Interview: Betfair Head of Poker Matt Mowlam
Following Betfair Poker's launch on the top-tier iPoker network, PokerStrategy.com spoke to Head of Poker at Betfair, Matt Mowlam, for insight on what players can expect from Betfair Poker in future.
Following the launch of New Betfair Poker, existing players can play at 
Betfair Poker on both iPoker and, until the middle of 2013, the Ongame network. New players will only be able to play on iPoker.
We spoke to Betfair's Head of Poker, Matt Mowlam, to find out more about what this move means for new and old Betfair Poker players.
"New Betfair Poker enables us to offer new product features"
PokerStrategy.com: Why the move to iPoker now?
Matt Mowlam: iPoker is the leading poker network that offers product features and marketing capabilities that we have traditionally not been able to offer our players. Our launch of New Betfair Poker (our iPoker room) enables us to offer these.
Some of the new features available to us now have been things our customers have been asking for some time, so naturally we’re delighted about being able to give them what they want with the launch of New Betfair Poker.
"Betfair continues to offer unique and rewarding promotions"
PokerStrategy.com: What sets Betfair apart from other iPoker skins?
Matt Mowlam: Betfair will continue to offer a consistent stream of unique, appealing and rewarding promotions which customers will be able to find in the poker tab on the Betfair website.
For a flavour of what to expect, we can reveal that brand new customers to New Betfair Poker can take advantage of an improved welcome offer including a 200% sign up bonus up to $2,000, while existing Betfair Poker players will be able to take advantage of our introductory $2,000 Bankroll Kickstarter Bonus.
In addition, we will continue to run Betfair Poker Live, our own live event series that brings a fun and professionally run brand of live poker across Europe. We will run more of our promotional activity to tie into sporting events to cater for our large customer base who both bet on sports and play poker.
PokerStrategy.com: What are your thoughts on the split liquidity pools at iPoker? Do you think they make for better games?
Matt Mowlam: Yes, they definitely make for better games. They are also important for safeguarding recreational players and a must-have for sportsbooks who traditionally introduce new players to the game.
The recreational player network that we will be on with iPoker will be the largest of its kind, offering the best games on the net. We are keen to see this continue and develop further, and will work with iPoker to ensure it does.
PokerStrategy.com: Is there still a place in poker for player sponsorships?
Matt Mowlam: Absolutely. It still shows the Poker community that you can be successful and make it professionally in poker.
"Our focus is getting back to the roots of online poker"
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PokerStrategy.com: Is the future of online poker bringing new depositing players and what are you doing to increase these efforts?
Matt Mowlam: It’s a must if we want to grow this industry. Our focus is getting back to the roots of online poker and focusing on it as a form of entertainment. It needs to be appealing to a mass market and it needs to be accessible through the channels that the mass market use, making it less exclusive.
Our efforts will be on ensuring that the large number of new players we introduce to the game have a fair chance of winning when playing it, that they have enough reasons to come back to play again, and that they find the same excitement that we all experienced when we started playing years ago.
PokerStrategy.com: A lot of people think Betfair bring some of the loosest poker players because of the sports betting side of things, is this view accurate?
Matt Mowlam: Yes, very accurate!
"Betfair goes hand in hand with lucrative promotions"
PokerStrategy.com: Can you give us a clue of what we could expect in 2013 from Betfair Poker?
Matt Mowlam: Short-term, we have the launch of New Betfair Poker which goes hand in hand with a long list of lucrative promotions. Beyond that, and without wanting to be vague, the players will have to watch this space!
PokerStrategy.com: How easy is it to be innovative when you are part of a network?
Matt Mowlam: It's becoming easier, actually. The trend has been for networks to develop their product so that it can be more easily customised and built on by operators. This can be through player-facing product features, or under the bonnet capabilities that enable us to create and deliver more unique promotions. The onus is on the operator to differentiate itself from the pack and innovation is key to that.
Betfair’s always been an innovative business, granted more recognisably in the sports betting sector, though the culture of innovation is one that exists throughout the company and all its product verticals, including poker.
