Israel: The Online Casino Haven, where Gambling is Illegal

Many of the world’s biggest online gaming sites have extended their operations to Israel, which has become somewhat of a haven for online casinos.

For example, William Hill, which opened in England in 1934 and has 2,000 betting shops around the U.K., now does the bulk of their online casino operations in Israel. Based high in a Tel Aviv skyscraper, William Hill now employs 250 people in its Israeli office, despite the fact that none of their clients are from the small Middle-Eastern country.

As Haaretz.com reports, this all has to do with how good Israelis are at marketing and high-tech operations.

“Marketing strategy is set in Britain, which is where the deals get signed, but the operation is in Israel,” says Schraga Mor, a William Hill manager. “The roots start with the technological abilities and creativity of the Israelis who identify new markets. Israel is also very strong in distribution and marketing.”

Besides William Hill, other internet gaming giants that have put their roots in Israel include 888 and Playtech. Until being purchased by Canada’s Amaya Gaming in 2014, PokerStars was also based in Israel.

And it’s quite strange for such giant companies to be based in a country where gambling is still illegal and largely considered immoral. But it’s certainly paid off for Israel from a financial perspective.

“The gambling industry is one of the great growth drivers for Israeli high-tech,” said Itai Frieberger, 888’s COO.

But while Israel might be skilled in the high-tech part of the online gambling industry, what they really have a knack for is the marketing side. Eyal Solomon, CEO of Ethosia, estimates that only 30% of the industry’s Israeli workers do tech work while the other 70% are involved in marketing.

“They say Israelis are lousy at marketing, but marketing has changed completely in the last 10 years,” said Oren Kaniel, CEO of online marketing startup AppsFlyer. “Today, the world is measurable. rs can measure every shekel.”

So in a way, online gambling has helped Israel become known just as much for its digital marketing efforts. However, it’s the blend of marketing and online gaming that has truly helped Israel excel in the digital world.

Considering their position in this industry right now, Israel is poised to be an internet gambling leader for years to come.