Sports Betting App Development: What You Should Know

The betting industry is rising today, though it hit the best times in its history before the coronavirus pandemic. A fall in 2020 was related to financial instability and general uncertainty during the lockdowns. But life seems to have returned to normal, and people have started to demonstrate an increased interest in retail sportsbook and mobile sports betting, and the size of betting markets is climbing back to pre-pandemic levels.

In 2023, the global sports betting and lottery market size is forecasted to reach $242 billion. According to Statista, there are more than 24K businesses in the sports betting industry worldwide. The industry revenue in 2024 is forecasted to reach $243.7 billion, which is still lower than the registered all-time high of

The popularity of the platforms and apps that allow users to place bets on differing teams, athletes, and matches has led to increased demand for sports betting software development services. In this article, we’ll discuss the various types of such solutions and highlight the key points to be aware of if you want to create your own sports betting application with unique features.

Betting solutions can be categorized based on various parameters. One popular approach is to group applications by sport. For example, there are football betting app development projects, solutions for auto or horse racing, etc. 

But there is also a variety of betting mechanics to consider.

• Moneyline. This rather simple mechanism involves users placing a bet on a winner and getting a reward. How much money will be received depends on how many other people made the same bet. If a favorite wins, the reward will be lower than in cases when victory goes to an underdog.
• Accumulator bets (parlays). How do betting apps work in this case? Users make multiple bets on one wager. The more bets are added, the higher profits can be. However, if at least one bet in the set loses, a user won’t get any rewards at all.
• Teaser betting. This is a type of accumulator bet. This mechanism lets users change the point spread for a game and combine bets on several games.
• Prop bets. This type is popular among people who have little knowledge about sports and teams in general. For many users, betting this way is simply entertainment. For example, users can bet on which team will score first or win the coin toss.

If you have an idea for a sports betting app development project, one of the most important things to think about in the planning stage is the functionality of your future app. A lot of companies have developed sports betting apps. Everyone wants to make their solution stand out in a crowded market, so there’s a long list of features typical for many apps of this kind. Below is a list of features that help to ensure the functioning of sports betting software and make the betting process convenient and clear for users.

• User account. This is an essential part of any betting app. To get access to various betting options, users need their own accounts. As a rule, to sign up, users need to provide some personal details and confirm their age. You need to make sure that the process of registration won’t be complicated and that everything will be intuitively clear.
• Betting functionality. This feature will be the core of your solution. Here, users should be able to see the schedule of matches, games, and events, pick different betting options, as well as get access to simple tools that will allow them to place bets just in a few clicks.
• Payment system. Sports betting software involves making financial transactions. At first, people need to wager some amount; if the bet is successful, they will get profits. We recommend paying special attention to the security of the payment system you choose, because even the smallest vulnerability can result in serious financial losses for users and significant reputational damage for your business. It’s a good idea to add various payment options, such as bank transfers, payments with debit and credit cards, and payments via services such as Google Pay or Paypal. There is also a trend to add cryptocurrencies to the range of payment methods, as this type of asset is gaining popularity.
• Betting guides. Though this feature is not obligatory, it can be of great use for those making the first steps in betting and who want to learn more about it. Various educational articles, short videos, and quizzes will let people better understand how betting markets work.
• User support. Excellent customer service is a must if you want to achieve success in the betting business. Users should feel that you take care of them and your team can provide them with the required assistance. You can organize your interaction with clients via online chat, email, or phone calls. You can also enrich your sports betting mobile app with an AI-powered chatbot for providing support service 24/7.
• Social features. For enhancing user experience, we advise you to consider the possibility of expanding your app with some tools like online chats and groups where users can exchange their opinions, share impressions, and simply discuss the results of matches or their personal forecasts for the next game.
• Live streaming. The integration of a video streaming service will let users watch real-time events directly on your application.
• Special offers and promotions. To make your mobile sports betting app look attractive for both new and existing users, you can introduce various loyalty programs, deposit bonuses, and free bets. 

As when building any other app, a sports betting app development project will include several stages. 

• Concept

First of all, you need a well-rounded general understanding of the solution you want to build. You’ll need to create the concept of your future betting app. Already at this step, you should analyze your target audience and the interests of these people. Moreover, when you think about how to create a sports betting app, it will be very reasonable to think about how to monetize it. Depending on the chosen way to earn money, you may need to introduce additional features. And the development team should know about it already at the initial steps of the project realization.

• Market research

We highly recommend studying current apps available in the betting industry, considering their strengths and weaknesses, and thinking about features that will help make your app unique. Reading user reviews of similar apps can provide valuable insights into the preferences, needs, and pain points of your target audience. This information can not only provide you with additional inspiration but also highlight the points that are most important to your target audience. It is crucial to deliver an app that fully covers their needs and does it better than others.

• Legal considerations

Study the laws that regulate betting markets in the region of your target audience.  It’s important to bear in mind that different jurisdictions apply different rules for betting activities. For example, some countries introduce requirements for obtaining special licenses, while others may fully prohibit betting. Make sure that using your app will be fully legal there.

• Software development partner

If you do not have in-house developers, you’ll need to establish cooperation with a company that has expertise in building software products for the sports industry, including fantasy sports apps, apps for sports clubs, and others. 

Today, many companies in the market provide similar services and may even have similar positioning. Nevertheless, this doesn’t mean they offer the same quality of final products. It is vital to attentively consider their experience, analyze their portfolios, and discuss possible terms of cooperation. Reviews and ratings on platforms such as Clutch and GoodFirms will also help you a lot.

• Planning

Together with the sports betting app development team, you’ll need to discuss the concept of your project, the functionality of your app, and the required tech stack. Based on this information, the team will be able to create a roadmap with realistic deadlines.

Usually, development teams start their work with a discovery phase. Experts need to analyze all available data, clarify the project's goals, and estimate the overall scope. At this step, it is important to ensure that all requirements are clear and that both developers and clients are on the same page.

• Design, development, testing

This step includes the work of many tech specialists who will be building and testing different features of your app and creating user interfaces that will ensure convenient interaction with your solution.

Very often, before investing in a full-scale solution, it is recommended to start with the development of an MVP. A minimum viable product has only a basic set of features and a simple design, meaning its creation requires less time and investment. Nevertheless, its launch can become a significant step. After launching this app version and letting users interact with it, you will be able to collect highly valuable feedback. Further, you can either proceed to the development of a full version of your app as it is or introduce changes based on users’ comments.

• Launch and support

When everything is ready, you can make your app available to the target audience by publishing it on marketplaces.  Make sure that your application corresponds to the requirements introduced by Google Play and App Store, otherwise, your app won’t be placed there. After the launch, it is necessary to track the performance of your app, fix any detected issues, and analyze what users think about the solutions. Based on their opinions, you can make valuable changes that will have a positive impact on user satisfaction.

For those who plan to start their own project, it will also be very important to understand what technologies and tools (and consequently, skills and qualifications) will required to develop a successful sports betting app.

• Android app development: Kotlin, Java, Jetpack.
• iOS app development: Swift, Objective-C, SwiftUI, UIKit.
• Cross-plaform app development: React Native, Flutter, Xamarin.
• Backend development: Python, PHP, Node JS, Gplang, Node.js.
• Frontend development: Angular, React, Vue.js, JavaScript.
• Cloud platform: AWS, SAP, Salesforce, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud.
• Database: MongoDB, MySQL.
• Push notifications: Firebase, Onesignal.
• Payments: PayPal, Stripe, Square, Amazon Pay, Authorize.Net, Adyen, etc.
• Live streaming protocols: WebRTC, RTMP.

It’s absolutely natural that at the stage of looking for information on how to start a sports betting app, you may have practically no understanding of the exact tech stack that will be required. Nevertheless, when you cooperate with a professional development team, it will be enough to understand the desired functionality of your future online sports betting app, and experts will help you make the right choice.

Quite often, businesses, even before starting to think about how to create a sports betting app, try to find out how much sports betting app development services could cost. It is very difficult to find any precise information in advance. The cost of launching a sports betting app, as well as any other digital solution, will be calculated based on a variety of factors. Without taking these factors into account, all provided estimates will be highly inaccurate.

When you discuss the terms of cooperation with a team that will build an application for you, you will need to share your specific requirements for the project, including:

• The concept and idea of your solution
• The type of your future app (whether it will be a native or cross-platform application)
• Its functionality
• The desired integrations
• The necessary tech stack (if you already know what technologies you want to rely on)
• The expected team composition

The team will evaluate the complexity of your online sports betting app and the time needed. Based on this analysis, it will be possible for them to name the required project budget. The more advanced functionality your solution has, the more time-consuming and expensive the sports betting app development process will be.

Any software development process is accompanied by a set of potential difficulties your team may face. Below is a list of aspects to pay attention to if you plan to launch a mobile sports betting app.

• Regulatory compliance

The key drawbacks of building solutions for the betting industry relate to the necessity to make your business fully legal and compliant in those jurisdictions where you want to work. We recommend you carefully study all the rules and laws in the chosen regions, as they may differ seriously. If you look at the following map of the US, you will see that the legal landscape is quite complex within the country.

It can be very challenging to obtain a gambling license in the Asian region, as countries have varying legislation. In most European Union countries, betting is legalized, but there are some special laws in some of them that will require additional effort from your side. 

• Publishing apps on marketplaces

Both App Store and Google Play have rather strict rules for sports betting apps. To make sure that your app will be published, you need to follow the provided guidelines at all stages of development. Only those apps associated with licensed companies can become available to users. Moreover, apps should be powered with a geo-fence mechanism that will guarantee that users based in regions where betting is prohibited won’t get access to their functionality.

To make sure your app will succeed, you need to have a reliable sports betting app development team by your side. At Cogniteq, we have no restrictions related to the business domains we can work with. However, there are some industries where we have the strongest expertise, and one of them is the sports industry. We have already built a series of fitness and sports solutions that allowed us to gain rich experience and deep knowledge of this specific market.

One example we can mention is the official Chelsea FC Hospitality app. The target audience for this application includes fans who like to watch games at Stamford Bridge. 

This solution is enriched with numerous features that help users plan and organize their visits to the stadium. For example, via the app, football fans can get access to special offers, travel tips for getting to Stamford Bridge, lists of matches, a photo gallery, club news, player profiles, and a hospitality guide. After the app was successfully launched, it attracted the attention of thousands of users. 

Another solution was built for a league of German football clubs. The application is intended for internal use and has functionality for coordinating the actions of the clubs’ PR managers. 

Our task was to develop two native apps for Android and iOS devices. Each contains lists of the members and partners of the league, contact details of PR managers, and a schedule of matches. The app is already being used by the clubs, and our team continues to introduce regular app updates and optimize its functionality.

Today we can say the betting industry is in the stage of active growth and expansion, which can explain the increasing demand for sports betting app development services. Though there are already a lot of sports betting platforms out there, there is still a good chance for newcomers to win market share by offering a unique solution.

That's why, if you’re considering launching such a solution, we recommend you focus on aspects such as the reliability of your app, security of transactions, and user experiences. 

At Cogniteq, we are always ready to provide our professional assistance at any step of the software development project. You can rely on us for full-cycle development or turn to us for help with specific services related to creating your sports betting application. To discuss your idea with us or to get more information about our potential cooperation, please leave your inquiry on our website and our experts will contact you as soon as possible.