both revenue and reputational uplift. For Betfair, a tech partnership lowers capital outlay while preserving product differentiation through configuration rather than custom rebuilds. If Apollo’s performance claims hold, both sides gain operating leverage as customer cohorts thicken and lifetime values improve.
Compliance pressures shape go-to-market choices
Brand relaunches now unfold under tighter enforcement. Betfair recently paid an AU$871,660 penalty after the Australian Communications and Media Authority found it sent promotional messages to VIP customers without valid consent or unsubscribe options. The action, and a two-year court-enforceable undertaking, were outlined in coverage of the ACMA penalty over spam law breaches. The episode underscores both reputational risk and the cost of remediation for marketing lapses.
That regulatory context is not peripheral to a brand return. CrownBet’s launch plan will need compliance by design across messaging, promotions, incentives and VIP practices, with auditable consent management and opt-out tools embedded in the tech stack. BetMakers’ platform will be expected to operationalize those controls so the relaunch does not stumble out of the gate. The ACMA’s recent actions, including a June fine against another operator for VIP messaging violations, signal sustained oversight of high-value customer outreach. Operators that hardwire compliance into campaign orchestration will move faster and cheaper than those bolting it on.
There is also a broader trust question. Regulators and community stakeholders are likely to scrutinize any high-profile brand revival for responsible gambling posture, data governance and ad targeting. That raises the bar for real-time limit tools, friction for at-risk behavior and transparent complaint channels. A smooth launch could help Betfair reset narratives around customer protection at the same time it expands choice and price competition for bettors.
Market turbulence: fees, integrity and product breadth
Even with a strong platform, product availability and pricing are under pressure from shifting economics. A cohort of bookmakers recently pulled state-level soccer markets amid a dispute with Football Australia over proposed fee structures that operators say could reach almost 30% of revenue on some games. The standoff, including warnings that A-League markets could be next, was reported in coverage of bookmakers dropping state leagues over betting fee demands. The episode illustrates how rising content costs can compress margins and limit market depth.
Integrity concerns compound the calculus. Victoria’s regulator is reviewing Football Australia’s betting integrity framework after match-fixing cases tied to Macarthur FC players. Operators, already absorbing higher tax and compliance burdens, may ration inventory if rights costs spike or if integrity risks add operating friction. For a relaunching brand, that means segmenting acquisition by sport and time of year, flexing promo intensity toward racing or codes where economics are more predictable, and deploying risk tools to prevent volatility from eroding early cohort profitability.
The industry’s coordinated push against offshore operators adds another variable. Legal operators argue illegal sites siphon revenue and undercut consumer protections. Any renewed enforcement that reduces offshore leakage would lift the addressable pool for licensed brands, but only if onshore experiences match or beat the perceived value of illegal alternatives on odds, markets and payments. A nimble tech setup and disciplined market selection will matter more than blanket inventory.
Signals from adjacent markets and partners
Global moves in adjacent verticals point to a wider shift toward curated partnerships and regulated footprints. In Canada, Bragg Gaming’s content deal with Loto-Québec shows how state-backed operators are leaning on third-party studios and remote game servers to refresh libraries while keeping regulatory control. The model echoes what Betfair and BetMakers are attempting in sports: blend external innovation with governed distribution.
Payments trends reinforce the theme. In Mexico, Neosurf’s launch into the regulated market highlights how cash-preferred user bases and tighter AML and KYC needs are reshaping checkout flows. While Australia’s payments profile differs, the direction of travel is the same: operators will compete on low-friction, compliant transactions as much as on odds. A relaunched CrownBet that prioritizes seamless onboarding, transparent limits and sturdy verification will have an edge with customers and regulators.
The through line is specialization. Content platforms scale with studios and RGS partners, payment providers tailor to local compliance and user habits, and sportsbooks increasingly outsource core modules to move faster. If CrownBet’s return aligns with that stack-aware strategy, it could sidestep the pitfalls of monolithic rebuilds. The partnership structure lets Betfair concentrate on customer acquisition, brand positioning and exchange synergies while BetMakers iterates on performance, trading and compliance tooling.
The stakes for both companies
For Betfair, the CrownBet revival is a test of whether a dual-track strategy—exchange plus fixed odds—can grow share without inflating risk or overhead. The launch must demonstrate retention and unit economics that justify incremental marketing spend in a market where fees, taxes and compliance costs are rising. For BetMakers, successful delivery under a marquee brand in Australia could validate its platform thesis and support its forecast of revenue growth and free cash flow in the next fiscal year, as outlined in its recent update on margins and user growth.
The backdrop will not get easier. Regulators are active, integrity questions persist and rights holders are pressing for higher payments. But the opportunity is clear: a modern, compliant, data-driven sportsbook can still take share if it executes. CrownBet’s return will show whether this partnership can turn technology promises into market traction.
