Online betting company BetFred has undergone a significant digital transformation at its new headquarters in Warrington, integrating advanced video wall systems to support communication and engagement across the business. Founded in 1967 by Fred Done in a single Salford betting shop, BetFred now handles an annual turnover exceeding £10 billion and ranks among the UK’s largest sponsors of horse racing.
Today, BetFred.com operates one of the most extensive betting platforms in Europe, offering 24/7 services across sports betting, online casino, games, bingo, lotto, poker, virtual sports, and pool betting. Its recent investment in the 50,000-square-foot Spectrum building reflects the company’s commitment to providing a modern and dynamic workspace for its 450 employees.
As part of the building’s multi-million-pound refurbishment, the company sought a versatile digital signage solution to manage a range of content sources—ranging from live television and news feeds to employee messages and internal company updates. The installation includes two 4×3 video walls in the main office area and a 3×2 video wall with an additional display in the reception space. The requirement was a unified control system to manage all displays, with Datapath’s Aetria platform selected to provide the necessary content flexibility.
Duncan McDonald, Head of Retail Support at BetFred, cited previous successful collaborations with Datapath as a key factor in the decision. “Our CEO, Joanne Whittaker, invested significantly in transforming the Spectrum building into a space that truly engages employees. From a technology perspective, we wanted something innovative and future-focused. Our relationship with Datapath stretches back nearly a decade, and their track record gave us confidence they could deliver exactly what was needed.”
The installation is powered by Datapath’s VSN V3 video wall controller, supported by a VSNMicro 600 system in the reception area. Together, these devices manage content delivery across all displays, offering seamless integration with various video inputs and layouts. The system includes multiple Image 2K graphics cards and VisionSC-HD4 capture cards, enabling ‘any content, anywhere’ functionality. Control is managed through Aetria-WC-PRO software, which allows for easy content switching and custom display configurations.
Following installation, Datapath worked closely with BetFred’s internal teams, providing commissioning services that included staff training, template design, and operational guidance. The commissioning phase also allowed for the identification and resolution of potential issues, ensuring a smooth handover and reliable performance from day one.
In addition to commissioning, Datapath has supplied three years of Premium Support, giving BetFred access to ongoing assistance and technical expertise when required.
Reflecting on the collaboration, Adam Marsden, Sales Manager for the UK & Ireland at Datapath, noted: “It’s been a pleasure to see our Aetria platform play such a central role in BetFred’s headquarters. The project has delivered a strong visual and functional upgrade, supporting internal communications with flexible, high-impact content in a truly modern environment.”
Now fully operational, the system has proven to be both efficient and low-maintenance. “It does exactly what you expect it to do—and it does it very well,” says McDonald. “The installation was seamless, and from a technical standpoint, it’s been a ‘set it and forget it’ experience. From planning to support, Datapath has been outstanding. We knew early on we’d made the right choice.”
