Sweepmate steps into UK market after DraftKings exit
A new UK real‑money gaming platform, Sweepmate, has entered the market with a pool‑based model that combines traditional sweepstakes, fantasy sports mechanics and live trading. The platform, licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), arrives at a time when the sector is searching for new formats after DraftKings withdrew from the UK fantasy sports market in 2022.
Market context after DraftKings
In 2022, DraftKings discontinued its UK fantasy product and reduced the number of paid fantasy and prediction alternatives available, despite an increase in online gambling revenue and participation. Fantasy Premier League has grown into the world’s largest fantasy football game, with over 11 million active players and strong weekly links to Premier League broadcasts.
According to industry data, British betting remains centred on fixed‑odds sportsbook products. Fantasy and other prediction games, meanwhile, are often positioned as free‑to‑play engagement tools rather than core gambling channels. Surveys conducted among UK gamblers show that the popularity of in‑play and micro‑betting formats is reflected in demand for straightforward, event‑based products that correspond with weekend viewership.
New approach from Sweepmate
In an exclusive interview with SiGMA News, co‑founder of Sweepmate Johnny Barnes described the platform as a modern successor to the kind of weekly fantasy engagement models DraftKings had attempted in the UK before shifting its focus back to the US market.
Industry analysts have long noted the difficulty of sustaining paid fantasy formats in the UK, where sportsbook betting is culturally entrenched and free‑to‑play fantasy is already dominant. However, pool‑based formats have historically performed strongly, the Football Pools once attracted millions of weekly entries and recent trends suggest renewed interest in social, low‑stakes, shared‑outcome products.
Barnes said, “We’re starting with football because it’s the cultural heartbeat here and sweepstakes are a long‑standing British tradition. It’s a familiar mechanic, reimagined for how fans watch sport today: weekly drama, social competition and a modern pool format designed to keep everyone in the game until the final whistle.”
Positioning within evolving regulation
Operating under UKGC licence number 065457‑R‑340334‑001, the business emphasises that it collects a fixed 10 percent rake on entries and trades rather than setting odds or taking house positions. The founder claims that regulations prohibiting the purchase of any team for more than the maximum prizes in a pool are part of the game’s built‑in spending limits.
UK government statistics show that online betting and gaming duty receipts have risen year‑on‑year, reflecting sustained demand for digital wagering across sports and casino verticals. According to the company, it integrates GamStop for self‑exclusion and collaborates with Veretad for identity verification. These measures are in line with other developing gambling formats, especially micro‑betting, fantasy tournaments and hybrid entertainment‑gaming platforms.
Barnes noted, “The excitement comes from the gameplay, simple rules, clear outcomes and drama driven by real‑world results provided by Sportradar. Pick three teams, and if they finish 1st, 4th or last that week, you win. Live trading keeps fans engaged all the way to the final whistle and as an AML safeguard, a team can never be bought for more than the maximum possible winnings in that pool. It’s a modern, real‑money sweepstake that delivers jeopardy, emotion and shared experience, without unnecessary complexity. Innovation in this space should enhance trust, safety and enjoyment. That is what we’re building: a responsible, regulated, fan‑first experience where the fun comes from playing not from confusion.”
Expansion beyond football
Sweepmate holds a remote pool licence that allows it to run competitions based on events with clear outcomes. The format could be applied to football tournaments, golf majors, Formula 1 or even entertainment contests such as Eurovision. Safeguards, including spending caps and entry limits, are set to apply across future products.
The expansion reflects a wider trend where gambling mechanics, live entertainment and social features are combined from prediction games tied to award shows to trading around reality TV results. Micro‑prediction games, casual fantasy formats and trading apps are gaining ground, marking a shift away from accumulator bets and season‑long fantasy leagues.
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