Skill over luck: A responsible approach to sports betting
With the global sports betting market on the rise, revenue is projected to reach US$77.18 billion in 2025. A report from Statista projects that the market will grow at an annual rate of 5.30% through 2029, reaching about $94.89 billion. The United States is expected to be the largest market, with revenue of $18.51 billion forecast for next year. User numbers worldwide are expected to reach 231.9 million by 2029, with an average revenue per user of $389.52, while user penetration is projected to rise from 2.5% in 2025 to 2.9% by 2029.
In India, the sports betting market is projected to reach $2.19 billion in 2025, growing at 5.32% annually to hit $2.70 billion by 2029. The number of users is expected to grow to 18.9 million, with an average revenue per user of $139.51.
Since traditional sports betting models require players to wager their own money, concerns around risk management and responsible gambling are increasing as the sector expands. To address these challenges, companies like London-based Trading Buddy Ltd are offering skill-based, interactive models that let participants use virtual funds and earn real money by showing consistent, thoughtful decision-making.
To understand how the model works and its impact on the industry, SiGMA News spoke with Trading Buddy’s General Manager, Oliver Olejár, who explained how their skill-based platform operates, complies with regulations, and plans to expand globally. He highlighted that such platforms could reshape sports betting by combining strategic play with real earning opportunities, offering a safer and more responsible way to bet.
Tackling betting challenges and promoting responsible gaming
SiGMA World: What key challenge do you see bettors facing in today’s gaming and betting ecosystem, and how are you addressing it?
Trading Buddy General Manager, Oliver Olejár: We’re helping bettors overcome the issue that costs them long-term gains – the lack of capital. Trading Buddy helps sports bettors continue enjoying their passion without the stress of risking their own money. By using our structured challenges, bettors learn how to bet responsibly, build good habits, and make consistent earnings over time. They can access much larger capital than they would be able to on their own, allowing them to lower their risk and create much more consistent strategies.
SiGMA World: In what ways does your approach align with responsible gaming principles?
Olejár: Since our platform doesn’t involve our users taking the risk on any bets, we’re naturally aligned with responsible gaming. We help bettors develop healthier, smarter betting habits without financial risks, promoting a safer and more sustainable way to engage with sports betting.
SiGMA World: You’ve created an educational, gamified platform using virtual profit points. How do you balance entertainment with financial literacy and strategy-building?
Olejár: Our goal is to keep sports betting fun but also responsible. Our platform makes the experience entertaining, but it also teaches bettors the importance of strategies and effective risk management, helping them become smarter players.
SiGMA World: What kinds of users are most attracted to this model, and how do you keep them engaged over time?
Olejár: Our users are usually younger sports fans who are active online and enjoy being part of betting communities. Instead of short-term bonuses, we offer an engaging and responsible platform with consistent monthly rewards for consistent bettors, keeping our users motivated and involved.
Skill-based model: a safer alternative to traditional gambling
SiGMA World: How does your skill-based challenge model work, and what makes it a sustainable alternative to traditional gambling or sportsbooks?
Olejár: Here’s how it works: you start by taking a challenge using virtual funds. If you show that you’ve got a good eye for picking winners and can manage risk well, we fund you with up to £/€/$50,000. You place the bets and keep up to 80% of the profit. You risk nothing.
It’s really that simple:
- Take a challenge
- Prove your skill
- Get funded and start earning
This model is inspired by the prop trading industry. In the past, traders had to risk their own money with brokers in their small personal accounts. Now, millions of traders use funded accounts where they trade with someone else’s capital in much larger accounts. That industry has become a massive service-based business. Today, many new traders skip opening a brokerage account altogether and go straight to a prop firm. We believe the same shift is starting to happen in the sports betting world, and Trading Buddy is leading the way.
SiGMA World: Given that betting often involves both chance and risk, how do you distinguish skill from luck in your model?
Olejár: Our rules and betting limits make sure players can’t rely on luck alone. To succeed in our programme, users need consistency, patience, and discipline—exactly the qualities of skilled bettors. There is no space for get-rich-quick gamblers. It’s all about consistency and skill.
Legal clarity and regulatory compliance
SiGMA World: How do you address common misconceptions about the platform being a gambling product, especially when explaining your model to partners or regulators?
Olejár: We clearly explain that our platform isn’t traditional gambling, backed by legal advice from our specialised lawyers in the US. This helps partners and regulators understand exactly how we’re different and why our model is safer and more responsible.
According to a formal opinion from our US legal counsel,” Based on the programme as described and the foregoing legal analysis, the Company’s programme falls outside the statutory definition of gambling under US law. The platform’s skill-based challenges, absence of chance, lack of user fund risk, and focus on education clearly indicate that a gambling license is not required for its operations in the United States.”
SiGMA World: What are the biggest regulatory or market challenges facing skill-based platforms like yours today?
Olejár: The main challenge is clearly communicating the difference between skill-based platforms and gambling, both to regulators and the general public. We actively engage in these conversations to create understanding and ensure we stay ahead of any regulatory developments.
SiGMA World: What compliance or legal frameworks support your operation in global markets, especially those with strict gambling regulations?
Olejár: We currently operate in an area that doesn’t face extensive global regulation, but we still follow best practices similar to major sportsbooks and trading firms, just like we do at our retail traders’ prop firm. This proactive approach means we’re ready if regulations become stricter down the line.
Growth, scalability, and market outreach
SiGMA World: Can you describe your plans for the upcoming white-label expansion, including the types of partners or markets you are aiming to reach, and how your platform handles scalability?
Olejár: We’re focusing our white-label product on two main groups: companies already familiar with funded trading models, and young entrepreneurs who are passionate about sports betting. Our platform is flexible and scalable, meaning we can easily support partners from initial setup to fully operational businesses.
SiGMA World: Which regions are showing the strongest demand for skill-based engagement platforms, and what upcoming initiatives or plans are you focusing on?
Olejár: Right now, our main focus is on the UK and the USA because these markets are eager for innovative, skill-based betting solutions. Once we succeed there, we’ll look at other global opportunities. We’re also focused on getting the word out about our concept and helping sports bettors understand how it works. Since this idea is still new in the betting world, most people haven’t heard of it yet—and there aren’t any review sites, educators, or influencers really talking about it. That’s why we’re working with influencers who have their own audiences and can help us explain the concept. Over time, as more people try it and start getting payouts, that real-world proof will help build trust. Influencers and successful players together will create the credibility that this new kind of platform needs to grow.
