Matchbook to launch UK prediction markets in January as it eyes U.S. expansion | Yogonet International
Summary
Matchbook will debut a UK prediction-market platform in January, operating under its existing UK Gambling Commission exchange licence. The initial product will focus on sports markets and include a white-label version for easyBet. The platform uses the same exchange engine as Matchbook but will present contracts as percentage-based Yes/No probabilities rather than the fractional odds common in Britain.
Matchbook’s parent, Triplebet Ltd., and U.S. partner RSBIX LLC have filed with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission; the company expects possible U.S. approval as early as March. Matchbook says it will compete with U.S. prediction-market operators such as Kalshi and Polymarket and is open to partnering with larger firms to gain distribution in the U.S. The company is majority-owned by Zeljko Ranogajec and is registered in Guernsey, with Matthew Benham now a minority shareholder.
Key Points
- UK launch scheduled for January, running on Matchbook’s existing UKGC exchange licence.
- Initial focus on sports markets and a white-label deal with easyBet (part of Stelios Haji-Ioannou’s group).
- Platform will display percentage-based Yes/No probabilities, mirroring U.S. prediction-market design.
- Triplebet Ltd. and RSBIX LLC filed with the CFTC; Matchbook expects possible U.S. approval as early as March.
- Matchbook could partner with larger brands in the U.S. rather than entering solely under its own name.
- Competition in the U.S. is intensifying — Kalshi, Polymarket, Fanatics, FanDuel/CME, DraftKings and others are all active or preparing offerings.
- Company ownership: majority-owned by professional gambler Zeljko Ranogajec; Matthew Benham reduced to a minority stake.
Context and relevance
Prediction markets are rapidly expanding in the U.S. following federal regulatory approvals and the 2024 election cycle. Matchbook’s UK launch serves as a practical “road test” for its tech and product presentation ahead of a potential U.S. roll-out under CFTC oversight. For operators, regulators and distributors, the move highlights several trends: the blending of betting-exchange mechanics with financial-style event contracts, increased competition from legacy and new entrants, and strategic partnerships as a route to faster U.S. scale.
The regulatory distinction matters: in the UK such products fall under gambling rules, while similar U.S. offerings can operate as regulated financial exchanges — a difference that shapes product design, distribution and compliance approaches.
Why should I read this?
Short version — if you work in betting, product, distribution or regulation, this is worth five minutes. Matchbook is using the UK as a test-bed for tech and UX it wants to take to the U.S., where the prediction-market race is heating up. Expect partnership plays, a fight for liquidity and tweaks to how markets are presented to UK customers. It’s a tidy indicator of where event-driven wagering is headed next.