Betty has launched in the UK, its first market outside Ontario and its second market entry overall. The move gives the Ontario-based operator a new proving ground for a business model it says it wants to take global.
In a Q&A with Next.io, Justin Park said the company’s mission is to build a global blue-chip casino brand and that the UK is a test of its decentralised franchise structure. He also described the market as “High-Tax Betty” and said learning to operate in costly jurisdictions is necessary if Betty is to expand across many markets.
The launch came after the UK Gambling Commission granted a licence in Q1 2026, and the business went live on 1 June, according to InterGame. The timing mattered: the UK Remote Gaming Duty had risen from 21% to 40%, adding pressure for new entrants.
Park said Betty’s North Star metric is return on ad spend. He said the company is overhauling its in-house platform to make customer-success workflows simpler and more efficient, while keeping support at the centre of the business.
The short-term aim in Britain is modest. Park said the first 30 days are about “working out the kinks” and letting Betty “basically exist”.
The UK launch is being led by Adele Barker, and Park said the team includes both Betty veterans and newcomers. He praised Barker’s judgment on when to copy what has worked in Ontario and when to innovate.
Zhasmina Draganova, Betty’s founding CTO in Sofia, also played a central role in the launch, and Park said the team was “really starting to gel”. He said Betty UK should ultimately become self-sufficient rather than rely on support from Canada or the corporate team.
Product remains the main pitch. Park said Betty stands out in the UK because it is slots-only and highly gamified, with only a small number of table games, if any.
He said the early UK strategy is product-led because new customers are not especially brand-sensitive, and the company has been refining the offer after speaking with local players on Zoom. Those conversations pointed to demand for live chat-based customer service and better support.
Betty is also preparing to add bingo in Britain. Park said the company has already launched an in-house bingo product in Canada, and that the UK version is meant to make bingo “not boring”.
The group is also pushing margin-improving tools across the business, including an in-house geolocation service and a first fully certified in-house game. Park said those efforts are group-wide rather than specific to the UK.
The expansion comes as Betty has shifted towards real-money gaming and international growth while sweepstakes-style casinos face legal headwinds across North America. Betty is due to launch in Alberta on 13 July after securing an AGLC licence.
