mkodo

Ross Haselhurst has joined mkodo as digital delivery director, where he will gain accountability for product delivery and ensuring projects and processes are matured to drive high-quality results for clients.

The newly created role, based at mkodo’s Newcastle upon Tyne office, will also see Haselhurst gain responsibility for the project management team and quality assurance. 

Haselhurst joins mkodo’s executive team from gaming platform provider Bede Gaming where he held the role of head of platform before being promoted to commercial director and part of the executive management. 

Haselhurst said: “It is a fantastic opportunity for me to join mkodo and the Pollard family and to be working across several key projects to help grow and mature the business. 

“mkodo has a fantastic client base and I look forward to bringing premium digital products and player engagement solutions to our partners. The market is still ripe for innovation and mkodo is in a great place to offer operators and their players that.”  

Great Canadian Corporation

Rod Baker has resigned as director, president, and CEO of Great Canadian Corporation with immediate effect, with Terrance Doyle, president of strategic growth and chief compliance officer, appointed by the company’s board of directors on an interim basis from January 24, 2021.

“Mr Doyle, with his 20 years of experience with the company and working with key stakeholders and the board, is well equipped to assume the duties as interim chief executive officer until a permanent replacement has been named,” stated Peter Meredith, Great Canadian’s chairman.

Furthermore, the company has confirmed the appointed of Sukvinder Singh as chief compliance officer, gaining responsibility for the group’s overall compliance regime and overseeing compliance, risk, security and surveillance functions.

FSB

Online casino and sports betting tech provider FSB has recruited Keith Laidlaw to assist with the company’s IT and technology strategy as it continues to drive growth in international markets, and prepares for an increased presence in the US.

Laidlaw will work alongside FSB’s IT and technical teams, which are headed by chief technology officer Sam Lawrence, and will share his knowledge and experience to allow the company to structure its strategy.

Dave McDowell, CEO of FSB, noted: “Keith is another great addition to our ever-increasing pool of talent at FSB. His knowledge and experience of IT and technology within the gambling sector is immense.

“He will work alongside our co-founder and CTO Sam Lawrence to fine-tune our strategy so that we can ultimately deliver the best products and services to our clients.”

PointsBet

Sportsbook operator PointsBet has teamed-up with digital media personality Paige Spiranac, who will contribute as the new, global lead on-air talent and a brand ambassador for PointsBet as the company continues its expansion across US sports betting.

As part of the long-term alignment, Spiranac will also become a significant PointsBet shareholder, taking an equity stake in the company.

“Today is a very exciting day for the company as we welcome Paige, the No. 1 most followed and interacted with golf personality on social media in the world, into the PointsBet family,” said Johnny Aitken, US CEO of PointsBet.

“Paige is known for her work ethic and ability to stand out in a sea of sameness, which very much embodies the DNA of PointsBet and our mandate to deliver the fastest and most differentiated way to wager in the legal sports betting market.

“We will look to deeply integrate Paige across our portfolio of brand channels, including linear and digital content, whilst unlocking unique ways to weave PointsBet into her social media universe as she strives to conquer sports betting and introduce it to her audience.”

Gambling.com Group

Johannes Bergh has joined Gambling.com Group as chief strategy office to help maintain the organisation’s pace of growth throughout 2021 and beyond.

The post Part 54 | On the move: Recruitment round-up appeared first on CasinoBeats.

The new legislation, he said, will see the removal of restrictions on In-App Purchasing (IAP), allowing third parties to use external payment for services as well as changes for external App Stores 

He explained: “Back in 2020, Spotify lodged a complaint against Apple to the European Commission Anti-Trust organisation, stating Apple IAP was anti-competitive and restrictive. An unnamed (but I suspect we can all guess) audiobook and e-reader retailer made a similar claim, and, although not considered directly, the Epic Games suit against brought in the US one can assume was on the periphery of the commission’s decision, brought in new legislation under the Digital Markets Act (DMA). 

“Fundamentally, under the DMA, Apple cannot mandate the use of IAP by app developers, allowing apps to access external payment services to top up or buy content. This, I think, overall is good for the industry, though, and we should be mindful of this. Apple has the right under the DMA to charge ‘commission’, and I suspect they will do this through the App Store submission process. We’ll have to wait and see on that one!” 

On external App Stores, Godfree stated: “Apparently, the restrictive practices that Apple applies to their ‘Guidelines’ (let’s face it, they are rules) under their review process are considered anti-competitive. Now I have to say that I disagree with this. 

As we have seen with Google, which now has a similar review process to Apple with their Play Store, both companies are trying to build trust and stop fraudulent apps from being installed on their platforms. With the significant increase in digital fraud, surely their approach should be applauded rather than maligned?” 

As for the implications for real-money gaming, Godfree said: “Well, the new Apple Guidelines have been published, and the original 4.7 section has subtly changed; importantly, section 5.3 has NOT changed, and critically, the issue of IAP never applied to the betting, gaming, and lottery (BGL) industries. So, ironically, the Digital Markets Act is somewhat irrelevant to us. 

“The original guideline requirement under 4.7.1 of ‘not provide access to real-money gaming’ has been removed. However, critically, this has been added to 4.7: ‘You are responsible for all such software offered in your app, including ensuring that such software complies with these guidelines and all applicable laws’.” 

Godfree’s interpretation is that the organisation submitting an app to the Apple App Store is responsible for all content that the app offers and, critically, within the BGL space, that it complies with all the Apple Guidelines and local applicable laws. 

He concluded: “So, provided your HTML5 casino games are licensed by an appropriate regulator (and thus comply with applicable laws), you are now free not to embed the content in the app – bye, bye ODR! 

“We are still waiting for full clarity from Apple. Part of their answer has been to submit an app and see what happens – which is exactly what we have just done – so we’ll see, but this does seem to be a 180 reversal of Apple’s original 2019 guideline change.”

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Let’s talk about the role that operators play in shaping the future of app user experience and how working with front end and UX experts, like mkodo, can help operators to foster environments of innovation and excellence in igaming and sports betting.

Operators are, of course, instrumental in providing their players with the best user experiences by overseeing the entire user journey, continuously optimising experiences and providing intuitive interfaces. 

Working with a front-end expert, like mkodo, can enhance these efforts. In the design phase interfaces are analysed and enhanced, ensuring they are not only visually appealing but also aligned with best practices for usability across iOS, Android and desktop platforms. 

Collaborating with a front-end expert can also help to streamline deployment processes, maintaining consistent, high-quality user experiences, as well as support the continuous enhancements needed to offer the best user experience.

Partnerships with front-end experts ensure a comprehensive and strategic approach to user experience elements such as design, management, and optimisation functions. This helps to foster an environment of innovation and excellence in app user experience.

What are some strategies that operators can implement to stay ahead in the competitive igaming landscape? Could you discuss your experience of working with a Canadian-based operator on its app and how you successfully grew its user base tenfold in under one year?

To capitalise on the growing igaming and sports betting markets, it’s important for operators to prioritise native and mobile optimisation – fast loading times and a responsive design add to an enhanced user experience. 

We recently partnered with a Canadian-based lottery operator to support enhancements to the overall user experience of their app. We worked with them on a number of elements, including the refinement of their payments feature. These updates to the app saw them experience a tenfold increase in their user base, from 10,000 to over 100,000 in less than a year. 

To truly stand out in the dynamic igaming landscape, be bold. Looking at successful companies in other industries, like Amazon or Netflix, for example, can be great inspiration. Being proactive and innovative positions operators uniquely, ensuring they not only adapt to industry changes but also lead in shaping the future of gaming experiences.

User feedback is clearly a vital ingredient in engaging customers and making their experience better. What should operators be doing to maximise the usefulness of that feedback? 

Feedback and user data is crucial, research by the International Gaming Institute underscores the impact, showing a 27% boost in player engagement and a 14% increase in customer retention when operators effectively leverage player data.

Establishing a feedback strategy is essential. This involves gathering insights from users through various channels, including in-app surveys, plug-ins, reviews, and social media. This feedback can then be used to guide app or website updates, improvements and optimisations. Regularly collective user feedback not only keeps the app in tune with expectations but also contributes to a positive user experience. Users appreciate seeing their feedback being acknowledged and addressed.

As an example of how successful asking for feedback can be, mkodo suggested the implementation of the native ‘Rate Us’ feature to one of our Canadian-based operators. This pop-up style feature prompts users at a positive moment in their user journey. Just two weeks after the implementation the app saw their App Store rating go from 3.5* to 4.7* on iOS and Android.

What can the igaming industry learn from the likes of Amazon and Netflix when it comes to advancing the user experience and what part can mkodo play in the process?

The likes of Amazon and Netflix are leading the innovation and user experience charge by prioritising personalisation, seamless user journeys, and predictive analytics to anticipate their users interests and preferences.

Operators should consider how platforms like Amazon or Netflix enhance their user experiences: 

• Personalised homepages 
• Timed messages 
• Tailored recommendations 
• Personalised offers and promotions 

For example, operators can leverage player data to offer timed and tailored game recommendations, promotions, and in-game events, enhancing and personalising the overall experience. 

It’s about quality over quantity and incorporating advanced recommendation algorithms, intuitive interfaces, and a focus on customer satisfaction can elevate the user experience.

And finally, can you give us a rundown of what mkodo has planned for this year’s ICE London?

We’re excited to be back at ICE again this year. We’ve got an even bigger stand S4-401 and we’ve teamed up with Pollard Banknote, which is a first for us. As with last year, our emphasis remains on showcasing our geolocation verification service, GeoLocs, along with our front-end expertise, mobile app, and website offerings. We’re looking forward to engaging with new and familiar faces in the industry and sharing our insight into the latest trends in igaming.

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Through the deal, Rhino’s CasinoDays online casino brand will use GeoLocs services to operate in the Canadian province while staying compliant with its geolocation regulations, offering players the ability to verify their location directly within the online casino’s app or website.

Ross Parkhill, CEO at Rhino Entertainment, explained: “By partnering with GeoLocs and its geolocation verification service to elevate our offering in Ontario, we are confident that we will offer our players in the province a seamless and secure experience, while also meeting the regulatory demands of the province.

“The focus on user experience and the intuitive, self-manageable interface behind GeoLocs was a key driver in our decision to integrate the service and work with the team at mkodo. We’re excited to offer our players the best UX, in terms of location verification, in Ontario.”

By using the GeoLocs solution, Rhino Entertainment will ensure that its players on casinodays.com no longer have to verify their location on mobile or desktop via a separate companion app, as GeoLocs allows players to give location permissions on the online casino platform itself. 

Moreover, Rhino Entertainment can now access the self-service GeoLocs Portal. This will allow the operator to track, manage and interpret real-time statistics to report any suspicious activity in terms of location verification. 

Stuart Godfree, Managing Director at mkodo, added: “We’re proud to support another fantastic operator as it establishes itself in Ontario’s igaming market, providing Rhino Entertainment’s players with a seamless UX when verifying their location.

“Rhino Entertainment is a fast-growing online gaming operator, offering its online gaming products out of several regulated jurisdictions and we’re excited to support its journey in the province and expansion throughout the rest of North America.”

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Through the agreement, GeoLocs will assist Jumpman and The Six Gaming to stay compliant with Ontario geolocation regulations as they operate in the Canadian province’s igaming market.

Kris Kukula, Director of The Six Gaming, stated: “It’s great to be able to offer our clients more choice when it comes to geolocation. GeoLocs is a great partner as the technology, knowledge, and expertise of the Canadian market are second to none. 

“We see mkodo as true partners, and we’re excited to work together to unlock value from our investment in their cutting-edge geolocation technology, which has enabled us to launch and operate in Ontario.”

Following an integration, the geolocation verification services’ solution will assist the operator with player location verification, while also providing an easy-to-use backend portal that allows self-management of geo-allow and disallow regions and areas.

No companion app or additional downloads are required to verify a user’s location before a bet is placed, creating a strong UX/UI experience for players.

“mkodo is delighted to be partnering with such a significant igaming business as The Six Gaming,” added Stuart Godfree, Managing Director at mkodo.

“We’re happy they’re on board and pleased that they are able to offer their clients our expert geolocation service as they enter into new markets across North America. We look forward to a successful partnership to come.”

Recently, mkodo has also provided Rootz and Casumo with geolocation services in Ontario.

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Through the partnership, GeoLocs will be integrated into Wildz’s offering in the Canadian province of Ontario, making sure players in the province can play safely, securely and fraud-free.

“We’re excited to work with Rootz in Ontario to offer their players the best user experience for geolocation verification,” commented Stuart Godfree, Managing Director at mkodo.

“We’re proud to be supporting their igaming launch in Ontario as we continue to establish GeoLocs as a leading geolocation verification service in this territory.”

Debuting earlier this year, GeoLocs specialises in geolocation verification services in the North American market, helping operators conduct operations in licenced jurisdictions and provide responsible gaming to their customers.

GeoLocs will support Rootz by providing an improved compliance strategy, maximised revenue opportunities and a smooth location verification experience for players that can be done quickly through the online casino’s app or website. 

Tony Kjäldström, Chief Product Officer at Rootz, added: “GeoLocs is a perfect choice for our geolocation verification needs for players in Ontario. The technology and expertise behind GeoLocs, as well as the knowledge of regulations and compliance in the region, have been key in supporting us to license and operate in the regulated Canadian market.

“The partnership with mkodo supports Rootz with delivering an online betting experience like no other by offering our players a seamless experience that meets the compliance and regulatory demands of the territory.”

Earlier this month, mkodo also supplied its GeoLocs services to the online casino Casumo in Ontario.

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Casumo will use GeoLocs services to operate in the Canadian province while staying compliant with its geolocation regulations, offering players the ability to verify their location directly within the online casino’s app or website.

“mkodo is proud to be partnering with a leading operator to support their igaming launch in Ontario and establish GeoLocs as a leading geolocation verification service in this territory,” stated Stuart Godfree, Managing Director at mkodo.

“We are excited to work with Casumo in Ontario to offer their players the best user experience for geolocation verification.”

Purposely built to help the igaming industry tackle geolocation challenges and used by mkodo’s partners for over 10 years, GeoLocs will assist Casumo with its geolocation challenges via a quick and seamless integration with no companion app required or additional downloads needed, and easy-to-build ‘allow and disallow’ regions.

Mark Busuttil, Chief Product Officer at Casumo, noted: “Since the opening of the Ontario market, we’ve been eager to enter one of the biggest igaming markets in North America.

“By choosing GeoLocs as our geolocation provider, we are confident that we can offer our players a seamless and user-friendly experience that meets the compliance and regulatory demands of the territory.

“The technology, knowledge, and expertise behind GeoLocs has been key in supporting us to licence and operate in Ontario, during what is a highly anticipated and exciting milestone for Casumo and our players.”

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CasinoBeats: You mention that ‘one size doesn’t fit all’ when it comes to geolocation services in igaming, could you explain in what you mean by this?

Stuart Godfree: Different jurisdictions demand differing levels of compliance. Therefore, it is not appropriate to enforce a compliance regime suitable for one market onto another that has different compliance requirements.

Clearly having ‘a one size fits all’ approach suits the provider, as they can have a singular product offering. However, this can create significant friction in a market that has lower compliance demands and particularly has differing views on personal data protection.

CB: What benefits are presented to operators when it comes to having more choice with geolocation service providers?

SG: All markets benefit from competition because it creates innovation. One solution might not be the optimal option for all operators, so having a choice ensures they can partner with a company that best suits their needs. Obviously, competition also affords better price comparisons. If you have only one provider in the market, it has free rein to define the cost model. 

CB: How does GeoLocs stand out as an igaming geolocation service amongst its competitors?

SG: We’ve been working in the igaming space for well over a decade with our clients and were the first geolocation supplier to be live in Ontario with the largest operator in the region. The GeoLocs service regularly performs over 17 million look ups in one day – a number that stands much higher than that of other geolocation compliance providers in the industry operating within Ontario.

Ultimately, GeoLocs offers a series of solutions based on the compliance demands of the relevant jurisdiction. Geo-compliance is essential and required by all regulators, but it should be balanced in its implementation with usability. This is our emphasis with GeoLocs, providing compliance with the best customer experience. 

CB: You launched GeoLocs this year, however it has been used historically with mkodo’s app clients. What was the drive behind offering the geolocation service to the wider igaming market?

SG: We developed GeoLocs as a GeoFencing solution when Apple first opened the AppStore to real money gaming apps in 2009 in the UK, France and Ireland. They mandated that an RMG app could only function within the operator’s licensed geography(s). Since then, we have built apps and webapps for our clients that have leveraged our internal geo-compliance platform.

We decided after a significant architectural rebuild of the platform, to make it what we call ‘massively scalable’, to productise it, give it a brand name, and offer it as a standalone solution. The repeal of PASPA and US states legalising online sports betting and gaming provided great timing for us to launch GeoLocs to the wider market.

CB: What is the vision for GeoLocs as the North American igaming market continues to open up?

SG: We have ambitious plans for GeoLocs in numerous geographic regions. The product is based on a modern scalable architecture, and we can easily deploy globally so that it operates in close proximity to our customers. We have already had great success in Canada and one of our key areas of interest is now the US market, where we are already making inroads and should have significant penetration by Q2 2023.

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Built exclusively for the industry, GeoLocs uses the latitude and longitude of a device as well as IP location to verify a player’s position. 

This service, said mkodo, can be implemented into operators’ web, iOS and Android platforms, in a bid to enhance and simplify the onboarding process. Players are not required to download additional companion apps.

Additionally, the fresh introduction will also enable operators to target players within a specified geo area with promotional offers and various geo-based marketing communications.

“Our GeoLocs solution is a mature and proven product, having been live and evolved over the last 10 years with some of our exclusive partners,” stated Stuart Godfree, Managing Director and co-founder of mkodo.

“We are thrilled to now be able to offer GeoLocs to a wider audience, at a time when a number of emerging markets, particularly in North America, require a solid, smooth and trustworthy geolocation solution to ensure full compliance.”

Through mkodo, GeoLocs is certified and licensed in Ontario and British Colombia in Canada, a pair of regions that the group says “geolocation is crucial for licensed operators to ensure their players are located within the regulated provinces”.

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Will Whitehead, commercial director of mkodo, reflects on a year of significant challenges, before donning a distinct US focus to look into the difficulty of standing out from the crowd among the gold rush.

With 2021 coming to an end, it is time to reflect on the year that has passed and also get the crystal ball out to look ahead at what 2022 might bring. It’s been another fantastic 12 months for the industry which has seen us adapt to the continuing challenges brought by the global pandemic, several significant M&As have changed the competitive landscape, new markets have opened, and of course, a focus on regulations.

Perhaps the biggest topic on the 2021 agenda has been the continuing opening up and developments in the emerging US market, with most European operators and suppliers currently exploring opportunities across the pond, given the almost limitless potential of this untapped region as several jurisdictions this year have approved online sports betting and igaming.

For us at mkodo, our focus is on how we can create digital products for operators, particularly iOS and Android apps, that are perfectly tailored to the local audiences. From a tech point of view, the US doesn’t differ from Europe as mobile penetration and network connection rates are high.

In fact, the smartphone market in the US is one of the world’s largest, with more than 290 million users. Despite being very tech-savvy and using apps for everyday tasks, online gambling is new for most Americans, and this is something that needs to be taken into consideration when developing digital products for the market. 

With global industry players rushing to the US, we will see a wave of new operators enter the market, but the products and offerings are bound to be very similar.

A customised and differentiated front-end experience, therefore, becomes crucial to stand out from the competition and operators will have to invest more in that area, consulting suppliers like mkodo to support that strategy.

” As a sector, we are still quite far behind other industries in fully optimising the user experience”

Gambling has traditionally been more experiential in the US, with many having visited a land-based casino where the entertainment factor is high, and the social aspect plays an important role. To ensure that players feel at home online, their journey needs to replicate that feel – and that’s where a good and tailored front-end comes in, to ensure products better appeal to local players. 

This is not a difficult task if you engage with a supplier that understands the importance of front-end experiences and focuses on areas such as UX and UI, functional user journeys and the entertainment factor, differentiating against the competition with best-of-breed software, functionality and accessibility. 

Another option for brands to ensure they stand out from the crowd and cater to a wide audience is to offer different experiences to different user groups.

For example, one app could cater to the VIP player who is less invested in the front-end experience and just wants the best odds and great performance, while another app would be for the casual player who wants to have fun with the most popular sports and events easily available.

As many US customers will be complete beginners, this should also be considered, and any digital product should be easy to use and comprehend. 

The buzz around the US is set to continue next year as even more states look to regulate online betting and gaming. With new market openings and increased regulation comes challenges but it also pushes the industry to think outside the box to increase its competitive capabilities. As a sector, we are still quite far behind other industries in fully optimising the user experience and utilising the technology available. 

The US is set to be extremely competitive with many operators entering the fray and that will bring innovation, which will help the industry evolve even further and improve the products we can offer customers. This is something which we at mkodo look forward to being a part of – next year and beyond.

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