Yorkshire technology firm bets on global success

A YORKSHIRE technology firm has developed an app that allows gamers to bet against each other while they are playing on their iPhones.

Harrogate-based Small-bet was launched last year by a consortium of businessmen and has since appointed former News International chief technology officer Xenophin Lategan as its chief operating officer.

Now it is poised to launch its first product, an app that can be incorporated into skills based online games to allow players over the age of 18 to compete against their friends for limited amounts of money.

Managing director Neil Spence said the software was the first of its kind in the UK and would be rolled out globally over the coming months.

“The concept is an online evolution of the traditional pub wager when friends would challenge each other to a small bet on quizzes, darts matches, table football and pool.

“Gamers can only challenge people in their phone contacts list which restricts its use to play between friends,” he explained.
“Other features that differentiate our offering include the fact that it will be available only on games of skill rather than those based on chance and players will be limited to a daily spend of £25.”

The privately funded venture is now in talks with game studios and mobile device companies as it prepares the next phase of its launch in France and the US.

Entrepreneur Mr Spence, a former painter and decorator, came up with the idea over a game of Fifa 2010 on Xbox 360 when he wanted to challenge a friend to play for money but couldn’t because they were playing from locations miles apart.
 
Corporate finance accountant Fred Parkes joined the company from Grant Thornton earlier this year as finance director.

Small-bet’s online real money challenging facility uses a Paypal account to transfer money from the loser to the winning party automatically when game play ends, ensuring the agreed winnings are held until the game is complete and then transferred to the winner. 

“Over the past year we have worked hard to bring together a talented team of software developers, marketing professionals and industry experts all of whom have helped us reach this point,” said Mr Spence.

“Development work is now underway to create versions of Small-bet for other platforms including PCs, tablets and other smartphones and we expect these to be launched in the near future.”