Interview with BetHorizon Manager "Carl Ferrat"
Welcome to the latest edition of the exclusive TGT Premium Member mailshot. We’ve been talking with a man you may have seen posting on our forums or have personally dealt with already – Carl Ferrat, a Manager at the Costa Rican based bookmaker Bethorizon (www.Bethorizon.com) – and we bring you his thoughts on a number of matters.
Q: Can you begin by giving us an insight into your career to date?
A: I started as a wagering clerk back in 1995 - I had a couple of friends that introduced me to the industry and got me a job at one of the larger books. I have worked at many books in different capacities from a simple clerk to Manager. This includes working as a Lines Manager, in Customer service and in Sales and Marketing. I came to Bethorizon last year but had worked for them four years ago before I decided to go to another company as a Marketing manager.
Q: What does a ‘typical’ work day consist of and what do you enjoy about it?
A: We have seven people at Bethorizon that work in Customer Service - not including the eight Sales and Marketing personnel. In terms of my role, I am currently a Manager for all European customers and do the internet advertising and marketing. On a typical day, I come in and post online at several forums as a sort of liaison between the sites where I post and Bethorizon. I assist players in their different tasks from depositing and withdrawing to technical issues and much more. I take great pride in my integrity and have always done the best I can for my players without compromising the company's expectations. I enjoy dealing with people from all over the world and have established a nice reputation in the industry. There are several players that, over time, have come to be not just players I deal with but actual friends who give me support and assistance when I most need them. Some are critical of things I say and do which is great! I always appreciate them!
Q: The people players deal with at bookmakers in Costa Rica aren’t always permanent employees of the bookmaker, are they?
A: There are sales agents who get a small commission on deposits. Depending on the company that they work for, the amount varies. But there is also a service known as Pay Per Head that is provided for agents that have players. Depending on the volume of players and whether they use internet services, telephone services or both, the amount they earn varies but is usually between $15 and $20 per player, per week. They get their own webpage, an 800 telephone number and all the services related to the sportsbook including customer service, wagering and reports for their players. These reports are in real time so they caninstantly see their players' activity and we do an assessment of their playersso they know which ones are wise or not.
Q: What kind of assistance can you give to players who might find themselves limited at Bethorizon?
A: I can always ask for higher limits for players but it does depend on whether the player is doing steam plays or hitting soft numbers. Ideally we take actionon both sides of the game which is why the lines are moved. This way, the losers pay the winners and we get the vigor or juice which is usually 10%.
Q: When you’re not busy taking care of players, what do you enjoy doing in your spare time? You work in the gambling industry so do you actually enjoy gambling yourself?!
A: I am an avid reader and I enjoy mountain biking here in Costa Rica – it’s so beautiful here. I do like to wager on sports as well and do pretty well when I follow certain players.
Q: Do you think it’s been essential to the credibility of the industry as a whole over there that the some of the major bookmakers have acquired other, often struggling, bookmakers over the years? Bethorizon took over Atlas Sports and 724 Sports for example - tell us how that works?
A: The reason that books go bust is because they either don’t move their lines to get action on both sides of the games and usually have a small amount of players. When we bought these books, what we purchased was the players and the sites that they play on so we can continue giving them the service. We do not have only post up players, we have credit players and pay per head business as well so we are well covered. When books are acquired, the old staff sometimes come aboard with us and other times not.
Q: Whilst bookmakers operating in the UK or Europe often have a complaints procedure which involves a regulatory body, is it correct that bookmakers based in Costa Rica are self-regulated?
A: We are rated by these forums and that will motivate the player to check theratings and of course there is our reputation which, on a personal level, I feelis much more important to the players. Many players come to where I am based on my reputation and I take it very seriously. My integrity is the most important thing for me. So if I say something to a player, then I will keep my word even if it means that I may be reprimanded for it or lose my job.
Q: Thinking about players’ funds, what are the benefits to the books and the players when arrangements are put in place to allow players to move money from one bookmaker to another? Is this part of staying ‘under the radar’ for the books so that the money stays offshore?
A: Yes, it keeps transactions to a minimum and it saves the players and books from the expense of sending funds via conventional methods.
Q: When it comes to bookmakers in Costa Rica (or generally what we would think as being ‘US-facing’ bookmakers), can players find out who the people at the top are, such as the financial backers? There often seems a level of mystery involved – is this because of the potential for those people to be indicted bythe Feds if their book is accepting American action?!
A: Gambling has always been illegal in the USA and that is the reason that theycome to places like Costa Rica where it is legal. Once the player sends thefunds to CR it falls under CR jurisdiction and is perfectly legal. The problem with US players is that we have to send them funds when they win and this is where it becomes a crime in the USA so we have to be very careful on the amounts and methods used to send these funds.
Q: Costa Rica appears to have been quite a magnet for the gambling industry over the last 15 years especially. So what does Costa Rica actually offer for the companies and their employees?
A: We are very proud of our free education system and our literacy rate; we actually have more teachers and professors than police officers. We have a high bilingual work force as well so this is beneficial for the books here in CR and,as I said before, gambling is legal here so there is no legal problem with these companies working out of CR. There are also no taxes for gambling although the companies have to pay “caja” (health insurance and benefits) for the employees to insure that they get all the benefits that are required by law. As a Costa Rican, I enjoy my country very much. We are a very solid country democratically and we enjoy a very high standard of living not to mention the beauty of our country’s beaches and forests. The people are very well educated and healthy. When we had our last revolution we decided that we did not need any military so we abolished it and spent the funds in education and free healthcare instead of tanks and guns.
TGT: Thank you very much for taking the time to talk with us here at TheGamblingTimes.com!
Carl: I would also like to take this opportunity to thank you for working with me in this endeavour. I really appreciate the loyalty of the guys and gals that play here with me and can assure you that I will always try to make it a better experience for you regardless of where I am at any given time. If I can be of service, I am always at your service. Cheers!
That's all for this edition of the TGT mailshot. If you'd like to comment on the interview with Carl, you can do so on the forum here: http://www.thegamblingtimes.com/board/day-day-life/7020-carl-ferrat-interview-may-2010-discussion-thread.html
Until next time!
Team TGT
