Flutter announces startup competition aimed at growth of female gamers in the UK and Ireland

Gaming giant Flutter’s leading brands in its UKI division – Sky Betting and Gaming, Paddy Power, and Betfair – are looking to partner with a high-potential startup to seize the opportunity to better serve the fast-growing female customer base in the UK and Ireland.

As part of its Alpha Hub program, Flutter Entertainment says that is looking to cater to female gamers in the UK and Ireland due to recent research pointing to an exciting opportunity with this demographic.

To engage this demographic effectively, product ideas must be tailored to their unique playstyle. With women tending to discover games through social circles, they should identify novel ways to attract customers by focusing on social and community gaming. The solution presented should be a digital entertainment destination that focuses on helping customers unwind, have fun, and relax.

There is also a ‘wildcard option’ for those startups that can provide interesting ideas that don’t quite fit the brief. This allows such companies to submit their solutions on how Flutter can create safe, entertaining experiences for female customers now and in the future.

The partnership offers symbiotic benefits, with the winning startup given the opportunity to form a commercial partnership with Flutter and scale their solution across the UK and Ireland; participate in a demo day to showcase their business to an audience of investors, technology experts and leaders from across Flutter; access to workshops and networking with senior Flutter leadership; and access to Alpha Hub Startup Support.

Steve Birch, Chief Commercial Officer at Sky Betting and Gaming, said: "We see this as a really exciting gap in the market, and we’re looking forward to finding and partnering with innovative startups through the Alpha Hub program to seize this opportunity."

Earlier in January, it was announced that Flutter’s PokerStars and Paddy Power brands would spearhead online satellite tournaments for the forthcoming Irish Poker Open (IPO) tour set to resume in March 2024. This marks the second consecutive year of their involvement in hosting these events.