In an interview with SBC Leaders, Vladimir Malakchi, Evoplay’s Chief Commercial Officer, explains why he believes that the decision to create a third-person shooter mode – alongside the addition of new gamification features – has helped elevate player satisfaction and create new experiences 

SBC Leaders: Star Guardians has been a big hit for Evoplay. How has the title been received by your partners so far?

So initially, we didn’t make the game available to all of our partners, only some of our larger partners. For us, the game deviates away from our usual approach and we’ve already closed several deals to roll out the title to more customers. 

We’re still receiving a lot of great feedback and high interest in different markets right now, especially as we start to expand into more markets. For example, we’re entering Italy, Malta and we’re also continuing to expand across Bulgaria and Romania. Our partners in these markets are already asking about Star Guardians; this has given us some interesting feedback on how we can best improve the content for our players in these markets.

I am really happy with the results and how it has been received by players. As a team, we were quite nervous about how this will be received – you can never quite know just how people will respond to new games. To truly find out what people thought about the product, we had to test the product – and to do that, we had to launch Star Guardians with our partners. 

We can see that the game is working, that players are happy, and so I hope it will continue to be successful in the future. 

SBC Leaders: And as time passes, how do you plan to keep players engaged with Star Guardians?

I don’t think we have reached the full potential of the game just yet – we’re just getting started.  Our campaign launch was simply showing our partners just what we can do and making different parties aware of what we can do.

But as I mentioned, we’re continuing to expand into new markets, many of which haven’t seen this game before. We have mostly been focusing on markets where we are already live – so as we expand further we will be placing more emphasis on our new marketing campaigns connected to Star Guardians.

We believe that new players will be able to receive much more information about the game, and more partners will want to add Star Guardians to their offering. We’re looking to generate more market exposure around the title. I think that in the next few years, Star Guardians will generate a lot more interest.

SBC Leaders: How does the highly personalised nature of the game help drive player retention?

Let’s say you work in a job for several years. Every day, you go into the office and you complete the same tasks – and that’s great. But there will come a time when you want to do something different, to see what else you can do. 

That’s what we’re doing at Evoplay; we’re trying to find something new, something better. We want to create more exciting experiences for our players. The main idea behind the personalisation elements in Star Guardians is that we believe it elevates the overall player experience – it adds a degree of interaction which will keep players coming back. In the future, we plan to expand the customisation features even further and  to take that player experience to new heights.

SBC Leaders: In your opinion, what influences can slots take from video games to create a more elevated player experience?

Players have always devoted a lot of attention to video games. The idea of playing games is a core part of our human nature. 

In my personal opinion, the game development industry is considerably more advanced than the gambling industry. Gambling is quite old school – it is still a fun and interesting industry, but technology is moving forward. We’re seeing new innovations such as artificial intelligence, new gameplay mechanics and much more testing on games. 

The gambling industry could take some notes from the evolution of the game development sector and draw upon that knowledge. This will enable companies to improve, adapt and meet the changing demands of players.

SBC Leaders: We’re a few months into 2022 now. What can we expect from Evoplay in 2022? 

As I mentioned, you can always expect great content from Evoplay. We will continue to grow and expand our business with new partners and enter new markets. I’m not going to spill too many secrets, but those that are working with us already will see lots of new and exciting titles. We also have a few other plans in the pipeline, but they’re under wraps for now! 

We’re also beginning the development of our next flagship product. This will take us approximately two years to prepare, so we’re currently preparing the initial concepts of the game. 

To sum up, you can expect lots of expansion, plenty of new partners, licences, certifications, titles and content. We’ll focus on the development of the gamification of our slot games and instant games. 

In Q3, we’ll begin the second iteration of our gamification features. So there will be plenty of surprises to come for the industry from here on out!

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In a recent conversation at the SBC Summit Latinoamérica, Chief Commercial Officer Vladimir Malakchi built on this foundation to share the company’s vision for Latin American expansion, and expressed confidence in the studios’ outlook for 2024.

“Our operational and strategic plans are rooted in the possibilities in Latin America, the prospects in Brazil, and the potential role that M&A could play as European giants seek to establish a stronger foothold across the region”, he discussed. 

Malakchi added that Evoplay plans to fully leverage these opportunities by offering a diversified game portfolio tailored to the local audience’s needs, and delving deeper into understanding their preferences.

A marketing and technological masterpiece of Evoplay through the years 

In February 2020, Evoplay released a groundbreaking entry into the igaming industry via what was billed as the first-ever RPG-inspired slot in Dungeon: Immortal Evil. Soon after, 2021 witnessed the introduction of Star Guardians, an industry-first third-person shooter title. 

Looking ahead, Malakchi announced that more technological exclusives are awaiting the igaming market. It was teased that the curtain on a new flagship game will be unveiled soon, with a release scheduled for 2024.

“We’ve invested a year and a half in this upcoming release, and from both a marketing and technological standpoint, it’s poised to be a masterpiece”, stated Evoplay’s CCO.

Latin America: the next global powerhouse?

There’s no denying the tremendous potential in Latin America. However, Malakchi emphasised: “It’s crucial to highlight that the local audience, with its unique mentality and culture, demands our careful adaptation as non-local players.

“We analyse the market, study player preferences, and forge new partnerships, continually expanding our presence in the region.”

Evoplay will focus on instant games that have resonated with the local audience, the group noted. This has placed a particular spotlight on football-themed offerings, such as Penalty Shoot-out: Street, which aim to offer a vibrant setting and simple mechanics.

Diving into an in-depth analysis of the prospects within the Latin American regions, Malakchi, while acknowledging their considerable potential, stressed that the journey to achieving the status of the world’s largest online casino hub is still substantial.

Evoplay’s CCO further elucidated that the mentioned differences extend beyond mere cultural nuances to encompass varying styles, with the situation compounded by the absence of “specific numbers”, which makes it difficult to draw meaningful comparisons and formulate accurate forecasts.

“I believe the pivotal metric lies in the number of operators adopting our content. We find encouragement in these figures as they underscore a substantial level of interest from players,” he noted regarding Evoplay’s foray into LatAm.

When probed on the specific game themes Evoplay plans to introduce to the LatAm market, Malakchi highlighted the notable interest in football-themed games once more.

“We are witnessing a continuous surge in the number of football enthusiasts, and I believe that the enduring popularity of football theme in Latin America remains unchanged,” he shared.

“It is somewhat of a cultural legacy for this market, and Evoplay’s games are strategically positioned to cater to this persistent demand among players.”

In conclusion, Malakchi anticipates that if LatAm doesn’t evolve into a central hub for operators and providers, Brazil is poised to claim this status, positioning itself as the regional innovation centre for the igaming industry.

Brazil: Culture, Tax and M&A

Delving into the region in more detail, Evoplay’s Commercial Director highlighted the resurgence of football as a central theme in selecting a specific market focus. Players across the country are said to have expressed increased engagement, with their popularity demonstrating consistency.

“Clear mechanics with a specific theme, like football, consistently yield excellent results,” he emphasised. Adding a belief that: “Effective marketing, a decisive factor, coupled with operator support, will accelerate progress.”

Simultaneously, Malakchi also underscored two potential risks that could hinder a significant uptick in players being felt. “Firstly, the uncertain market size complicates showcasing operational figures. Secondly, if taxes exceed industry expectations, the market could decline,” it was noted.

Regarding the growth trend in M&A, it has noted that international giants will adhere to successful acquisitive strategies, but Malakchi doesn’t expect a significant number to come to fruition.

“We’ll likely witness up to a maximum of ten robust acquisitions by European giants, leveraging this strategy to gain local expertise. However, I don’t foresee it becoming widespread,” it was concluded.

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A strong statement from Evoplay Chief Commercial Officer Vladimir Malakchi made at the recent SBC Summit Barcelona and one that truly reflects the company’s growth over the last 12 months. But it would be remiss to think that the growth stops here. 

With new market entries, new products and even a new flagship game lined up for next year, these next few months are going to be jam-packed for Evoplay.

Reflecting on 2023

Fresh off the back of his SBC Leaders Magazine cover interview, Malakchi sat down with SBC Media to not only sample the range of gin and tonic that Barcelona has to offer but, more importantly, to reflect on his year since the 2022 edition of SBC Summit Barcelona.

During the chat, one thing was for certain: Evoplay has not only reached the goals it set out at the beginning of the year but has exceeded even its own expectations.

Malakchi began: “Many of the milestones from this year have been because of the work we carried out in 2022 and early 2023 – we reached many of the goals that we set out to achieve. The latter half of this year has mostly been spent preparing for 2024. 

“Firstly, we’re preparing for several new licences. We’ve initiated the process at the start of the year and are currently at the final stages, so I believe this will mark a significant milestone for this year.” 

“We’re already underway with preparations for our upcoming flagship game, set to make its debut in 2024. As you may remember, we launch a new flagship title every two years. 

“This is where our marketing efforts will be strategically concentrated. As always, it will be a technological innovation. Our previous flagship game garnered numerous marketing awards, and with this new statement title, we’re determined to surpass even our own achievements.”

The US and Canada will undoubtedly become a big focus for the brand in the coming months. But one particular region that has garnered significant attention, both from Evoplay and the igaming industry as a whole, is Latin America. 

Many have predicted that Latin America will be the next ‘powerhouse’ for the iGaming industry, with the region holding a wealth of untapped potential. So how does Evoplay plan to get in on the action? In simple terms, partner with the best operators in the market.

Malakchi continued: “In Latin America, we’ve been looking at several markets over the last few months. We have been looking at Mexico, Colombia and Peru. But to jump into these markets and be successful, we need to have several more integrations, and that takes time. We’re in the process of finalising some integrations at the moment, but I can’t say much about those just yet!

“We know the Latin American market very well, we’ve been speaking with the top operators from each market. They know who we are and what content we can provide. It’s now just a matter of working through the technical and legal requirements. But I look forward to seeing what happens in the future.”

As a European-headquartered supplier, gaining a solid understanding of player preferences can be a difficult task to undertake. It really requires on-the-ground knowledge. 

Malakchi put it very simply by explaining that developing games for different markets is like learning a new language – it’s more than just the basic grammar, you need to understand the different dialects, sentence structure, even slang terms to be able to effectively communicate with the locals.

So, when entering Latin America, it was important for Evoplay to understand what it is that players want from their games before simply rolling out its entire portfolio of products.

He said: “I wouldn’t say there is just one type of content that these players enjoy. Of course, crash games have shown to be very popular, as have football-themed games. We are beginning to look into whether there is a connection between slot titles and MMA because this is a hugely popular sport across Latin America. 

“Then there are the classic slot games that we’ve seen have been incredibly popular in markets such as Canada and the US. These have also proven to be very popular across Latin America – we’re actually in the process of creating some classic games for this market to appeal to more players.” 

In previous interviews with SBC Media, Malakchi has pointed towards the fact that sport is heavily embedded within Latin American culture – particularly football. 

For a games developer, you may think that tapping into that love of football might not be as easy as it sounds. But this is where Evoplay’s portfolio of football-themed games comes in. 

“From our point of view, Penalty Shoot-out has been very popular and remains so even after we released Penalty Shoot-out: Street. It’s not just the same audiences either, it’s new and different players, so that’s a promising sign,” the CCO continued.

“I trust that this game will remain popular for many years to come. And, of course, we want to continue bringing new and fresh content to the market.”

A promising opportunity

Among the areas Evoplay is looking to expand this year is its European presence, namely in Portugal. 

Evoplay initially entered the Portuguese online casino market back in August of this year alongside Solverde in an agreement that aims to “deliver an unmatched gaming experience to an even wider audience”. 

But the road to gaining a certification has been a long one. Malakchi said: “It’s very easy just to say, ‘we entered at exactly the right time’. But in all honesty, we did, and that’s because of how much time we spent preparing for our Portuguese market entry. It wasn’t an easy process, but we made it work.

“Evoplay is always entering new markets with the top players; Solverde.pt is the top player in the market, especially given its offline and online presence. It is a huge company, and so are we, so managing all of the legal requirements and commercial questions took some time. 

“The certification process was also very new for us. The Portuguese regulator requires different information from other markets, so that was different. But it was definitely the right time for us to enter because of how prepared we were. So far, we have received very positive feedback, and I believe that Solverde has received similar feedback too. This market has definitely been worth it!”

Something of note to consider when looking at the Portuguese market is its high tax rate, standing at 44% – arguably one of the highest in any regulated gaming jurisdiction in the world. 

The high taxes may seem like a red flag at first, but this hasn’t deterred Evoplay, which has, instead, identified a multitude of opportunities for expansion within the market. The driver of this? Having the right partner.

“Evoplay is in a very fortunate position in that we have the right partner with us. This is not just important for the Portuguese market but for any new market entry. Without that local, boots-on-the-ground knowledge, you are really going to struggle to enter a new market,” the CCO added.

“Solverde has helped us to attract different demographics of players and expand the reach of Evoplay’s content even further. And despite the high tax rate, the Portuguese market is still continuing to grow rapidly. 

“There are a lot of operators, this is a huge market that we believe is going to be very profitable. Portuguese players know how to bet, they’re used to these types of games, so we look forward to delivering some great titles.”

New additions to the portfolio

With all these new market entries, you might be thinking, ‘how does Evoplay find the time to even consider new products?’. Don’t worry, we asked. 

The development of new products requires input from the entire team but also an in-depth understanding of some of the biggest trends taking place across the market at any given time. In 2023, Malakchi believes the big trend was Bonus Buy features, a topic that cropped up during his panel session at SBC Summit Barcelona.

He told SBC Media: “During a panel at SBC Summit Barcelona, Laura Petrauska (Head of Casino at Bet99) made a very good point about bonus buy features being used to buy multiple different things within a slot game – not just being used for free spins. 

“In 2023, the trend really was these bonus features. We saw them grow in popularity and become more commonplace across the industry as a whole. And I do think they’re a really great idea. This was probably the most innovative thing that we saw from this year, and it has been something that providers and game developers have truly embraced. 

“In answer to your question over whether this will continue? Absolutely. This is only the beginning for this type of feature. I can see this still remaining popular in 2024.”

As you can probably guess, Evoplay already has plans in place to capitalise on this trend in the latter part of this year and into 2024. However, Malakchi kept his cards somewhat close to his chest on giving away any of the finer details.

He concluded: “I can’t let you in on too many secrets just yet. But Evoplay is more than ready to capitalise on these trends. We already have games with these different bonus features. In 2024, we will continue to grow – not just the portfolio of bonus buy games but the functionality within those features. 

“We’re preparing to launch a range of special gamification features based on Bonus Buy features and the buying opportunities within slots. So we’re getting ready to test those now. Our portfolio is continuing to grow, so we want to keep pushing the boundaries of innovation and create stand-out games for our partners.”

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The World Cup will obviously be a major focus for sportsbooks in the coming months but, according to Evoplay’s Chief Commercial Officer Vladimir Malakchi, the festival of football in Qatar also provides opportunities for online casinos and games developers.

Ahead of Evoplay’s participation in SBC Summit Barcelona – where the company will showcase their products in the Casino & iGaming Zone and he will take part in the ‘Lessons in User Engagement from the Video Game Sector’ panel – CasinoBeats caught up with Malakchi to talk football, new markets and the growing importance of streamers.

CasinoBeats: With Evoplay preparing to attend SBC Summit Barcelona following some really impressive operator deals, talk us through your latest expansion. What’s been key to Evoplay’s success?

Vladimir Malakchi: Thank you! One of our major milestones this year has been obtaining our MGA Recognition Letter, which means that we’ve been able to shift a considerable share of our focus to establishing our presence across MGA-regulated markets. Alongside that, we’re also actively developing our partner network in Italy, and I see great potential there. 

Boosting Evoplay’s global coverage is a process that comes naturally to us, as our brand credibility and products continue to stand out when compared to many of the generic igaming products you see today. The proof has been in the pudding, and our partnerships with Admiral for Croatia, reaching Romanian players with Princess Casino, and deals with Soft2Bet, Platin Casino, GiG, and other major operators across the globe are the best illustrations of this. 

CB: Looking ahead to the show, what’s Evoplay excited about, and what do you believe will be the top topics for casinos as we move closer to the World Cup?

VM: My best guess is that the cross-selling between the sports betting and casino verticals will most likely engage the maximum attention. With the sports betting industry’s continued rapid growth and predictions to reach $168bn in the few upcoming years, suppliers’ and operators’ interest in expanding their reach will no doubt continue. 

We’re really delighted to dive into the topic, as this year is marked by us reaching the sports betting audience with some really effective campaigns. We kicked off this journey in 2020 by releasing our first football-themed game that provided a betting twist. Now we boast a package of sports-focused titles that can be the perfect accompaniment to the World Cup. In short, we will allow bettors to get a dose of diverse casino entertainment while still enjoying the ‘X factor’ of sports – which gives them the best of both worlds!  

CB: With the show being based in Barcelona, what’s Evoplay’s take on the Spanish market? Any exciting news for us to expect before the end of the year for Spain’s operators?

VM: Currently, we don’t cater our games to the Spanish audience, but the market is certainly one we’re keeping an eye on. According to 2021’s data, approximately 81 per cent of the Spanish population participated in any form of gambling, with 1.5 million online players. It demonstrates that igaming in the country has a great capacity for suppliers. 

Next year we will devote more time to researching and analysing the Spanish igaming market, exploring its opportunities and regulations. Now we have more time to explore its audience and unique differentiators, we’re interested to find out the results, and I’m sure we’ll be able to make a real impact when we go live there. 

CB: Evoplay has been making plenty of moves in the streamer space. How valuable do you see this as a marketing channel, and what would you advise other studios looking to make their first move into this domain? 

VM: For Evoplay as a brand, this year is marked by a substantial focus on the B2C segment, and streamers are among our main companions. Previous results have shown that 45 game streams every quarter can extend the reach of titles and attracts 16.5 million new players. For those who are at the outset, I would say that collaboration with streamers should start with a thorough selection based on casinos they work with, markets they’re active in, and the way they deliver the content.

In 2022, we are set to break our previous records and utilise the influencer marketing potential to the maximum extent. A little sneak peek: we are currently working on involving not only casino streamers but content creators from the video gaming and sports betting verticals, as well as bloggers and influencers that could rapidly enhance our brand awareness. 

Stay tuned as we have prepared many exciting collabs for this year, which will accompany our cross-channel football package. Don’t hesitate to visit our H1 stand at SBC Summit Barcelona; we look forward to meeting everyone in person and showcasing that we’ve got in store for the world of igaming! 

iGaming Innovation is to form one key aspect of this year’s SBC Summit Barcelona 2022, which takes place at Fira Barcelona Montjuïc on 20-22 September.

This will see 6,000 delegates enjoy a 12-track conference covering all aspects of the international sports betting and online casino industries, an exhibition with 200 companies showcasing their latest innovations, and a programme of spectacular evening networking events. 

Visit the SBC Summit Barcelona website to book your All Access Pass for the early bird price of €350.

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As part of its expansion deal, the omni-channel betting and gaming operator will supply a range of Evoplay titles to Fortuna’s first brands, including its Croatian-facing PSK Casino. 

“We are delighted to have the opportunity to work in collaboration with one of the largest casino groups in Eastern Europe, Fortuna Entertainment Group,” noted Vladimir Malakchi, CCO at Evoplay. “That is an exciting chance for us to be presented by leaders and well-known and recognised operators in the whole market. 

“We did our best in order to select the most performing titles in order to provide our partner’s players with top-level gaming that is fully localised and adapted to their needs.  

“In addition, we have planned a variety of gamification activities for the year ahead, and by partnering with FEG, we expect to reach more players than ever before. We look forward to a cumulative cooperation that is soon to be strengthened by joining forces with other Fortuna’s networks throughout the globe”

Following on from the above stated, PSK Casino will gain access to 43 games from Evoplay’s igaming catalogue, including 31 slots and 12 instant games, such as Penalty Shoot-Out, Ice Mania and Jelly Boom. 

Moreover, the duo have also agreed to organise tournament activities for PSK Casino players, scheduled to take place this Spring. 

Mekinic Bozo, Brand & Sponsorship Manager at PSK, added: “We are thrilled to have a developer with Evoplay’s credentials join our network of partners, and are so excited to have the opportunity to provide our players with their unique collection of game products from slots to instant games.

“Delivering exciting products and engaging experiences has always been of paramount importance to us as a brand, and with Evoplay now joining our impressive network of partners, we have all the resources needed to fully facilitate joyful Croatian players’ experiences. 

“The PSK brand’s slogan: “Play Your Game”, fits well with the wide selection of Evoplay games.”

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The approval allows Italian operators to gain access to some of Evoplay’s European titles, including the studio’s Fruit Super Nova 100, Cycle of Luck, Gold of Sirens, Ellen’s Fortune and Temple of Dead.

Vladimir Malakchi, CCO at Evoplay, said: “In the last few years, we’ve grown at an exponential rate, becoming one of Europe’s fastest growing studios in the process. With this in mind, it’s fantastic to see more than sixty of our titles gaining certification in such a vibrant market like Italy.

“Italy remains an essential target market for us, with the jurisdiction reporting impressive growth in recent times, as online casino revenue hit a record high in March this year. We hope the certification will allow us to not only expand in Italy, but to establish ourselves across Europe as one of the continent’s leading studios.”

So far 62 games from the studio’s portfolio have been certified, with Italian players gaining access to 52 video slots and 10 instant games.

The approval from the Aggenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli follows on from Evoplay’s partnership with Bragg Gaming that saw the latter strengthen its ORYX offerings.

The deal saw a selection of games from Evoplay’s portfolio, including 50 slot products, including Penalty Shoot-Out, Wheel of Time, Dungeon: Immortal Evil, and Hot Triple Sevens, and 12 instant games, go live across multiple regulated markets, such as Malta, Croatia, Romania, and Serbia.

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So with that in mind, in the latest edition of CasinoBeats 100 Club we cast our eyes around the globe and asked our members to predict where the next big opportunity for igaming growth will come from. 

We asked: Where is the next big opportunity in growth for igaming? 

Eyes firmly fixed on the Latin American market, Vera Motto, business development executive at Habanero, noted that the region is “one of the fastest growing markets in igaming” – pinpointing that three operators within the continent are in the “global top ten” which Motto predicts is “only going to increase”.

She continued: “The region holds so much promise for emerging suppliers and operators who are not only looking for new territories to expand into, but are actively looking for relatively untouched territories to establish a zone of authority in.

“Some markets in the region are well developed, such as Colombia and Mexico, which have become shining examples of the strength of modern regulated markets. ColJuegos reported that the Colombian market is doubling year-on-year, which is extremely impressive, and gives hope to up-and-coming markets like Argentina and Panama.

“We’ve seen the growth that regulation has brought to Colombia, and we expect to see the same for these markets. I think Argentina will exert itself as a leading market in the coming years and challenge Colombia for size, thanks to its higher GDP and strong casino culture.”

“With favourable regulations in the horizon and expected revenue of around $2.6bn by 2025, there is so much potential for igaming brands…”

Vladimir Malakchi, CCO at Evoplay

Another vote for the LatAm market came from Vladimir Malakchi, CCO at Evoplay, who stated that the region “currently possesses an unsaturated entertainment market of over half a billion socially and economically stable people” – 469 million of which Malakchi noted are “regular internet users”.

“In contrast to the well-established European markets, Latin America looks very advantageous for up-and-coming suppliers and casino operators who are not only looking for new territories to expand into but are actively searching for untouched territories to establish a zone of influence as a pioneer,” explained the Evoplay CCO.

“With favourable regulations in the horizon and expected revenue of around $2.6bn by 2025 (provided by VIXIO GamblingCompliance), there is so much potential for igaming brands to establish and elevate their standings.”

Latin America was a hot focus for TVBET’s Business Development Manager Utku Sarper, who believes that this market is among the “growing stars” of the global gaming industry – noting that the African market also presents a host of new opportunities.

“From TVBET’s perspective, we can certainly mention Latin America and Africa as growing stars and big opportunity for Live Games products,” Sarper disclosed.

“Live games products incorporate a novel approach, and players from these jurisdictions are eager to discover/consume this kind of content. Obviously in the short term, hurdles within regulation and market specific glitches will occur, however with commitment, these will resolve.”

“Canada as another modern affluent economy creates another potential powerhouse next to the US…”

David Mann, chief commercial officer, Swintt.

Whilst Latin America was a popular answer among many of our members, it was not to everyone’s taste with Andreas Koeberl, BetGames CEO, believing the market “suffers” from being “overhyped”.

Instead, the CEO threw his support behind Canada, stating that the country is a “massive opportunity going forward.”

He noted: “With regulation gradually coming in and the massive value for players there, it might well be the most promising market outside the US if you get your content right. 

“When a market opens up and quickly turns into a tier-one territory, competition is fierce but as poker and lottery make up a significant share of the existing volume, this presents excellent future opportunity for us – especially considering that the potential size of Ontario’s market, which is the first province to be regulated, is projected to more than triple by 2025.”

Providing an argument for both LatAm and Canada, Swintt’s chief commercial officer, David Mann, stated that the Americas as a whole presents “unique opportunities” whilst combining Latin America into ‘one’ general market offers “huge potential”.

“We can all see the promising numbers in the regulated US markets already – but Canada as another modern affluent economy creates another potential powerhouse next to the US,” Mann shared. 

“Combining LatAm as ‘one’ general market gives huge potential as the player bases mature into the online gaming products from land-based though the individual markets will have their own niches and inevitably regulatory frameworks.

“Overall the US is a core focus for us at Swintt and we’re looking forward to growing stateside in upcoming months.”

“The States needed such an enormous boost as the full closure of brick-and-mortar casinos for the things to change in the online sector…”

Ekaterina Giganova, CMO at Evenbet.

This sentiment was reiterated by Allan Auning-Hansen, CEO of CEGO, who claimed that despite its “limited lifetime”, the US market has “proven to be powerful” and offers “huge potential”, alongside Canada.

“The challenge in the US market is currently the high CPA values and the licensing system,” CEGO’s CEO stated. “Thus we might see that some of the other mentioned markets could be more interesting. For CEGO it is important only to operate in regulated markets.”

SkillOnNet’s head of corporate, Maor Nutkevitch, also supported the US and Canada, noting the “positive regulatory movement” which, he believes, is “slowly opening up each market”.

Nutkevitch continued: “Taking into account the unique licensing regime adopted in the US where competition is limited in most states, early entrants will have the advantage to gain and substantiate long term market share.

“Nonetheless, the regulatory rollout of igaming in the various US states is slower than anticipated and it will be interesting to see how long it will take igaming to catch up with sports betting (if at all).”

Ekaterina Giganova, CMO at Evenbet, added that, for her, the choice was “obvious”, as she backs the US market. 

She expressed: “For a long time, all forms of igaming were prohibited in the US, and before the COVID-19 pandemic, the legislation was barely moving forward. The states needed such an enormous boost as the full closure of brick-and-mortar casinos for the things to change in the online sector. 

“Now, the US igaming market is one of the fastest growing in the world, even with only a bunch of states that have introduced full regulation for sports betting, casino, and other online verticals. 

“I’m quite sure that when at least half of the states do that, we will see the new biggest igaming market globally, both in players’ number and revenue.”

Echoing Giganova, our final member Victor Pronk, commercial director at Incentive Games, stated that operators “cannot afford to ignore” the US market.

He concluded: “The opening of the US market is by far the biggest opportunity right now. We are seeing operators from around the world investing heavily to gain a market share and rightfully so.

“If we look at the top ten online regulated markets by estimated GGR, three US states make the global list. This includes Michigan in ninth place. This is staggering when you consider the state only opened its doors to regulated sports betting in January this year. 

“We should also take into account that the four biggest states – California, Florida, New York and Texas – have not gone online yet. Of course, there is no guarantee they will open up any time soon.

“Also, the cost of player acquisition is very high and the licensing process is different per state and sometimes limits the number of operators that can enter the fold. This makes the barrier to entry high.”

Launched to give a voice to the industry on a range of key issues, the CasinoBeats 100 Club tackles the tricky questions and shares members’ views across the CasinoBeats network. Have your say by joining the 100 Club.

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So as the market begins to open up even further, are we seeing the beginning of the future powerhouse of online gambling?

In the second part of CasinoBeats’ look into the leapers and remainers, we cast our attention to those who remain hesitant on crossing the point – at the moment.

Joining the discussion is Vladimir Malakchi, CCO at Evoplay and Andreas Koeberl, CEO at BetGames, to explain why the US online sector is not a priority and what would entice them to enter. 

Why is the US online space not a priority?

Vladimir Malakchi, Evoplay: Given the US online gambling market has already reached $2.3bn in revenue in the first two quarters of 2021, it would be unwise to say the market shouldn’t be a priority. With such a massive market volume, the US holds a wealth of opportunity – and is no doubt going to be a gold rush for years to come.  

However, the global online gambling market is not limited to the United States – there are many regions in the world worth keeping in mind and focusing on, especially when considering this market’s rigorous regulation framework and costly market entry. 

For us, it’s very much on the map, but given our success further south in LatAm, we’re taking our time and evaluating the right opportunities carefully. 

Andreas Koeberl, BetGames: The US is a massive market, and we have no doubt that it will become interesting for us in due course. BetGames is undergoing its biggest transformation ever and we want to ensure that we allocate our resources correctly first. 

Our current portfolio serves 1500 web platforms worldwide fantastically, but it isn’t optimised for a US entry just yet. Hence, we constantly keep an eye on the developments over there and will make a move once our new product lines are ready. 

US players, as well all know, are highly demanding – and we only want to enter when we know we can really make our mark. On that note, stay tuned for plenty of interesting updates coming from us in H1 next year, as we’ve got some amazing products in store that will no doubt prove to be hugely popular over there. 

What would entice you to consider entering?

VM: Entering the US market is on our list of global targets for territorial expansion, so we are closely monitoring all updates there. Moreover, the market is quite new and young, and we’re keeping a close eye on how it develops and what new regulations apply to both gaming providers and casino operators, as well as how players perceive certain products. 

Market analysis and forecasting is one of the strengths of Evoplay, so we take the time to learn the market as much as possible and form a truly advantageous offer for local operators and players. I’m sure with the fantastic games we have on offer, when the time is right – US players are going to love what we’ve got! 

AK: Clearly, the right product mix. A US entry requires lots of prep work and dedication from a legal, compliance and investment perspective as we all know. 

The market’s growth projections are immense, making it very competitive. As a result – we’re ready to make our move when the right time comes – but one must be supremely aware of the fact that having the wrong product/market mix is a risk. 

I think mid-next year, we will be in a position to do a re-assessment of if and when to enter, based on our new offerings, that will all be specifically catered to ensuring our future US operator partners can really have the best of the best.

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Under the terms of the launch, a range of 62 titles from the game developers catalogue of slots, such as Hot Triple Sevens, Fruit Nova and Elven Princesses, will be integrated with the operator and made available to players within the country. 

“We’re delighted to have agreed a deal with another Estonian-based company, allowing us to expand in the country, as well as reinforce our European footprint,” Vladimir Malakchi, CCO at Evoplay, commented.

“The deal highlights the strength and allure of our impressive portfolio, and we look forward to building a successful relationship with Kingswin.”  

The latest deal marks Evoplay’s second Estonian agreement as the company extends its presence in the country, after it secured entry via a collaboration with Slots.io earlier this year. 

A Kingswin spokesperson added: “We are very excited to have gained Evoplay’s extensive and exciting portfolio of games, their popular collection will allow us to greatly enhance our product offering.

“We have no doubt that the integration of these games will go down very well with our players and will offer them an endless amount of entertainment.”

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Joining the debate is Vladimir Malakchi, chief commercial officer at Evoplay, David Little, co-founder at Lightning Box, Darren Stephenson, marketing director at Push Gaming and Simon Hammon, CPO at Relax Gaming. 

CasinoBeats: Applying marketing strategies to gaming development to shape player demand and profiles is becoming a widely used approach for many suppliers – how do you look to incorporate insights with your various teams?

Simon Hammon: There are insights that can be taken from multiple sources and directions, but ultimately the key ones will always be the performance metrics we see without our own data compounded with operator and market feedback. 

Of course, game design has changed its focus in recent years to cater for market conditions, competition, regulation and marketing strategies. It is clear that game suppliers have needed to adapt heavily to the new landscape when they are launching a product to ensure competitiveness. 

Vladimir Malakchi: Having used a large collection of marketing practices and tools that have helped to scale different businesses, I can confidently say that marketing is an integral and indispensable powerhouse of any company that wants to grow and develop. 

Of course, there is no single algorithm, method or practice that would suit everyone – everything is dependent on a company’s specific audience and its requests, which also tend to change under the influence of external factors and the very nature of market development itself.

This means that the content and promotion strategy need to be constantly adapted in order to resonate with a specific audience, and its segmentation by location, age, gender and other trends.

At Evoplay, we’re proud to have a strong marketing team that is involved in product creation from the initial stage all the way through to the final stage, where the messaging for each of our game products can be adjusted to suit and target a demographic. 

On a quarterly basis, the marketing team supplies our product teams with insights on user analytics, market analytics and market predictions to help us shape our portfolio and adapt it to local markets. The user comes first, then the product – that is how marketing at any company should work in order to go toe-to-toe with competitors in the market.

Darren Stephenson: Cross-department collaboration is essential, as the landscape of marketing has evolved so much in recent years, with more access to players and player communities. 

Closer interaction allows studios to gain direct player feedback on existing slots and other game types coming into the market which gives us cross-over access.  

On the product side at Push, we’ve also shifted our marketing more from just explaining the mechanics towards selling the narrative and storyline. Having that direct player interaction has of course made that so much easier.  

Internally, we have regular meetings with both our commercial teams and Game Product Owners (POs). This gives us an excellent way of tapping into and sharing feedback. Thanks to the digital nature of online gaming, it is even more beneficial for POs to literally see streams in action and being played by audiences – and it’s proven to be invaluable.

David Little: There are many ways to incorporate marketing strategies to a game to entice players and meet their demands and profile. We’ve seen games that provide players with wallpapers or other artefacts to download once they achieve a set status or level. For us, we tend to use inspiration from video games and similar industries. 

An example would be one of our latest game Chicken Fox5x Skillstar, which includes a Retro Skillstar bonus where the player has to catch as many eggs as they can to enter their names into the global leaderboard.

This allows players to compete for the top score and bragging rights on who is the best ‘Egg Catcher’ on the planet.  

Starting with the basics, what kind of data and analytics can be applied to define player profiles? How can we get a better idea of future demand for styles of gameplay? 

VM: First of all, this is the data that game providers can track themselves – game portfolio performance and top game positions can be utilised to track the success of the game. These can be used to track the impact of various marketing activities such as tournaments, collaborations with streamers and promotional offers that casino operators provide.

Based on the data obtained from casino operators, audience segmentation is decided according to the bet sum, the location, and the player profile. Casino metrics such as number of spins per player, session duration, average bet and retention rate are also key when it comes to a detailed audience analysis. 

With multiple segmented audiences, we can now develop games that will be most relevant to each of them, which results in much better performance. For example, in Europe and Latin America, there will naturally be different theme preferences. Also, some players may appreciate a long-lasting spin combined with some engaging animations, while others may be purely focused on the result.

DL: The data that interests operators the most is age group, gender, device (mobile/desktop) and bet behaviour. Gathering these details helps them tailor the correct content and promotion to their players. There isn’t a particular field data that can accurately extrapolate a style of gameplay that an individual player favours. 

Operators normally gauge game play popularity on the amount of spins placed on a game. I think Twitch streamers and discussions on affiliate forums tend to point the direction of trends for future style of game play. 

DS: As a supplier the amount of data we receive is limited, however we are of course in a good position to see differences in player behaviours on a high level so we can see certain trends within the marketplace. 

A good upcoming example could be multiplayer, which seems to be appearing on the radar for operators and we’ll keenly follow the data as you can imagine how that could greatly influence the game creation thought process and ultimately the game styles being delivered. 

More specifically for us and our games, data has been key to identifying themes and mechanics that players really love. Sometimes we see from the data that maybe a game wasn’t quite on the money but there was something there that has piqued interest. 

We saw this with Tiki Tumble, for example, and so re-visited that model for Razor Shark. Previous games give us the data we need to understand key insights, and this enables us to go away and come back with a new twist or mechanic. 

SH: It goes without saying that data can illuminate interesting insights. A lot of this data can also be somewhat dependent on what information is offered by the operator. Age, gender and regionality are the obvious ones in terms of defining a player base, but 100s of variables and KPIs make this far more specific. 

For a supplier, key metrics to keep an eye on include average session, round value and return rates over a defined period of days. From these stats, you often get a comprehensive list of what games and/or mechanic styles can work for what demographics or playing styles. 

Data is undoubtedly important to game design, however, a great game is not solely defined by data design. Some of the most theoretically perfect games have not done well and that is because a game needs to tie in multiple elements to be successful even with a tightly defined target audience. 

Talk us through your vision for engaging the next generation of players over the coming years – how will you be looking to market your games and define the exact profile of these new demographics coming into gaming?

VM: Since the main tool of interaction between our company and the player is the product itself, the first thing to aim for (and implement) is a revolutionary concept that can excite and engage – of course, the content comes with that – and we’re focused on products that can capture the attention of outside demographics. 

We all know that the traditional casino players from the early 2010s are now being replaced by millennials and gen z, who are infamously harder to attract than just using the product as a flashy way of capturing attention. It is through other means, such as educating the player, providing an easily understandable gaming experience, and of course the kind of tech they expect in all games to be there – and this is how you attract the new generation. 

Social, of course, is key to that too – and from recent stats, we can see that more than 80 per cent of marketers use social media on a constant basis to engage their audience. 

DS: For us, it’s more important to build on our core values and brand – we want players to get to know us, why we are here, what motivates us and why they can put their trust in us.  

By continuing to get closer to players and being a part of their communities, we will be a part of the discussion and we’ll be listening to ensure we understand the requirements of the new demographics coming through.

Marketing and sponsorships directed towards the interest areas of the new generation of players is a good place to start. If you look at esports for example as it continues to grow from strength to strength, I would say the lines between certain product verticals start to blur or even disappear so within communities you may find a wider range of personalities and profiles that enjoy a mixture of content so we will want to be a part of that.

I believe we’ll see plenty of solutions in skill-based games, multiplayer games, tournaments and leaderboards all of which provide a platform to transition players from visiting the casino site, to playing the game – and then becoming a long-term fan. 

DL: I don’t expect it to change all that much as the current designs and technologies already align with the current generation of players. But we’ll likely see enhanced graphics and futuristic game play styles where there may be AI intervention. We might even see players putting on their virtual reality headsets sitting at home and walking into a virtual casino to place their bets on a slot game. 

Whatever the trend and popularisation at that point for the next generation of players, we’ll need to cater for them as it could potentially be the future of gaming. Thus, it’s important to be reviewing market trends and being one of the early suppliers to provide for the new demographics. 

SH: The demographic of casino customers that are the highest value and volume are 30 to 40-year-old males. Naturally, as time goes on, the offering will need to be tailored to the 20 to 30-year-old segment that is coming up and reaching their spending peak. The habits, trends and technologies being used by a younger generation can often vary significantly, so a lot of thought needs to go into how to ensure games will also appeal to a changing player base. 

Of course, players are looking increasingly for a high-action, high-entertainment experience and games must now offer the visuals and graphics they expect combined with interesting game flow and mechanics that are a far cry from the original 5×3 set-ups of recent years. 

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