May/Jun 2022
WILL CAMELOT LOSE ITS CROWN? All change, Allwyn. Will the UK National Lottery change hands? GGA LONDON
The winners revealed at the Global Gaming Awards
ICE REVIEW
We look back at GI Huddles galore
VIETNAM FOCUS An exclusive interview with Hoiana CMO Jit Ng
EDITOR’S LETTER COO, EDITOR IN CHIEF Julian Perry EDITOR Tim Poole Tim.Poole@gamblinginsider.com STAFF WRITER Peter Lynch Peter.Lynch@gamblinginsider.com JUNIOR STAFF WRITER Louis Thompsett Louis.Thompsett@gamblinginsider.com LEAD DESIGNER Brendan Morrell
G
Julian Perry, COO, Editor in Chief
Tim Poole, Editor
aming tradeshows are like London buses! No ICE for over two years, then this year's ICE London was followed the very next week by IGA 2022 in California. Gambling Insider was in attendance at both shows and, in this upcoming issue, as well as in our sister publication Gaming America, we bring you plenty of review content after the industry came 'back together again.' The two weeks back to back provided a very rounded experience of the sector: ICE London was essentially an iGaming show, while IGA (formerly NIGA) was a land-based, tribal event. There were key takeaways from both, as we evaluate in our review article on p39 (as well as on the Gambling Insider website). While this magazine is our flagship product, we are proud of the strides we have made in terms of video coverage – something we showed off at both ICE and IGA, where our video teams interviewed exhibitor after exhibitor (all of which you can find on LinkedIn), as well as the debut of our live GI Huddle booth. Most of all, we were delighted to bring the Global Gaming Awards London back to the Hippodrome Casino, where our Marketing & Events Manager Mariya Savova did a fantastic job hosting the industry's most prestigious Awards ceremony. You can read our full winner's round-up from p26. However, neither the Global Gaming Awards nor ICE London are all that have taken place within the UK gaming industry so far this year. Indeed, in a potentially momentous decision, the Gambling Commission ruled against Camelot and handed the UK National Lottery licence from 2024 to new contender Allwyn. With an appeal process still looming, we explore the episode in our cover feature on p34. Back to the topic of the Global Gaming Awards, though, our recent announcement that we are launching a Global Gaming Awards Asia emphasises the size of the Asian market. And, to that end, we have an exclusive interview with the CMO of Hoiana Integrated Resort, Jit Ng, on p48. Elsewhere in our May/June issue, we feature in-depth interviews with Lightning Box and Novomatic, while we boast a strong Insiders section including David Williams, Anna Sainsbury and Björn Krantz. The team at Exacta Solutions also talks us through the latest iGaming recruitment trends, while our product review section is filled with brand new products that hit the tradeshow floor at ICE London. Like Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool squad, at Gambling Insider we are offering you nothing but strength in depth. TP, Editor
FEATURED IN THIS ISSUE
DESIGNERS Olesya Adamska, Christian Quiling DESIGN ASSISTANTS Radostina Mihaylova, Svetlana Stoyanova MARKETING & EVENTS MANAGER Mariya Savova IT MANAGER Tom Powling COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR Deepak Malkani Deepak.Malkani@gamblinginsider.com Tel: +44 (0)20 7729 6279 SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGERS Michael Juqula Michael.Juqula@gamblinginsider.com Tel: +44 (0)20 3487 0498 Martin Dilleigh Martin.Dilleigh@gamblinginsider.com Tel: +44 (0) 203 435 5628 SENIOR BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER - U.S. Aaron Harvey Aaron.Harvey@playerspublishing.com Tel: +1 702 425 7818 ADVERTISING SALES EXECUTIVE Ariel Greenberg ariel.greenberg@playerspublishing.com Tel: +1.702 833 9581 ACCOUNT MANAGERS William Aderele William.Aderele@gamblinginsider.com Tel: +44 (0)20 7739 2062 Clive Waite Clive.Waite@gamblinginsider.com Tel: +44 (0)20 7729 0643 BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Michelle Pugh Michelle@GlobalGamingAwards.com Tel: +44 (0)20 7739 5768 CREDIT MANAGER Rachel Voit WITH THANKS TO: Fantini Research, GBGC, Camelot, Exacta Solutions, Jit Ng, Sarah Robertson, Simon Thomas, Richard Grant, Stephen Hadfield, Amy Riches, Neil Fairweather, Mark Maccombie, Rickard Vikström, Chris Looney, Oliver Ström, Adrian Bailey, Joey Hurtado, Tom Hicks, Gustaf Hagman, Michael Maokhamphiou, Lee Richardson, Jakob Rothwangl, Doug Fallon, Andrew Foster, Clinton Peltonen, Magdalena Frankowska, Teni Grigoryan, Adam Gros, Malcolm Darnley, David Williams, Anna Sainsbury, Björn Krantz, Rio Broadfoot Gambling Insider magazine ISSN 2043-9466 Produced and published by Players Publishing Ltd
SARAH ROBERTSON
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NEIL FAIRWEATHER
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All material is strictly copyrighted and all rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is forbidden. Every care is taken in compiling the contents of Gambling Insider but we assume no responsibility for the effects arising therefrom. The views expressed are not necessarily those of the publisher.
CONT E 18
ISSUES 8
Facing facts
Gambling Insider takes a closer look at full-year data from within the industry
10 In numbers
A gaming snapshot by Fantini Research, exploring gaming revenue from multiple states across the US
14 The global outlook
Global Betting & Gaming Consultants, the global gaming data expert, focuses on lotteries from around the world
16 Taking stock
We track operator and supplier stock prices across a six-month period
44
GLOBAL GAMING AWARDS 18-32 The winners revealed!
COVER FEATURE 34 Will Camelot lose it's crown?
Having held the UK National Lottery licence since 1994, Camelot is set to be replaced by Allwyn. But will that decision stand upon appeal?
48
FEATURES 38 Lights. Camera. Action. Tim Poole reviews ICE London – and our live GI Huddles
40 The future of online slots Lightning Box Operations Manager Michael Maokhamphiou discusses the hugely popular vertical
44 The future of land-based Novomatic's Jakob Rothwangl discusses the evolution of casino
48 Next-level integration
Gambling Insider speaks with Hoiana Integrated Resort's new CMO Jit Ng
50 Big question
How popular are branded slots in today's marketplace?
ENTS 54
68
INSIDERS 54 Roundtable: Innovation in player retention Enteractive, Ziqni, Galaxsys and Soft2Bet offer their expertise
58 The iGaming informational conundrum Gamblineers Owner Adam Gros discusses the flow of information within online gaming
60 Recruitment trends
Exacta Solutions analyses the rapid globalisation of the iGaming industry, and the influence of emerging markets
64 What makes a responsible affiliate? Part II Malcolm Darnley of BestOdds gives more tips to end users when picking out a good affiliate
68 David Williams The Rank Group
69 Anna Sainsbury GeoComply
70 Björn Krantz Yggdrasil
69
PRODUCT REVIEWS 72 What's new on the market? Gambling Insider takes a close look at some of the most exciting products now available on the casino floor, with exclusive interviews from the ICE London tradeshow
FINAL WORD 82 Trust Payments
We speak to Rio Broadfoot for an inside view on the latest protection processes available from payment providers
10
8,000
9.6
6,000 £ million
$ billion
8 6 4
ISSUES 2
3.6
3 NUMBER CRUNCHING
4,000
4,414
2,000
1.1
0
6,036
772
408
0
1
1.8
2,140
Revenue
723
EBITDA
FACING FACTS Net revenue
Adjusted EBITDA
2020
Net loss
2020
2021
1000
Revenue ($ million)
849.7
814.3
750
2021
2000
980.1
941.9
Revenue ($ million)
-2
500
1500
1503.7
1000
2020
Gambling Insider takes a close look at500various full year 2021 results, 250 10 with signs of promise as many companies report year-on-year growth 9.6 B2C
505.4
474.7
361.7
B2B
0
Total
Wynn Macau8
Wynn Palace
6
4
2
9.6
8
50
57
6
500 250
32.2
0
Revenue 3.6 3.6
4 2
0
Operating profit 3
2020
08.00 0
2021 1.1
640
610
Net revenue Net revenue
4.00
Adjusted EBITDA Adjusted EBITDA 2020 2021 2020 2021
1.8
1
Net loss Net loss
1
Revenue ($ million) Revenue ($ million)
2.00Company reports Source: •1000 Net revenue & Adjusted EBITDA were up 167% and 173% 1000 114 980.1 108 941.9 respectively year-on-year 980.1 0 0.00 941.9 849.7 • Net loss change of 44% year-on-year Revenue Operating income 814.3 849.7
750 750
6,000 6,000
-2
814.3
02.81
Global Lottery
35.4 70.3 B2C B2C
Malta
Germany
17.8
200 200Gibraltar
16.5
Greece
14.2
€ million € million
150 150Curaccao
Total Total
10.6
2020 2020
2021 2021
0
Norway
6.2
Finland
5.9
Poland
5.3
50 0
32.2
Revenue 89 Revenue
Rest of World
Operating profit Operating profit 200
0
400
Source: Company reports 2020 2021 • Total full-year 2021 revenue amounted 2021 to €1.21bn ($1.33bn) 2020 • 8.00 This represents a 12% year-on-year increase
8.00
640
€ million € million
610 640 8 6.006.00 GAMBLINGINSIDER.COM 610
4.00 4.00 2.00
35.4
38.2 1503.7 1503.7
B2B
Wynn Macau Wynn Macau
1
361.7 361.7
Las Vegas Las Vegas Operations Operations
162.4
2020
57
3
0Nordics
839.2 839.2
0
39.1
Operating profit 561.1 561.1
229.5
2.81 2.16
100 640
2020 2020
4.00
0.00 1
610
1068.7 1068.7
95.8
107.5 Revenue
2.00 2
330.1
371.3
32.2
6.00
Encore Boston Encore Boston Harbour Harbour
2021
50Europe Western
600
2
691.5 691.5
117.7 2020 Revenue 2021 (€ million)
100
543.3 543.3 Central, Eastern & Southern Europe Source: Company
3
Total
747.9 747.9
626
38.9 reports 229.5 250 250• Revenue increased 38% year-on-year 2020 2021 17.8 profit23.1increased 77% 17.8 year-on-year 0 • Operating 8.00Other 0 29.5 Live RNG Live RNG
32.2
849.7
474.7
500 500
57
980.1
723
6262021 20202020 474.7 2021
150
750 750
57
723
2021 2021
B2C
0 Wynn Palace Wynn Palace
1000 1000
162.4 162.4
772
200
1250 1250
9.2 United 100Arab Emirates 117.7 100 Cyprus 8.2117.7
50
0
Digital & Betting
505.4 505.4
€ million
23.7
2020 2020
1.11
883
500 500
55.3
Spain
772
408
2021
EBITDA EBITDA
500
1
Net loss
Kambi Group full-year 2020 and 2021 revenue and operating profit (€ million) 883
1000
276.9 38.2
B2B B2B
55.7
Mexico
38.2
408
Revenue
0
€ million
0 Philippines
35.4
2020
750 Revenue 814.3
Global Gaming
1500 1500
543.7
UK
Adjusted EBITDA
0.837 Source: Company reports 2000 reported250 • 2021 revenue was up 37%0.165 from 2020 2000 0.115 • 2021 reported EBITDA was down 6% from 2020
evenue (€ million) enue (€ million)
0
Italy
4,414 Net revenue 4,414 Total
941.9
0
3
1.8
2,140 10002,140 2020 2021
2.16
Revenue (€ million) Revenue (€ million)
250 250
Revenue (€ million)
2021
2021 2021
1068.7
6,036 6,036
229.5
RNG
Playtech full-year 2021 revenue per geographic market (€ million) 500 1000 500
2020 2020 2020
561.1
17.8
4,000 4,000 Live
1
2
Encore Boston Harbour
1.1
0
543.3
3
1.1
20193.6 2019
2
8,000839.2 8,000
2,000 2,000
3
1.8
-26.00 -2
€ million
750
Revenue (€ million)
8
9.6
117.7
4 2019
1000
Revenue ($ million) Revenue ($ million)
10
100
$ billion $ billion
€ million
162.4
Revenue (€ million)
150
2021 2021
£ million £ million
2020
2020 2020 2021
Las Vegas Operations
6 Flutter Entertainment full-year 2019, 2020 and 2020 2021 2021 reported revenue and EBITDA (£ million)
Caesars Entertainment full-year 2020 and 2021 2020 2021 net revenue, net loss and Adjusted EBITDA ($ billion) 200 1250 10
2021
691.5
38.2
$ billion
0
747.9
626
Revenue ($ million)
35.4
883
200
Total Total 400
300
2021 2021
2.81
2.16
108
Revenue 0.837
1.11
114
Operating income 1.11
Net revenue 3.6
6,000 1000 0 0
408 849.7
500 1500
Revenue
0
35.4
B2C
38.2
35.4
883
0 2000
500
1500 0
162.4Wynn
Macau
Las Vegas Operations
150
0 Wynn Palace 32.2 Wynn Macau Las Vegas Revenue Operating profit2021 Evolution full-year 2020 and Operations Revenue
Operating profit revenues 839.2 for Live and
750 500
Revenue (€ million)
6.00
4.00750
€ million
€ million
1000 6.00 0
2020 20202021 2021 2021
2020 2021
543.3 2020
1250 8.00 8.00 250
691.5
839.2
361.7 543.3
640
640
610
Live
RNG
839.2
2.00 0.00250 10 3
108
Revenue
2020 2020
80 Revenue 2.16 Live 2 Source:6 Company reports
1068.7
2.16
1
561.1
2021 2021
114
229.5
Operating income 108 9.62.81 17.8
0.00
0
Operating income
RNG
1Italy
2020
3.6
1.112021 3 Revenue
0.837
UK 70.3 2.81
Philippines
276.9
1.1
10.6 814.3
750
543.7
500Cyprus
8.2 Gibraltar
Norway
Greece
5.9
Poland
e (€ million)
5.3
United Arab Emirates
0 World Rest of
0
9.2
35.4
B2C Cyprus 543.7
8.2
200
Poland
B2B
400
Total
100
0
95.8
Nordics 200
107.5
117.7
Central, Eastern &
23.7 17.8
2019 2020 16.5 Gibraltar 0.165
Global Gaming
1.11 2021
0.837
Greece Digital & Betting14.2
Global Curaccao Lottery
United Arab Emirates
39.1
0.165
0.115
10.6
6,036
2,140
Global Gaming
Digital & Betting
9.2
Finland
5.9
772
408
543.7
723
5.3 Poland 2020 Kindred full-year and 2021 sports Revenue EBITDA betting revenue by region 89(£ million) Rest of World
1500 1000 500
40
200
2021
330.1
Western Europe
371.3
95.8
Nordics
Revenue (€ million)
1503.7
107.5
Central, Eastern &883 Southern Europe
Western Europe
39.1 38.9
505.4
747.9
626
691.5
474.7 29.5
Wynn Palace
Wynn Macau 100
0
95.8 361.7
Nordics
23.1
Other
200
107.5
Las Vegas 300 Operations
Encore Boston Harbour
400
Central, Eastern & Source: Company reports Southern Europe • Total sports betting revenue amounted to £547.2m38.9 ($721.8m) 330.1 2020 • Represents 12% year-on-year increase 2021
1250 89
162.4
0
Revenue (€ 600million)
5.3
Rest of World
150
Spain
0.115
0
enue (€ million)
200
0.837
38.2
89
Norway Source: Company reports6.2 • B2C and B2B revenue grew 16% and 8% respectively year-on-year Western 2020 2021 Europe • Total revenue Finland grew 15%5.9 year-on-year
€ million
276.9
10.6
276.9
• Global Lottery, Global Gaming, Digital & Betting up 30%, 6.2 Norway 33%, 44% respectively
2000
Digital & Betting
14.2
Curaccao
55.3
2020
16.5
6.2
250Finland
Global Gaming
Total
(€ million) 2020 0 Revenue2021
980.1 0.165 0.115 849.7
Global Lottery 17.8 9.2 United Arab Emirates Germany
Mexico
2021 1.11
941.9 23.7
Spain
0 Curaccao
55.7
Germany
1.11
1
0
0.837
55.3
2.16
0.165
Revenue ($ million)
Revenue (€ million)
16.5
14.2
Malta
2021
2020 55.7
Mexico
Greece
Revenue ($ million)
276.9
1
Gibraltar 1000
nue (€ million)
2020
17.8 Malta
Revenue (€ million)
70.3 Philippines2020 2020 2021 2021
Source: Company reports
Italy 0 0 888 Holdings full-yearGlobal 2020 and 2021 B2C, 55.7 Malta 1 1.8 Global Lottery Gaming Digital & Betting 2.16 2 276.9 UK B2B and total revenue ($ million) 55.3 Mexico -2 Net Adjusted EBITDA Net loss 70.3 23.7 revenue Spain Philippines Germany
1068.7
2021
2
2,000
(€ million)
Operating income
Cyprusto $4.1bn, 8.2 up 31% year-on-year 4,414 4,000• Total revenue amounted
543.7
0.115
1068.7
Revenue
Italy IGTLivefull-year 2020RNG and 2021 Total revenueUK by vertical ($ million)
RNG
6,000
Total
114
108
2.81
Global 8,000 Lottery
114
Revenue (€ million) • Total operating revenues amounted to €1,068.8bn ($1.17bn) • This represents a 90% year-on-year increase 4
23
17.8
3
Total
4.00 543.3
2
Harbour
17.8
2.81 610
2020 Encore Boston 2021
2021 0.00
2020 3
Encore Boston Harbour
361.7
229.5
0
Las Vegas Operations
691.5
Source: Company reports 543.3 561.1 • Revenue grew 4% year-on-year 229.5 • Operating 561.1 income grew 6% year-on-year
250
561.1
17.8
Wynn Macau
839.2
500
250 1068.7 Encore Boston 0 Harbour Live
229.5
2.00500
$ billion Revenue (€ million)
RNG (€ million)
361.7
Operations
750
691.5
640
610
2.00Las Vegas
10002020
Encore Boston Harbour
1000
Revenue (€ million)
Revenue (€ million)
0
32.2
57
1503.7
4.00
Wynn Macau
747.9
626 474.7
6.00 Wynn Palace 747.9
1250
£ million
0 1000
50
20202020 2021 2021
8.00
505.4
474.7
691.5 Wynn Palace
1250
2021
626
1503.7
2021
150 Wynn Palace
1000
500
505.4
0
747.9
32.2
883
361.7
2020
200
626 2021Total
474.7
200
2021
2020
1000
883
500
723
0
EBITDA
38.2
2020 B2B
B2C 505.4
Total
ISSUES 57
2020 2021 CRUNCHING
Revenue profit Betsson full-year 2020 and Operating 2021 revenue 1503.7 and operating income (SEK billion)
1500
0
1000 1503.7
2020
1000
1500
EBITDA
B2B
250
2000 723
772
772
723
EBITDA
117.7
50NUMBER
408
Revenue
Revenue ($ million)
2000 250814.3 0
980.1
117.7 162.4 883 100 747.9 Source: Company reports 626 500 750 505.4 2020 to $3.76bn 2021 • Total revenue increased 80% year-on-year 474.7 117.7 100 57 in both years • Las Vegas50operations represented the highest totals 500 1250
Total
2000
980.1
0
2021
2020 20212021 2020
941.9
750
Revenue € million
Total
2020
2,140
Revenue ($ million)
2,000 500
Revenue 100
2,140
Revenue (€ million)
49.7
849.7
Revenue (€ million)
980.1
1
1.8
€ million
Net loss
772
408
941.9
4,414
2,000 723
-2 4,000 750
($ million) ($ million) Revenue Revenue ($ million)
1.8 849.7
6,036
1.1
1000 980.1 1
2021
Net loss 4,000
Revenue EBITDA2020 and 814.3 Wynn Resorts, Limited full-year 4,414 Net revenue EBITDA Net loss 2021Adjusted revenue by venue ($ million)
Revenue ($ million)
Net loss
£ million
1
2020
3
6,036
772
162.4 408
150
0
1
1.8 6,000
2021
Adjusted EBITDA
2,140
2
8,000
1.1
2020
4,414
2,140
€ million
2019
-2
4,000 6 8,000 4 2,000
$ billion
£ million
8
200 2021
2019 2,000 2020
3
6,036
9.6
0
2021
Revenue (€ million)
10
6,000
1.8
2020
€ million
3.6
2
£ million
8,000
39.1
371.3
23.1
Other 29.5 GAMBLINGINSIDER.COM 1068.7 9
1000
400
600
Revenue 750 (€ million) 500
839.2 543.3
100
0 561.1
200
3
ISSUES
FANTINI RESEARCH
IN NUMBERS In partnership with Gambling Insider, Fantini Research provides data from around the US; as we look at March revenues from across multiple states
KANSAS: Total gaming revenue actually fell marginally year-on-year, as its biggest-grossing property saw a near-16% fall in revenue – despite growth at three other properties.
KANSAS TOTAL GAMING
MARCH REVENUE (M)
%CHANGE YEAR-ON-YEAR
Kansas Crossing
$3.917
+7.40
Boot Hill Casino (Butler National Corporation)
$4.664
-6.43
Hollywood Casino (Penn National/International Speedway Corporation)
$13.956
+4.98
Kansas Star (Boyd Gaming)
$14.791
-15.78
Total
$37.328
-4.00
MAINE: The Pine Tree State saw huge growth across all segments for March, in particular with its table games.
MAINE TOTAL GAMING
MARCH REVENUE (M)
%CHANGE YEAR-ON-YEAR
Oxford (Churchill Downs)
$10.146
+61.69
Hollywood Bangor (Penn National)
$5.004
+19.70
Total
$15.150
+44.90
MAINE TOTAL GAMING
MARCH REVENUE (M)
%CHANGE YEAR-ON-YEAR
Oxford (Churchill Downs)
$7.644
+41.86
Hollywood Bangor (Penn National)
$4.343
+6.66
Total
$11.987
+26.71
MAINE TOTAL GAMING
MARCH REVENUE (M)
%CHANGE YEAR-ON-YEAR
Oxford (CHDN)
$0.661
+508.11
Hollywood Bangor (PENN)
$2.502
+182.28
Total
$3.164
+217.88
SLOTS
TABLE GAMES
10
GAMBLINGINSIDER.COM
ISSUES
FANTINI RESEARCH
MISSISSIPPI: Sports betting saw significant falls year-on-year, while total gaming revenue remained steady during March; with a high amount of revenue but not much growth at all.
MISSISSIPPI TOTAL GAMING
MARCH REVENUE (M)
%CHANGE YEAR-ON-YEAR
Coastal
$151.847
+2.72
Northern
$63.530
+1.29
Central
$33.633
-12.23
Total
$249.011
+0.06
Without Sports Betting
$244.969
+0.55
SPORTS BETTING
MARCH REVENUE (M)
%CHANGE YEAR-ON-YEAR
Coastal
$1.479
+3.69
Northern
$2.150
-30.21
Central
$0.413
-43.36
Total
$4.042
-22.81
Without Sports Betting
$47.889
-5.26
WASHINGTON DC: Despite an increase in handle, March Sports betting revenue was considerably down year-on-year in Washington DC.
SLOTS WASHINGTON DC TOTAL GAMING
MARCH REVENUE (M)
%CHANGE YEAR-ON-YEAR
Oxford (Churchill Downs)
$7.644
+41.86
Hollywood Bangor (Penn National)
$4.343
+6.66
Total
$11.987
+26.71
WASHINGTON DC TOTAL GAMING
MARCH REVENUE (M)
%CHANGE YEAR-ON-YEAR
Gambet (Intralot)
$0.512
-28.44
Caesars
$0.564
-51.06
BetMGM
$0.241
Grand Central (Elys)
$0.050
Total Revenue
$1.366
-26.84
Same Store*
$1.075
-42.40
Handle
$20.433
+33.76
Same Store
$14.616
-4.31
*Same Store excludes BetMGM and Grand Central, which were not yet operating last year.
fantiniresearch.com
12
GAMBLINGINSIDER.COM
FEATURES
GBGC DATA
GLOBAL OUTLOOK: LOTTERY FOCUS Global Betting & Gaming Consultants (GBGC), the global gaming data expert, provides exclusive statistical data to Gambling Insider on markets from around the world; visit www.gbgc.com for more Top 10 lotteries by sales in 2020
TOP 10 LOTTERIES IN THE WORLD, RANKED BY SALES IN 2020 (US$M)
Top 10 lotteries by sales in 2020
RANK JURISDICTION RANK JURISDICTION 1 China
LOTTERY
China Sports Lottery
SALES US$M YEARLY GROWTH OR FALL IN 2020 SALES US$M YEARLY GROWTH OR FALL IN 2020 28,981 Fall
PAYOUT TO PLAYERS PAYOUT TO PLAYERS 50.0%
LOTTERY
1 2
China
China Sports WelfareLottery Lottery
28,981 21,062
Fall
50.0%
32
China France
China Welfare Lottery Francaise de Jeux
21,062 14,543
Fall
50.0% 65.9%
34
France The UK
Francaise de Jeux The National Lottery
14,543 10,064
Fall Growth
65.9% 57.0%
54
The UK Italy
The National Lottery National Lotteries
10,064 9,258
Growth Fall
57.0% 74.1%
56
Italy Germany
National DeutscherLotteries Lotto-Toto-Block 9,258 9,108
Fall Growth
74.1% 49.1%
6 7
Germany Spain
Deutscher Lotto-Toto-Block 8,608 9,108 SELAE
Growth Fall
49.1% 65.4%
87
Spain US
SELAEYork Lottery New
8,608 7,726
Fall Fall
65.4% 59.9%
8 9
US US
New York Lottery Florida Lottery
7,726 7,505
Fall Growth
59.9% 67.0%
9 10
US Italy
Florida Lotto Lottery
7,505 7,131
Growth Fall
67.0% 70.2%
10
Italy
Lotto
7,131
Fall
70.2%
Lotteries which changed operators Lotteries which changed operators
RANK
COUNTRY
RANK COUNTRY 1 Taiwan
LOTTERIES THAT HAVE CHANGED OPERATORS LOTTERY PREVIOUS LOTTERY YEAR OF OPERATOR CHANGE LOTTERY PREVIOUS LOTTERY YEAR OF Taipei Fubon OPERATOR CHANGE Taiwan Lottery 2007 South African Taiwan Lottery
Bank Taipei Fubon Uthingo Bank
South African D.C. Lottery
Lottery Technology Uthingo Enterprises Lottery Technology Gidani Enterprises
NEW LOTTERY OPERATOR NEW LOTTERY CTBCOPERATOR Financial Holding Company
2007 Oct-07
CTBC Financial GidaniCompany Holding
Oct-07 Dec-09
Gidani Intralot
Dec-09 Oct-14
Intralot Ithuba
Oct-14 Nov-14
Ithuba Premier Lotteries Ireland
Nov-14 Jan-15
Technologies Premier Lotteries Ireland Development Paraguay Technologies Camelot Development Paraguay
54
South African Taiwan Republic South DistrictAfrican of Republic Columbia, US District of South African Columbia, Republic US South African Ireland Republic
National Lottery South African Irish National National Lottery
56
Ireland Paraguay
An Post Irish National Lottery Mepshow Quiniela
6 7
Paraguay Illinois, US
Quiniela Illinois Lottery
Mepshow Northstar
Jan-15 Jan-18
87
Illinois, US South Korea
Illinois Lottery National Lottery
Northstar Nanum Lotto
Jan-18 Apr-18
8 9
South Korea Morocco
La Loterie Nationale National Lottery
Nanum Intralot Lotto
Apr-18 Jan-19
Intralot Maltco
Jan-19 Jul-22
Dong Hang Camelot Lottery Company Dong Hang Sisal Loterie Lottery Maroc Company (Sisal) Sisal Loterie IZI Group Maroc (Sisal)
1 2 32 34
National Lottery South African D.C. Lottery National Lottery
An Post Lottery Gidani
The figures include sales of only lottery games, and exclude sales from video lottery terminals (VLTs), sports betting, horseracing and casino games. During the pandemic-hit 2020, seven out of the top 10 lotteries reported negative growth sales figures.
The table shows 11 instances where one private operator of a national lottery was changed to another. These lotteries are still state-owned, but their day-to-day management is entrusted to a private company. 20,000
9 10
Morocco Malta
du Maroc La Loterie Nationale National du Maroc Lottery
10 11
Malta UK
National Lottery UK National Lottery
Maltco Camelot
Jul-22 2024
IZI Group Allwyn Entertainment
16,000 14,000
11
UK
UK National Lottery
Camelot
2024
Allwyn Entertainment
14,000 12,000
3,500
14
2,500 2,000 2,000 1,500 1,500 1,000
18,000 16,000
12,000 10,000
3,500 3,000 3,000 2,500
20,000 18,000
10,000 8,000
GAMBLINGINSIDER.COM
8,000 6,000 6,000 4,000 2,000 4,000 2,000 0
3 3
74.1% 49.1%
es nt Paraguay
Taiwan
Taiwan Lottery
Taipei Fubon Bank
2007
CTBC Financial Holding Company
2
South African National Lottery
Uthingo
Oct-07
Gidani
D.C. Lottery
Lottery Technology Enterprises
Dec-09
Intralot
South African National Lottery
Gidani
Oct-14
Ithuba
Nov-14
Premier Lotteries Ireland
59.9%
4
67.0%
South African Republic District of Columbia, US South African Republic
5
Ireland
Irish National Lottery An Post
70.2%
6
Paraguay
Quiniela
Mepshow
Jan-15
Technologies Development Paraguay
7
Illinois, US
FDJ SALESLottery OF ALL PRODUCTS Northstar (€M) Illinois
Jan-18
Camelot
South Korea
National Lottery
Nanum Lotto
Apr-18
Dong Hang Lottery Company
Morocco
La Loterie Nationale du Maroc
Intralot
Jan-19
Sisal Loterie Maroc (Sisal)
Malta
National Lottery
Maltco
Jul-22
IZI TheGroup graph shows Française des16,000 Jeux (FDJ),
UK
UK National Lottery
Camelot
2024
internetEntertainment sales (left axis) in EUR million, Allwyn 14,000 and
65.4%
eries Ireland
1
mpany
3
20,0008
e Fal)
18,000 NEW LOTTERY 9 Ep OPERATOR 16,000 10 CTBC Financial
Holding Company ertainment 14,000
11
Gidani
12,000
Intralot
10,000 3,500
Ithuba
3,000 8,000
Technologies 2,000 4,000 Development Paraguay
Sisal Loterie Maroc (Sisal)
1,0000 500 0
IZI Group
18,000
French national lottery operator's total and
percentage of internet sales in total sales (right axis). Just like with the UK National 12,000 Lottery, internet sales are growing each #year, even during the pandemic 2020. 10,000 FDJ internet sales reached EUR 5.2bn in 2021, which is 28% of the total sales.
0
3 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 20,000
Total Sales 18,000
Interactive Sales
2008 2009 2010 2011 201
% of Interactive in Total Sales
Total Sales
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
16,000
Allwyn 3,500 Entertainment 7,000
20,000
Internet sales figures represent sales from lottery and betting through the6,000 online channel: over the internet, on mobile 4,000 phones, or if punters filled up their slips on their mobile phones, but paid the bet 2,000 in a point of sale. Sports betting included
3
1,500 2,000
Dong Hang Lottery Company
FEATURES
8,000
2,500 6,000 Premier Lotteries Ireland
Camelot
GBGC DATA
UK NATIONAL LOTTERY SALES BY CHANNEL (£M) Sales GGY
14,000
3,500
3,000
6,000
12,000
3,000
2,500
5,000
10,000
2,500
2,000
4,000
8,000
2,000 National Lottery's retail
1,500
3,000
6,000
1,500 and mobile) sales in £
1,000
2,000
500
1,000
0
0
The graph shows the UK and interactive (online millions (left axis), and the
1,000 percentage of interactive
4,000 3
3
Retail Lottery Sales
sales in the total sales 500 figure (right axis).
3
2,000 0
Inter
3
0
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 % of Interactive in Total Sales Total Sales Interactive Sales Interactive Retail % of Interactive in Total % of Internet Sales in Total Sales Internet Lottery Sales
Retail Lottery Sales
TABCORP LOTTERY SALES CHANNEL (AU$M)
3,500
The graph shows retail and online lottery sales from Australia's Tabcorp in AU$ million (left axis) and percentage of online sales in the total sales figure (right axis). Lotteries in Australia are operating under theLott brand, which was part of the Tatts Group, before Tabcorp's acquisition. Like with the two European lotteries, the internet sales channel is ever growing and it made up 33% of the total sales in the fiscal 2020/2021, also an all-time high.
3,000 2,500 2,000 1,500 1,000 3
500 0
Retail Lottery Sales
Internet Lottery Sales
% of Internet Sales in Total Sales
GAMBLINGINSIDER.COM
15
Internet Lotte
ISSUES
TAKING STOCK
TAKING STOCK Gambling Insider tracks operator and supplier stock prices across a six-month period (November 2021 to April 2022). The stock price is taken from the first day of each month 888 HOLDINGS
FLUTTER ENTERTAINMENT
GBp 400
400
300
300
200 400
15,000.0015,000.00
300
300
10,000.0010,000.00
200
200
15,000.0015,000.00
300
5,000.00 5,000.00 100 300 10,000.0010,000.00
30 US$
50
50
mb er No v De em ce be mb r er De ce m
ve
0
0
75
75
em be r No ve De mb ce er mb er De ce m
100
No v
WYNN RESORTS
Ap ril
M ar Apch ril
No v De emb ce er mb er De ce Jambe nu r ar y
r
ve m
be
75
No
ril Ap
M ar Apch ril
ve
No
Ja Fe nua br ry ua ry Fe br Muary ar ch
mb er No v De em ce be mb r er De ce Jambe nu r ar y
ril ril Ap
0.00
100
50 100
50 100
50 100
50 100
25 75
25 75
25 75
25 75
0 50
0 50
0 50
0 50
ve mb 0
Six-month high - 93.69 (Nov) Six-month low - 76.06 (Dec) Market capital – US$9.48bn
r
Ap
No v De emb ce er mb er De ce m
No 0
ril
0
M ar Apch ril
0
Ja n Fe uar br y ua ry Fe br u M ary ar ch
25
No v De emb ce er mb er De ce Jambe nu r ar y
25
No Devem ce be mb r er De ce m
er
ril Ap
M ar Apch ril
mb ve No
Ja Fe nua br ry ua ry Fe br Muary ar ch
No Devem ce be mb r er De ce Jambe nu r ar y
er
ril
25
mb er
em be No v
GAMBLINGINSIDER.COM
25
ve
0
No v De emb ce er mb er De ce Jambe nu r ar y
0
r
10
No
mb
ve No
10
Ap
20
ril
20
Ap
0
M ar Apch ril
30
0
er
30
M ar Apch ril
10
Six-month high - 48.47 (Nov) Six-month low - 38.30 (Dec) Market capital – US$18.50bn 16
Ap
M ar Apch ril
40
Ja Fe nua br ry ua ry Fe br Muary ar ch
10
100
100
20
Ja n Fe uar br y ua ry Fe br u M ary ar ch
40
100
Six-month high - 14,035.00 (Nov) Six-month low - 8,746.00 (Apr) Market capital - £15.74bn (US$20.68bn)
0
US$
No Devem ce be mb r er De ce Jambe nu r ar y
20
75
200
0
No
No v
MGM RESORTS INTERNATIONAL 30
100
0.00
M ar Apch ril
0 40
Ja n Fe uar br y ua ry Fe br u M ary ar ch
0 40
em be r No ve De mb ce er mb er De ce Jambe nu r ar y
50
0.00
5,000.00 5,000.00
Six-month high - 381.40 (Nov) Six-month low - 194.20 (Apr) Market capital - £783.5m (US$1.03bn)
100
50
Ja Fe nua br ry ua ry Fe br Muary ar ch
ve No 100
200
Ja n Fe uar br y ua ry Fe br u M ary ar ch
0.00
0 200
mb er No v De em ce be mb r er De ce Jambe nu r ar y
0 200
100
em be
100 300
100
300
No v
200 400
GBp
Six-month high - 85.68 (Nov) Six-month low - 57.70 (Mar) Market capital – US$6.11bn
5
0
0
Ap
ril
ril
0
Ap
10
ch
15
ril
US$
Ap
10
ar
INSPIRED ENTERTAINMENT ril
Ap
MApr ar il ch
0.00
M
0.00
MApr ar il ch
15
ry
15
FeMa br rch ua ry
500.00
ar ch
ril
Ap
Ap M ril ar ch
M Fe arch br ua ry
0.00
M
1,000.00
ua
1,000.00
br
500.00
Fe
500.00
FeMa br rch ua ry
1,500.00
Fe Jbaru naur ayr y
1,500.00
Fe Jbaru naur ayr y
1,000.00
DeJan ce ua mb ry er
1,000.00
De No cem ve be mb r er Ja De nua ce ry mb er Fe b Jaruar nu y ar y
1,500.00
De Noce vme b mebr er
er
mb
ve
KAMBI
DeJan ce ua mb ry er
5
No
1,500.00
De No cem ve be mb r er Ja De nua ce mb ry er Fe b Ja ruar nu y ar y
er
ve mb
ril
Ap
A M pri ar l ch
SEK
De Noce vme b mebr er
er
050
No
10
ve
ril
Ap
0
mb
ril
Six-month high - 257.60 (Jan) Six-month low - 213.60 (Mar) 100 Market capital - SEK 7.01bn (US$750m)
No
Ap
MApr ar il ch
500.00
er
0
Fe Ma br rch ua ry
0
ve mb
0
FeMa br rch ua ry
200
No
25
25
Fe Jabru nuar ary y
100
ril
75 25
Fe Jbaru naur ayr y
300
Ap
2575
A M pri ar l ch
0 50
SCIENTIFIC GAMES
MApr ar il ch
100 50
Fe Ma br rch ua ry
5
50 100
FeMa br rch ua ry
75
F Jaebru nu ar ar y y
0
Fe Jbaru naur ayr y
100 100
De Jan ce ua mb ry er
0
DeJan ce ua mb ry er
200
De Jan ce ua mb ry er
100
DeJan ce ua mb ry er
300
NDoece vem mbber er
200
De Noce vme b mebr er
er
mb
ve
No
ril
Ap 200
NoDece ve m mb ber er
r
em be r
No v
ril
Ap
MAp ar ri chl
Fe M br a uarch ry
300
300
De Noce vme b mebr er
er
em be
No v
ril
MApr ar il ch
FeMa br rch ua ry
75
ve mb
Ap
M Ap ar ri ch l
Fe M br a ua rch ry
100
No
ril
Ap
MApr ar il ch
FeMa br rch ua ry
TAKING STOCK ISSUES
EVOLUTION
SEK
0.00
Six-month high - 1,401.00 (Nov) Six-month low - 991.00 (Dec) Market capital - SEK 237.97bn (US$25.4bn)
US$
15
5
10
0
Six-month high - 14.23 (Nov) Six-month low - 11.98 (Apr) Market capital - US$326.6m
GAMBLINGINSIDER.COM
17
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GLOBAL GAMING AWARDS - LONDON 2022
REVIEW: GLOBAL GAMING AWARDS LONDON 2022 After spending a year in the virtual space, the Global Gaming Awards London 2022 were back at London’s Hippodrome Casino
As always, the winners were decided after a detailed voting process, which included a window for self-nomination, input from a Nominations Panel and insight from the team at Gambling Insider. Votes were made online by some of the industry’s leading CEOs and executives, and independently adjudicated by KPMG. We break down the winners from 2022 in the pages that follow, and detail the achievements of our champions. Kambi and bet365 once again secured two wins each. Bet365 won Online Sports Betting Operator of the Year for the fifth year in a row, as well as Affiliate Programme of the Year. Kambi, meanwhile, defended its Awards for Retail Supplier and Online Sports Betting Supplier of the Year. LeoVegas held onto its monopoly for the
18
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Online Casino of the Year, having won every year since the inception of the Global Gaming Awards London. Paddy Power has also held onto its status as Betting Shop Operator of the Year, pipping William Hill to the Award this time around. Supplier IGT has once again been awarded Casino Supplier of the Year, while Evolution has retained the crown for the best Online Casino Supplier. Both Oryx Gaming’s Fuze™ and Pariplay’s Fusion finished as joint winners for Casino Product of the Year, while The Hippodrome Casino took the crown for Casino of the Year, beating both the Casino de Monte-Carlo and The Londoner Macau. Internet Vikings was recognised as Service Provider of the Year and NetEnt’s Gordon Ramsay Hell’s Kitchen™ won Product Launch
of the Year. Other winners include Trustly for Payment Solution, Kindred Group for Social Responsibility and Denise Coates, Founder and Joint CEO of bet365, took the accolade for Executive of the Year. “A huge congratulations to all the winners at this year’s Awards, and a big thank you to everyone that has taken part,” said Mariya Savova, Gambling Insider’s Events and Marketing Manager. “It’s been fantastic to have everyone back after a year away, and I wish everyone a successful year ahead. “It’s a huge testament to all of you for your continued innovation and fresh plans for growth. I already can’t wait for you to all come back next year."
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GLOBAL GAMING AWARDS - LONDON 2022
Thanks to the entire team at Kambi for working so hard to really ensure that we are a driving leader in the online sports betting industry
ONLINE SPORTS BETTING SUPPLIER SPONSORED BY:
RETAIL SUPPLIER SPONSORED BY:
SARAH ROBERTSON SVP, KAMBI 22
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GLOBAL GAMING AWARDS - LONDON 2022
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We are proud to win these Awards, it is a true testament to the hard work of the entire Evolution team!
ONLINE CASINO SUPPLIER SPONSORED BY:
PRODUCT LAUNCH SPONSORED BY:
AMY RICHES HEAD OF MARKETING, EVOLUTION GAMBLINGINSIDER.COM
23
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GLOBAL GAMING AWARDS - LONDON 2022
We know this is an Award which is particularly valuable as it is voted by our peers and it is the greatest accolade of any business to be voted the best by their peers CASINO
SPONSORED BY:
26
GAMBLINGINSIDER.COM
SIMON THOMAS EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN, THE HIPPODROME CASINO
D R O O P M THE YEA P F O I SINO R2 E 0 22 HA C
CELEBRATING 10 YEARS HIPPODROMECASINO.COM
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GLOBAL GAMING AWARDS - LONDON 2022
This goes out to the team. This year they worked harder and harder to be the best in the market and we’ve done that again
NEIL FAIRWEATHER HEAD OF PERFORMANCE MARKETING, BET365 PARTNERS
AFFILIATE PROGRAM SPONSORED BY:
We are immensely proud to win this Award, and I think it is a testament to the team’s hard work over the last year CASINO SUPPLIER SPONSORED BY:
MARK MACCOMBIE SVP, IGT
28
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GLOBAL GAMING AWARDS - LONDON 2022
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We are very very honoured to win this Award, particularly fitting as this year we are really focusing on gaming
OLIVER STRÖM HEAD OF GAMING ACCOUNT DEVELOPMENT, TRUSTLY PAYMENT SOLUTION SPONSORED BY:
This is an exciting moment for Pariplay. To get this recognition from the industry definitely feels very good!
ADRIAN BAILEY MANAGING DIRECTOR, PARIPLAY JOEY HURTADO MANAGING DIRECTOR OF GAMES, PARIPLAY
CASINO PRODUCT SPONSORED BY:
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29
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GLOBAL GAMING AWARDS - LONDON 2022
This is amazing! After 14 years of hard work we finally got our Award SERVICES PROVIDER SPONSORED BY:
RICKARD VIKSTRÖM FOUNDER, INTERNET VIKINGS
We are delighted to win this Award again STEPHEN HADFIELD HEAD OF OPERATIONS, PADDY POWER
RICHARD GRANT DIRECTOR OF UK RETAIL, PADDY POWER
BETTIN SHOP OPERATOR SPONSORED BY:
We are very excited to have won this Award!
30
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CASINO PRODUCT SPONSORED BY:
CHRIS LOONEY CHIEF COMMERCIAL OFFICER BRAGG GAMING
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GLOBAL GAMING AWARDS - LONDON 2022
We are very proud to win this Award!
TOM HICKS DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL, KINDRED GROUP
SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY SPONSORED BY:
ONLINE CASINO SPONSORED BY:
Winning ‘Online Casino of the Year’ for a fifth consecutive time is an amazing team effort. We are grateful and proud that our efforts to continuously develop the iGaming industry are recognised by industry peers
GUSTAF HAGMAN CEO, LEOVEGAS GROUP
32
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CAMELOT GROUP
WILL CAMELOT LOSE ITS CROWN? Gambling Insider Editor Tim Poole reviews the seismic change at the helm of the UK National Lottery, as incumbent Camelot Group is dethroned in favour of a new champion
34
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CAMELOT GROUP
When a company loses a licence, it can make for an interesting story. But when a company has held a licence for 28 years – since the inception of the programme in question – and proceeds to lose it, that makes for quite the headline. Indeed, within the UK gaming sector, that’s exactly the kind of tectonic shift the last few months have provided. Camelot, which has run the UK’s National Lottery since 1994, this year lost the right to operate the billion-pound scheme beyond 2024 – when its current licence expires. Taking over the National Lottery will be Allwyn, formerly Sazka Group, signalling an almighty change at the top. The king is dead, long live the king. ALL CHANGE, ALLWYN If one entity is to preside over something for 28 years and counting, there are inherent benefits and economies of scale it can boast. The same concept would apply to a person, like a political leader or CEO, and a wider group, like a football team, trade body or company. At the same time, though, 28 years and counting can, theoretically, invite tiredness and stagnation. There is no fresh, new impetus from elsewhere and innovation can be hindered. The latter point was clearly given greater weight by the regulating body for the UK National Lottery – the Gambling Commission – in its decision. Speculation had suggested Camelot, which had seen off so much competition in the past, would be awarded the Fourth National Lottery Licence just like it had been awarded the Third, Second and inaugural licences before it. Lee Richardson
summer of 2020,” he told Gambling Insider. “With the UK National Lottery, we are talking about a 10-year licence from 2024 to 2034. Camelot has been the incumbent lottery supplier for almost 30 years. Putting this into context, the UK would’ve been one of the last major countries to have a national lottery. It’s become, over the last 30 years, one of the most efficient lotteries in the world. “Around 95% of the money is returned to the Government, charities or the players. It’s the single most popular form of gambling, as a channel in the UK; it has been for a generation. It has raised around £40bn ($50.29bn) for good causes throughout its time and a further £20bn in lottery duty. So, both in terms of taxes and good causes, it has been phenomenal. I think we’ve seen several things throughout this bid competition. When it started it was entirely a retail operation, now it is online. Online services have become an incredibly important part of how you deliver a national lottery. I think online services are the basis on which Camelot, currently, has lost that bid; Allwyn has been declared the winner.” “BADLY WRONG” – A PREDICTABLE PUSHBACK Naturally, however, this decision is far from the end of the matter. Camelot instantly declared its intention to appeal the verdict, ensuring that when we reached out to Allwyn for comment for this feature, the company was unable to provide any statement as the case is still an ongoing legal matter. Camelot, similarly, referred Gambling Insider to its
"On whether Camelot deserves to win its licence back, Richardson remains unconvinced – naturally, this is why he underwent work for one of Camelot’s rival bidders during the process" MBA, CEO of Gaming Economics and regular Gambling Insider contributor, joined us live at ICE London for a GI Huddle interview to discuss why exactly the Commission ruled as it did. “To give a bit of context, I was involved in the bidding process (representing an unsuccessful rival bidder) that’s been going on for almost two years, which started in the
statement as of 1 April, which “still stands.” Following the decision to issue proceedings in the High Court against the Gambling Commission, Camelot CEO Nigel Railton said: “We are launching a legal challenge today in our capacity as an applicant for the Fourth Licence because we firmly believe that the Gambling Commission has got this decision badly wrong. When we received
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the result, we were shocked by aspects of the decision. Despite lengthy correspondence, the Commission has failed to provide a satisfactory response. “We are therefore left with no choice but to ask the court to establish what happened. Irrespective of Camelot’s dual roles as current operator and applicant for the next National Lottery licence, the competition is one of the largest UK government-sponsored procurements and the process deserves independent scrutiny. Separately, more than 1,000 Camelot employees work tirelessly to successfully operate The National Lottery under the current licence and, at the very least, they are owed a proper explanation.” And there have even been rumblings from lottery supplier IGT, as reported by the Sunday Times in late April, which has launched a claim for damages against the Gambling Commission. In its court filings, IGT has accused the regulator of being in “breach” of its obligations and, unsurprisingly, wants the decision overturned. As Allwyn would work with a different provider, IGT – a provider of many lotteries around the globe – would no longer play a part within the UK National Lottery ecosystem. Accordingly, it is demanding to be paid damages for loss of profit and wasted costs for taking part in Camelot’s licence bid. The winning bidder could well refer to this as ‘sour grapes.’ Camelot and IGT, on the other hand, would vehemently disagree. THE IMPORTANCE OF RETAIL SUCCESS In the modern gaming climate, an overwhelming emphasis is placed on digital offerings – and rightly so. Most of today’s world is online, so too are the majority of the world’s new gaming markings: especially in the US. And yet both in the US and the UK, retail refuses to go away. Online casinos are far from replacing the experience of being in a Las Vegas or Atlantic City casino, while the majority of National Lottery players in the UK will buy a ticket in their local newsagents or petrol station. It is perhaps the topic of retail success that was central to Allwyn’s winning bid, as Richardson explained at ICE London: “There are around 46,000 retail outlets that sell lottery products. That is a huge network, and it takes a lot of time and effort to put that in place. One of the challenges for anyone coming in, in this case Allwyn, is that there is a two-year transition period in which to build a network. However, the retail offer from Camelot has been looking tired; it’s been seven years since it has last been refreshed. It was very clear, particularly after the pandemic, that Camelot was not going to spend any more money on its retail offering. Camelot was hoping to reinvest after its
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CAMELOT GROUP
contract was renewed. “So while the incumbent does have an advantage, and there is a strength to being in place as the current operator, at the same time they knew the real economics. They took a tangible decision not to reinvest in the all-important retail segment. Even in the online age, more than 50% of every pound that is spent in the National Lottery is spent in a retail environment; supermarkets, corner shops, etc. This sector is still incredibly important. One of the things that Allwyn, the winner thus far, has said is that it will invest in both the online and retail offers.” Understandably, Camelot has gone on a charm offensive in the wake of the Gambling Commission’s decision. In late April, it announced “decade-high” retailer satisfaction scores – convenient timing given its appeal process had already begun. It was noteworthy that its satisfaction scores were directly related to retailers, which it claimed scored the highest since 2012: overall levels reached 75% across the 2021/22 fiscal year. In what was a clear push for positive PR, Camelot said 95% of those surveyed were either ‘satisfied’ or ‘very satisfied’ with the level of service provided. In the report, Camelot attributed the continued growth of National Lottery sales, as well as the “steady increase in retailer satisfaction,” to a strategic review carried out in 2017. As part of the review, Camelot’s sales force doubled and £20m was invested into customer engagement. Camelot Retail Director Jenny Blogg commented: “Our 44,000 retail partners play an absolutely vital role as the face of The National Lottery for players in communities across the UK. So, it’s amazing to see all of the initiatives we’ve introduced in recent years to make things better for our retail partners are paying off. It’s particularly impressive in light of the ongoing challenging conditions retailers are experiencing.” “WE’VE BEEN HERE BEFORE” Camelot, of course, is wise not to simply throw in the towel. A key distinction is that, despite the presence of other bidders, the incumbent was named the Gambling Commission’s preferred underbidder. Effectively, this means Camelot is the Commission’s insurance choice were anything to go wrong with Allwyn’s bid. Perhaps even more importantly, this has actually happened before. Richardson guided us through a similar story from the history books on the GI Huddle: “We’ve been here before around 20 years ago when an Indian operator, Sugal & Damani, was named winner and Camelot as the underbidder. Yet Camelot successfully claimed they should be awarded the contract… and they
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were. So we don’t quite know where we are with things. We know there has been an appeal and we know this will go to the High Court; it will be interesting to see the grounds on which Camelot are claiming they should be allowed to retain the lottery contract.” On whether Camelot deserves to win its licence back, Richardson remains unconvinced – naturally, this is why he underwent work for one of Camelot’s rival bidders during the process. He told Gambling Insider: “If I’m being brutally honest, it is very clear that Camelot is under threat, without any question. The fact can’t be ignored that they lost millions of regular players on draw-based games when things moved online. If you analyse Camelot’s online performance, it was inferior to many other lotteries of similar size around the world. Also, if you look at scratchcard segments, they were underperforming here, too, which is an important area. There were
“so that we spend less nervous time just dealing with the sniping from Camelot which doesn’t actually achieve anything.” When we put Richardson on the spot at our GI Huddle booth at ICE London, meanwhile, he concluded that this could be one fight too many for Camelot. “I think it’s odds on that it will be Allwyn,” he asserted. “I think the process of the bid competition was robust; it was certainly extended once or twice, partly due to the pandemic. But I think it was a robust process overall, and certainly, from my experience, everyone knew exactly what was asked of them. I can’t think that any of the bidders didn’t believe they had ample opportunity to make their case. The bidding process was a scored exercise as you would expect, a lot of time and money were spent. At this stage, I would be surprised if the Gambling Commission reverses the decision away from Allwyn and back towards Camelot.”
"If one entity is to preside over something for 28 years and counting, there are inherent benefits and economies of scale it can boast. The same concept would apply to a person, like a political leader or CEO"
certainly warning signals that Camelot was under pressure. A properly prepared bid, which would improve these areas of underperformance and increase the amount of money generated for good causes, would always have put Camelot under threat.” WHAT COMES NEXT? During a Parliamentary Select Committee on 26 April, there was avid discussion about what the UK public would like to see next for the National Lottery. Clara Govier, Managing Director and Chair of the People’s Postcode Lottery since May 2018, said that profit has in the past “overtaken” benefits to society. She added: “The Gambling Commission has already said there are developments within the digital space that I suspect the National Lottery will take advantage of going forward with a new operator.” Meanwhile, Donald Macrae, Promoter at The Health Lottery, said he would like to see a “more amicable relationship” between the new National Lottery franchise and society lotteries…
So the above gives you a feeling of the uphill task facing Camelot. It has survived losing its licence at the initial stage in the past – but perhaps it has run out of lives, given the frustration expressed at working with the organisation by various parties. Allwyn has put a lot of its eggs into the UK National Lottery basket. The brand name is unrecognisable from its original Sazka Group form, when it dominated the Czech Republic market. It should still continue to do so, as well as in the other markets it operates. But with the addition of the UK market, where Allwyn has pulled out all the stops, attracting big names like Sir Keith Mills and hiring ex-Sainsbury’s CEO Justin King as Chairman; purely on the basis of Allwyn winning the National Lottery licence bid (if that doesn’t signal confidence, what does?). So will Camelot finally lose its National Lottery crown? We’ve effectively had all six balls drawn and it's looking likely. Only the bonus ball can save the incumbent now.
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ICE REVIEW
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ICE REVIEW
FEATURES
LIGHTS. CAMERA. ACTION. Gambling Insider Editor Tim Poole reflects on ICE London 2022, and the debut of live GI Huddles at the ExCel At ICE London this April, Clarion Gaming’s slogan was simple yet effective. ‘Back together again’ was an instantly memorable message – and one that delivered on its promise. Despite a slew of land-based absences at the ExCel (which we all knew about in advance), the show was better attended than many expected, with the iGaming segment of the industry in particular out in force. No surprise there, given its success in recent years. And, naturally, this was something many of our guests picked up on, on the GI Huddle. Except, for the Huddle itself, this was something completely new. Lights, camera, action. No retakes, no edits – it’s only live once, as Sky Sports have been pointing out as part of a nationwide UK campaign recently. Indeed, at ICE London, the GI Huddle was making its tradeshow debut – live, uncut and ready for immediate consumption. We kicked the week off with a subject particularly close to home for our very first guest: Canadian Gaming Association CEO Paul Burns. Alongside Burns, GeoComply CEO Anna Sainsbury, a fellow Canadian, also beamed with pride as we evaluated the launch of Ontario’s regulated iGaming market – which was hot off the press in terms of timing. But other markets were less straightforward. New York, while boasting incredible wagering numbers for Q1 of this year, was the subject of an impassioned plea from easily our most vocal guest, Bill Pascrell III (or Bp3). Granted, lobbying is part of Pascrell’s day job. His message on the GI Huddle,, however, was clear: the Empire State’s 51% sports betting tax rate will eventually become ‘unsustainable’ for operators. Even the market’s dominant force of FanDuel, perhaps? Several European markets became the subject of heavy discussion across the week at our booth, too, with regular contributors of this magazine closely scrutinising the latest regulatory developments across the Netherlands and Germany. Willem van Oort, Mathias Spitz and Peter-Paul De Gooij walked us through advertising quandaries in the Netherlands and
a lack of regulatory clarity – or revenue-share affiliate marketing – in neighbouring Germany. Over in Sweden, though, Gustaf Hoffstedt finally brought us some positive news for the gaming industry. Who could have predicted that a year ago!?
"Indeed, at ICE London, the GI Huddle was making its tradeshow debut – live, uncut and ready for immediate consumption" Throughout the week, plenty of fantastic industry names joined us for our live interviews; and we would like to thank them all, whether it’s Brandon Walker of sponsor Amelco, Pascal Camia, Ranjana Adhikari, Stephen Crystal, IBIA CEO Khalid Ali, Nick Hill, or Anna Jein and Maris Catania of Kindred Group. Another double of note was Betsson AB CEO Pontus Lindwall and Betsson Group CEO Jesper Svensson joining us for a simultaneous interview, as well as KPMG’s Adam Silver and Micky Swindale. Paf’s Sverker Skogberg discussed loss limits, Lee Richardson talked UK lottery licences (see our cover feature) and we were even joined by Gaming America’s Cameron Saunders... Don’t worry, you can find all our Huddles on demand across YouTube, LinkedIn and the Gambling Insider website. As Clarion Managing Director Stuart Hunter commented during the last interview of the week, the concept of a live Huddle studio was a success, so expect to see us again – this definitely won’t be the last iteration of its kind. Stay tuned for more, and thanks for watching the GI Huddle!
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MICHAEL MAOKHAMPHIOU
THE FUTURE OF ONLINE SLOTS Lightning Box Operations Manager Michael Maokhamphiou details the changes online slot games have undergone in recent years, and what the future holds for this hugely popular vertical WHAT HAVE BEEN THE BIGGEST CHANGES IN ONLINE SLOT GAMES OVER THE YEARS? Online slot games have changed dramatically in recent years in order to keep up with player expectations and their changing demands. There was a time when graphics and visuals reigned supreme – and they’re still important. But players now want more engaging features as well as flashy visuals.
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Graphics alone cannot retain a customer or entertain them long term. To meet that need the industry began to focus on features and mechanics. A good example is our popular Lightning Respin Mechanic. The system holds players’ attention throughout extended play sessions due to its unique collection tally. More importantly, it brings them back time and time again, as players are glued to the screen
to see what prizes they land inside the active reels. WHY ARE ONLINE SLOT GAMES SO POPULAR? Online slot games are popular because they are simple and easy to pick up. Unlike live table and traditional card games found in casinos, no skill is required, so there is no barrier to entry for players.
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MICHAEL MAOKHAMPHIOU
Any one of them can land a max win on a game. The player is simply taking a chance and pitting their luck on each spin. That is the real magic of online slot games. Theoretically, you could land a big win within a spin of another big win. It’s a numbers game packaged within a mass market appeal product with entertainment, relaxation and, most importantly, fun being the main driving force. HOW WILL LAND-BASED CASINOS BE IMPACTED BY ANY DEVELOPMENT OF ONLINE SLOT GAMES? Land-based casinos will always have a home within the gaming industry as they offer truly immerse escapism and a social element that online slots can’t recreate. However, it would be naive to think the rise in online slots hasn’t had a detrimental effect on land-based casinos, particularly when it comes to younger players. Those players can now enjoy many of their favourite games from home. I am always amazed at how adaptable this market is and we are seeing this in land-based casinos as they start offering more than ever at their establishments to increase footfall. There’s food, drink, multi-media entertainment and more to draw players away from their online casino slot games. Offering more entertainment outside of just gambling helps combat the rise of at-home play, by giving additional services that cannot be found within the home.
see for VR, however, is the ownership of virtual reality equipment. Will they want to buy a headset or other tools required to enjoy the experience? Without the general public embracing this tech, the pool of prospective players is much narrower than perhaps those who own a PC or smartphone, which is currently all they need to play an online slot. If these products become more accessible and commercially viable, there’s no reason why iGaming won’t adopt them. But, for now, I think it’s a watching brief. WHAT OTHER TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES COULD HAVE AN IMPACT ON ONLINE SLOT GAME DEVELOPMENT? The social aspect of gambling is something we as an industry are striving to improve. The sharing of wins, participation in online tournaments and experiences among friends, along with integrating our technology within social media and the wider metaverse, will impact game development in the coming years. HOW MUCH POTENTIAL DOES THE ONTARIO IGAMING MARKET HAVE? The Ontario iGaming market has the potential to become one of the most lucrative online gambling markets anywhere in North America. Many parties
WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR ONLINE SLOT GAMES? Innovation. As mentioned previously, our industry is highly adaptable and willing to take chances and risks. This creates a perfect environment for change to happen and be acted upon quickly, driving evolution. I suspect new markets are the future of online games. Hopefully, the stigma around the industry will wane and restrictions decrease. If they do, many countries adverse to the potential of online slots will begin to create regulators to allow entry into their markets. Slots are an entertainment-first industry that can produce taxable revenue for a country. We are already seeing this change in the US and Latin American countries, who are catching up to what has been a Euro and Asia-centric industry for far too long. WILL VIRTUAL REALITY PLAY A MAJOR ROLE IN FUTURE ONLINE SLOT GAMES? We thrive on evolution, and delivering players the next big thing in entertainment is important. The biggest drawback I
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Michael Maokhamphiou
are interested in this burgeoning market as its success could lead to further adoption across the whole of North America. Many of its citizens currently use unregulated means to access the services they want, so there is an established player base who will benefit from having a governing body in place. This will offer them operator integrity, player protection and social responsibility, giving them the opportunity to play safely and with confidence. AND WHAT ABOUT IGAMING POSSIBLY GOING LIVE IN NEW YORK? HOW MUCH EXCITEMENT IS THERE FOR THAT MARKET? At the beginning of the year, New York allowed mobile sports betting and enjoyed a busy first day, reporting a value of $5.8m in transactions. That demonstrates the need for regulated gambling, encompassing not only the sports betting industry but all verticals within the iGaming ecosystem. I think we can presume that, prior to the launch of mobile sports betting, these players were using grey markets or unregulated means to access these services. Are there online casino players doing the same? I believe all operators, providers and players are keeping a close eye on New York as it relaxes regulations around gambling. We will just have to wait and see how big the New York market can become.
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JAKOB ROTHWANGL
THE FUTURE OF THE LAND-BASED CASINO SECTOR Jakob Rothwangl, Novomatic AG, VP Global Sales, provides insight into the post-pandemic evolution of the land-based casino sector, in conversation with Peter Lynch Will the land-based casino sector ever be the same? What changes will have been brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic? Such questions are crucial when it comes to understanding just how much of an impact has been made on this huge industry and, subsequently, how much of the land-based casino sector as we know it will never be seen again. Jakob Rothwangl, Novomatic AG, VP Global Sales, shares his thoughts and opinions on the impact of the pandemic on the land-based casino sector and importantly, how the sector will look in the near future after this unavoidable yet significant change. Firstly, however, it’s crucial to gain some insight into the general ways of the land-based casino sector, even before the world was brought to a halt by the pandemic. According to Rothwangl, it is a sector that has “constantly diversified.” The VP Global Sales explained that “offers have broadened in every sense: depending on the market, either more machines on the floors or more games in the machines; more features in the games; a growing jackpot offer that has developed from simple jackpot concepts to progressive links and WAPs. ETGs have blurred the boundaries between the classic table games and the slots floor." Concurrently, he continued, “non-gaming amenities have become part of the overall entertainment offer and keep gaining shares in destination tourism.” And in more recent times, there has, of course, been a significant trend of diversification among land-based operators to enter the online segment, providing what Rothwangl calls an “alternative additional offer that stands the pandemic test.” The height of the pandemic was, naturally, a turbulent time for the entire world. It is also still causing much interference,
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Jakob Rothwangl with many industries affected. The gambling industry was no different. And land-based, unsurprisingly, with all of its related closures and strict regulations, felt the greatest impact. When asked how land-based casinos dealt with closures throughout the pandemic, Rothwangl replied: “We observed diverse strategies. Some operators proactively used the lockdowns to realign their gaming offer – renovation measures, which would normally require them to close at least parts of their venues, and an update of their machine park went, hand in hand with the implementation of the social distancing measures. Others were initially paralysed and primarily worried about the financial impact and social consequences, such as their responsibilities towards staff. And many eventually evaluated online options.” There were Different strategies for different operators, but there was one aspect that remained constant. Rothwangl summarises
the situation well, explaining that in any case, the industry saw an awareness of land-based casinos’ “responsibility towards guests and staff alike, with the committed implementation of biosecurity protocols and distancing measures.” One strategy that the industry did bear witness to was the transition from land-based to online. Countless casinos were forced to make such a switch and they have not only survived in these unchartered waters, but thrived. Yet for many different reasons, this switch was simply not possible for several land-based operators. Legal restrictions, timing, audience and perhaps trepidation were among the complex issues involved in the process. However, most operators slowly but surely clocked the inevitable benefits. “For many it was a jump into the deep end, but most of them sooner or later realised the advantages of diversifying into the online sector – of course within the legal possibilities of the respective gambling legislation,” noted Rothwangl. “In the US, for example, some picked up the social casino trend very early on, and by building a solid online player base, benefited from the many advantages of these solutions in the area of customer relationship management. However, with regulatory changes and at the latest since Covid-19, many casinos have ventured into the online sector as an alternative offering for their players.” He provided the specific example of one of Novomatic's companies, saying: “Greentube has seen massive growth, especially in recent years – a fact that can be attributed to the increasing demand through Covid and Greentube’s unique position as a provider of excellently established content that is familiar to
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JAKOB ROTHWANGL
land-based players." The turning of millions of customers to online casino as a direct result of pandemic-related closures has certainly improved that vertical, but online’s joy came at the expense of the land-based vertical, with brick and mortar casinos hit hardest by the events that have occurred over these past few years. As Rothwangl explains, though, land-based casinos need not fear. When asked the question how can such venues attract players that have turned to online casino, he replied: “Land-based casinos will have to create a new self-awareness of their USP. That comprises a lot of emotional aspects: the unique look and feel of a casino, its atmosphere, service and hospitality; the soundscape, the smell, the physical touch of a slot, the haptics of the start button and last but not least the social aspect of a casino visit, whether the guest comes alone and engages with fellow players on the floor or whether they come in groups for a fun night out.” As someone working heavily within the land-based sector, he can be forgiven for expressing his tendency to lean towards brick-and-mortar when placing it next to online casino. “It’s a world of a difference whether I hit a big win online or whether it happens in the middle of a casino floor,” claimed Rothwangl. “And again, it’s all about emotion: excitement, pride, shared joy – even envy. Think of what exclusive online players miss out on! It’s obvious that I am a land-based fan through and through…” It’s certainly not in the hands of those within the gambling industry, but it’s telling
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how different regions have handled the pandemic in different ways. Some methods have proved hugely successful, others have not. Like many others within the industry, however, Novomatic’s VP Global Sales is not short on confidence. When asked if he thinks the European land-based sector in particular can return to pre-pandemic levels, he replied: “I am convinced that it will. It is already recovering, but it is a process that is ongoing and one which strongly depends on the further pandemic curve – and in this context, it also remains to be seen how the situation in Ukraine will affect the overall economic situation. Of course, as players are returning to the gaming floors and GGRs bounce back to pre-pandemic levels – and often even above – even the most cautious operators find the confidence to invest again in their venues.” Such confidence is definitely hard to deflate when patrons are returning to land-based venues in numbers. Returning customers bring excitement for all, especially for Rothwangl, who shared his joy to see Novomatic’s gaming offerings on casinos floors now that land-based venues are reopening. He told Gambling Insider: “Well, it feels good! We have an excellent portfolio of very well-performing products in the international markets, such as linked multi-game offers like the Cash Connection and Impera Link across Europe; and other market-specific products for the US and LatAm. He continued: “On top of a solid stock of classics that players keep returning to, we also have a constant pipeline of new content that will guarantee fresh impetus and player
excitement – and will yield a positive ROI for operators.” As mentioned, the Covid-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on the land-based industry. And nowhere has this been more felt by industry veterans than when it comes to exhibitions. After much delay and much deliberation, ICE London finally took place in the middle of April, but it is an event that arrived fractionally too soon for many companies, including Novomatic. “That was a very tough decision and one that we certainly didn’t take overnight,” said the company’s VP Global Sales. “A whole committee had been observing and analysing the overall situation for weeks and, of course, we were in constant talks with the show organiser, Clarion. Eventually, a multitude of adverse aspects – including the pandemic, logistical challenges and the unfavourable and unavoidable alternative date – have culminated in a situation in which we decided that participating in the show was no longer viable. Fortunately for Novomatic and indeed ICE itself, the group plans to return soon, with Rothwangl noting: “Of course, we are aware that ICE is a major industry event and we certainly hope that the successful cooperation can be continued under more favourable conditions in 2023." Importantly, the group’s absence from ICE doesn’t mean a complete absence from landbased events, with Rothwangl adding: “In the meantime, we are focusing on smaller regional events, which will also be complemented by a number of local customer events organised by our regional offices throughout the year, each with its country-specific focus and colouring.”
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JIT NG
HOIANA CMO: NEXT-LEVEL INTEGRATION Gambling Insider speaks with Hoiana Integrated Resort’s new CMO, Jit Ng. He discusses his reasons for signing on to the Hoiana project; how he is finding his new role; his plans for the future of the resort and its position within the Vietnamese market as a whole The recently appointed Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of Vietnam’s Hoiana Integrated Resort, Jit Ng, sat down with Gambling Insider on the natural draw of his new workplace and the "uniqueness of the resort." Ng discusses his workplace ethic, always seeking new challenges and drawing on his experiences to best apply himself in the new role. Ng states his desire to help grow Hoiana into an “urban township,” enhancing the wider concept of an integrated resort. Building a community around nature is what drives him. However, gamers and holiday-makers need to be able to travel in a safe and secure way, which is why navigating travel restrictions, and quarantines affecting Vietnam, is Ng’s first mission. HI JIT. WHAT IS IT ABOUT HOIANA INTEGRATED RESORT THAT ENTICED YOU TO TAKE UP THE CMO ROLE? What drew me to Hoiana was the uniqueness of the resort. It is the only five-star luxury integrated resort in central Vietnam. It is located beautifully on four kilometres of pristine, white sandy beach. At four kilometres, you can imagine how long the beach is. The best part is that the resort is surrounded by two UNESCO heritage sites. So Hoiana is in the middle of one of the best areas in central Vietnam, surrounded by true nature. The second area of interest that drew me to Hoiana is that the company is only in phase one of its development. There are currently four luxury hotel brands. Rosewood, the resort operator, has brought in their own management for Hoiana Hotel and Suites, which is home to a number of suites and hotel
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areas that we have. Also, we have upcoming developments due for release such as KHOS. KHOS is more of a lifestyle hotel brand, which started off mostly in China. So, this would be KHOS’ first venture outside of China, coming to us here in Vietnam. Hoiana has the Rosewood staple, of course, which is the New World Hotels & Resorts brand. Although it’s been around for a while, it will be refreshed at Hoiana in our new resort environment. And the area will have space for Rosewood’s brand Rosewood Hoiana, which will be a range of villas made available for our more affluent customers. We also have a new 18-hole golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. This range of brands and services is really amazing, and what drew me to Hoiana.
"I always say: When was the last time I did something for the first time?" WHAT IS IT ABOUT BEING CMO THAT MAKES YOU THE PERFECT FIT? I have a very simple mantra. I always ask myself: When was the last time I did something for the first time? For me, it’s all about taking on new challenges and new adventures.
Hoiana, in a way, is like a fresh face in the industry, a challenger brand so to speak. It has so much potential, too, because it’s not just about a casino. It’s really about creating an urban township. The entire Rosewood plan is an investment of $4bn into Hoiana and, being only at phase one, we have so far invested just $1bn. A lot of other areas of our 1,000 hectares still need work. The land is not just going to be hotels, but a range of other things. There will be villas, residential areas and other commercial areas of opportunity that we will look at. So it’s an entire urban township we’re working on, not just a casino resort. YOU USED TO BE HEAD OF RESORT MARKETING. HOW WOULD YOU SAY YOUR PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE HAS MADE YOU A GOOD FIT FOR THIS ROLE? For me, there’s always two sides to a coin. The great part for me was I could jump straight into this role, as I already understand the intricacies of how integrated resorts operate. This includes metrics, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and all the roles and responsibilities of different departments. On the flip side, my main aim is to not feel complacent, because the role and industry is familiar. I always strive to maintain a really curious and inquisitive approach to all the tasks I undertake. So I understand the processes and procedures of the industry; but I shouldn’t be complacent, as I’m in a new environment and always learning about Hoiana. Yet if you were to look at another candidate without any integrated resort experience,
JIT NG
it would likely take them six to nine months to navigate the metrics of complexity, before they could even start to contribute in the role. YOU’VE SPOKEN ABOUT HOW HOIANA WANTS TO INTEGRATE DIFFERENT FACETS TO ESTABLISH A TOWNSHIP. ARE THERE ANY OTHER MARKETS HOIANA IS LOOKING TO INCORPORATE TO HELP GROW OUT INTO A TOWNSHIP? At the moment, I believe the main focus for Rosewood and Hoiana is on central Vietnam. The entire Rosewood investment will take place over a number of years. So we need to see out our growth in central Vietnam before we focus on expanding into another market. But this is definitely not going to be one casino resort, there is still going to be a lot of other components to implement and build, and this will cover the next few years. HOW WILL YOU USE DATA AND METRICS IN YOUR NEW ROLE? HOW WILL YOUR EXPERIENCES WITH THIS COME INTO PLAY? Obviously, data is the backbone of this industry. In fact, now we have more data than ever, with new data capture mechanics such as facial recognition etc. adding to all the information we’d normally retain. However,
for me, humanising data is where we make a difference. When we take all data points and overlay it with our customer journey, then we can begin to see areas we can improve, innovate and reinvent ourselves at every stage of the customer journey. This will positively impact on the brand experience. Ultimately, for me, it’s about humanising data to make Hoiana different from other integrated resorts out there. YOUR NEW ROLE ENTAILS SETTING THE GROWTH TRAJECTORY OF THE BRAND. WHAT IS THE OVERARCHING VISION OR SPECIFIC GOAL YOU’RE TRYING TO REACH? DO YOU HAVE ONE ALREADY OR ARE YOU STILL WORKING ON IT? Yes, I do have a specific goal. The tourism industry as a whole, not just integrated resorts, has taken a huge beating around the world these past two years. Countries are just starting to open borders again and, as you know, Vietnam has opened borders from 15 March 2022. Flights are going to start landing by the end of the month. What’s more, quarantine measures have been dropped in Vietnam as well as in other countries. So our first task, with all these travel corridors opening, is to really take stock and understand the current travel sentiment from all different tourist destinations. We also need to understand
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all changes in its behaviour and how we can reposition ourselves to meet these new changes. Are travellers a bit more worried? Are they more safety oriented? Do they like, or would they prefer certain changes to travel behaviour? We need to understand every facet of these travel restrictions and the sentiment surrounding it. For the last two years, the majority of the world’s population has not been travelling. So while I’m optimistic that after two years of this isolation many travellers are yearning to return to their favourite holiday destinations; I’m also very pragmatic, and take into consideration all dissuasive measures such as quarantines. Quarantines and lockdowns may continue to suppress the appetites of possible customers. FOCUSING MORE ON THE VIETNAMESE MARKET SPECIFICALLY, WHAT DO YOU THINK THE PICTURE LOOKS LIKE FOR GAMING ON THE WHOLE? HOW CAN HOIANA PUSH THE BOUNDARIES AND BE A REAL LEADER WITHIN THE VIETNAMESE MARKET? The gaming market in Vietnam, unlike Macau for example, is still in its early stages of development. The biggest advantage we have here in Hoiana is an opportunity to go back to nature. The climate is perfect, with real white sandy beaches, great people and an inherent gastronomic experience with Vietnamese cuisine. What Macau has been trying to achieve is to bring nature into what is an otherwise staged environment. What we have here is true nature, with our UNESCO heritage sites. We see this as an advantage over our Southeast Asian competitors. I believe this will bring in a new breed of travellers who are looking for an authentic experience. We feel gamers will be looking for an authentic experience, rather than a staged experience you would find in more traditional places like Macau. For us at Hoiana, our goal is to wrap a layer of luxury around an authentic experience for our customers and all our gaming patrons. LASTLY, WHAT IS THE BEST THING ABOUT JOINING HOIANA? WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT YOUR JOB? The answer is simple. The people here inspire me, all my colleagues and co-workers. They inspire me to do more and be better in what I do. My colleagues will constantly question things in a good way, with very inquisitive minds, to try and understand where I’m coming from and vice versa. This is very inspiring in an industry such as ours, which sometimes can be quite complex to navigate.
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BIG QUESTION
How popular are branded slots in today’s marketplace? Joey Hurtado, Managing Director, Wizard Games
Joey Hurtado Branded titles will always have a home in the marketplace. They are a great bridge to slots for players who may not have played before and, when well executed, they can really add value to a game. If incorporated well, a brand can be a great thing; but this is not always the case and we often see brands used in lieu of good game design. This is especially problematic in a market where these games often carry an extra fee over standard content. In recent years, this has put some operators off adopting the games in their portfolios. If a provider wants to charge a premium
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for branded content, then the brand should add value to the game. IP deals often come with access to visuals, audio and even video clips. These can be used to create feature-rich and immersive experiences where a game is specifically designed to incorporate all of the brand’s elements. This does not, however, guarantee a successful game as the math, features and playability all need to be there and are more important in ensuring the long-term success of the title. As the US and Canada open up to online slots, there is a lot of scope for branded content to really find its niche, in a market where the land-based space is dominated by a multitude of branded games; featuring game shows, movies, music and more. The trick will be in finding the right IP to take online, executing it well and then ensuring you market and promote the game well with the operators releasing it. Finding the right IP can be a challenge. For a studio which serves multiple global regions, the best value is from a brand which resonates internationally and can serve all your markets. This, however, can come with high costs and some limitations on its usage, as large international brands will always be very protective of their IP. This is not only expensive but can also impact on delivery, with back and forth on legalities, sign-off on design and asset use etc. On the other hand, smaller, more local deals can give flexibility but offer a more limited space to achieve ROI, while adding a significant cost to your game development. It’s a fine balance which can
be hard to achieve and a significant factor as to why we don’t see a very high volume of branded games in the current market. As the markets mature, branded games become less important as players ultimately seek out good mechanics and themes; but there will always be room for a well-executed slot based on a strong and popular brand. I think these will occur through opportunistic deals and collaborations, as opposed to a defined product strategy. Joey Hurtado is the Managing Director of Wizard Games, part of the Aspire Global Group, having previously worked as the Head of Product Operations at Gamesys, Managing Director of Casino Brands at Betsson and Head of Product Marketing at GVC, among several other roles during his 18 years in the industry.
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BIG QUESTION
Doug Fallon, Group Director of Content at Bragg and Founder of Wild Streak Gaming movies, bands and celebrities, to other products such as hot sauce. Companies that license their brands usually have very specific demographic data of key target markets and this can be very useful when designing the game for that target audience.
licensor may have significant views about how their brand is represented, creating challenges for game designers, sometimes to the detriment of the slot experience. Bragg is actively looking at a variety of brands to bring into our slot portfolio. While
"Having worked in both land-based and online slots with a variety of brands over the years, I also see key differences in the market about how licensed brands can be best utilised" Doug Fallon Licensed brands can work extremely well in the gaming space, as they can immediately resonate with players who may have an affinity to a specific brand for a variety of reasons. This instant attraction to a game, particularly when facing so many alternative options to play, often supplements overall marketing. This familiarity offers the possibility of making the slot extremely popular with players to at least try out the game and, often, the brand will excite the casino managers as well. Brands have been utilised by gaming companies for well over 25 years, and the range of those used crosses almost anything one can imagine from TV and game shows,
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The cost of brands can vary greatly and knowing the target market and relating that to the player base is a key element sometimes overlooked. There are many instances of very popular and expensive brands with a broad demographic appeal not translating into strong game performance. Looking at how the brand can be designed for a game experience and what core underlying elements may exist to bring that brand to life in a slot game, to meet the player’s expectations can be tricky. Having worked in both land-based and online slots with a variety of brands over the years, I also see key differences in the market about how licensed brands can be best utilised. The land-based casino environment doesn’t have file size limitations that online does. This increased capacity can allow the game experience to be fully immersive with video clips, character or actor animations and special effects. Certainly, though, there are many examples in the online space where the brand is utilised to not only attract players, but mixed with the right game design to meet player preferences and enjoy great success. However, both land-based and online slots have had a significant incidence of failures in the licensed brand space, but many non branded slots don’t resonate with players for one reason or another. So a failure in the slot space is a reality, whether branded or not. The other challenge that branded games can have is that so much of the player experience is focused around key brand elements that it can become repetitive and potentially see a shorter shelf life. Other times, the brand
key demographic data is a decision point, more importantly, we look at how the brand will truly fit into the overall slot experience for the player. Besides key visuals, we look at the brand essence and see if the visuals, sound and other elements can be custom-tailored to the game mechanic. Alternatively, brands can be especially helpful to launch a new game mechanic to seek higher player counts and build adoption of the innovation.
"Brands have been utilised by gaming companies for well over 25 years"
Doug Fallon joined as Group Director of Content when in June 2021 Bragg acquired Wild Streak Gaming, a premium slots studio founded by Doug in 2015. With over 20 years’ experience in the gaming industry, Doug’s background includes over 10 years’ experience at Aristocrat Technologies; including in global marketing as VP Global Games Marketing, in game design as VP Creative Direction and in product design and management as VP Global Core Games.
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ROUNDTABLE
ROUNDTABLE: INNOVATION IN PLAYER RETENTION Industry leaders from Enteractive, Ziqni, Galaxsys and Soft2Bet discuss the importance of player retention, and how this crucial aspect of gaming can be improved
CLINTON PELTONEN Co-Founder Ziqni
ANDREW FOSTER Chief Business Officer Enteractive
MAGDALENA FRANKOWSKA CMO Soft2Bet
TENI GRIGORYAN Sales Team Manager Galaxsys
ANDREW FOSTER:
HOW IMPORTANT IS PLAYER RETENTION IN TODAY’S INDUSTRY?
CLINTON
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ROUNDTABLE
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TENI GRIGORYAN:
WHAT IS MORE IMPORTANT AND WHY; NEW PLAYERS OR EXISTING CUSTOMERS?
MAGDALENA FRANKOWSKA:
CLINTON PELTONEN:
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ROUNDTABLE
ANDREW FOSTER:
HOW CAN PLAYER RETENTION BE IMPROVED? MAGDALENA FRANKOWSKA:
CLINTON PELTONEN:
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ROUNDTABLE
FEATURES
ANDREW FOSTER: TENI GRIGORYAN:
WHAT IS THE MOST INNOVATIVE PLAYER RETENTION STRATEGY YOU HAVE NOTICED RECENTLY? MAGDALENA FRANKOWSKA:
CLINTON PELTONEN:
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GAMBLINEERS
THE IGAMING INFORMATIONAL CONUNDRUM Gamblineers Owner Adam Gros discusses the flow of information within online gaming Operators tend to attract new players in three ways: using ads, using affiliate websites or directly, if their brand awareness is strong enough. Either way they choose, there is always a large group of players who want to know a thing or two more before creating an account and entrusting the operator with their money. Some will search for online reviews and some will simply browse the operator’s website, or turn to their online support. And then they discover that finding accurate information about an operator or a game is a real mess.
"We also noticed that a few brands decided to develop their own API"
play, which promotion to use, how much to deposit and later withdraw. (And so on). It’s not until you set on this adventure yourself that you notice finding out this information and making sure it’s accurate can be a tough nut to crack. Okay, finding the information usually isn’t a problem. But as A lot of things can come into play when a soon as you find it, you can see the next potential player is looking for where to place source has it a bit differently. So which is it: Is their next bet. And since operators usually playing from your country restricted or not? target a wider demographic, it’s not always Can you use this weird online wallet all your obvious whether an operator has its services friends are using? tailored to the player in question, their country, I know what you’re thinking: Forget random currency or language. Then there is also the sources, just check with the operator! Okay, question of which payment method to use, the operator’s info page says you can use which sport to bet on, which provider’s games to your weird wallet. But after creating your
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account, you see no option to add that payment method… What’s that about? The above is only an example, but it’s not an uncommon thing for a player to hit a wall like this. Some players will take it on themselves to get to the bottom of what they want to know, but some won’t. Due to the overflow of new operators on the market, it’s easier to find a new one than to go data diving. Either way, why take a risk as an operator or as an affiliate, when there are better ways to do this? I can’t speak for other affiliates, but it’s our job at Gamblineers to take the same steps any regular player will; so that we can give out the most accurate possible information to our information-hungry audience in our
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I can hardly remember a handful of operators where I didn’t stumble at least once on my way to reviewing them. It should be news and whatever else is relevant in the best interest of each operator to have their information, new promotion for new and existing players up to date, and accessible everywhere where their brand name turns up and players expect to find such information. After all, it’s this content that attracts new players. Some operators are already taking advantage of their own blogs and newsletters for their partners to help spread the word of any change and novelty to players; but they are still in the minority. After working with hundreds of operators over the past few years, I noticed that there are very few who keep track of the changes they make to their own services and make sure everybody relevant is informed when those changes happen. For example, I make sure
Adam Gros guides, listings or reviews. If players are looking for operators accepting German bettors, we want to list all operators that do this – not just those that did so three years ago and may or may not still be operating. Likewise, if a player wants to use a certain payment method to play and finds an operator that says it can, they don't want to find out the method is no longer supported... but that someone simply forgot to remove it from the list of banking options on the operator’s website. Again, a simple example, but I think it speaks volumes. There are dozens and dozens of such small cases where this can happen, and
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but we believe that this is definitely the way to go for everybody in this industry who wants to put their services in front of players. Whether you’re an operator, a game provider, a payment provider or someone else, having an API means every partner you work with can use it to get the most recent, relevant and accurate data in front of their customers. Since it’s a simple use of a few lines of code or a widget, the owner of the API then only has to keep their own database of information up to date and it’s automatically updated everywhere else where the API is used. Imagine: Operators and game providers could display and synchronise live jackpots, wins, sports scores, promotions, latest news and different statistics all across the web and make every detail available for every player, no matter where they look.
"A lot of things can come into play when a potential player is looking for where to place their next bet" I sign up to the affiliate newsletter of every brand I work with, so I can stay updated about any news I should forward. Less than 30% of operators ever send anything. We also noticed that a few brands decided to develop their own API, which is currently meant only for traffic statistics,
We believe the first people in the industry to take this step will gain quite an advantage, because they will be able to offer far more interesting content to their target audience. It’s always a harder road to take to be the first, but it often pays out.
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EXACTA SOLUTIONS
RECRUITMENT TRENDS IN IGAMING The team at Exacta Solutions analyses the rapid globalisation of the iGaming industry, and how emerging markets are influencing recruitment trends in the 2020s
Thanks to its foresight in spotting the potential of iGaming early doors, Malta has been at the heart of the global online gambling industry for over two decades. However, in recent years, the geographical balance of the industry has begun to shift significantly, as more countries seek to regulate online casinos and sportsbooks through their own regional licences. In fact, the rise of regional regulation is having a huge impact on the value of the MGA licence, which no longer guarantees operators the widespread market reach it once had. Now more than ever before, operators are forced to evaluate which licences and regulated markets are of most value to their business interests and growth in the long run. This is also influencing their decision on where to base their operations. Sweden, the Netherlands and Germany are among the countries that have already introduced tougher licensing requirements for iGaming brands to operate within their respective markets. With additional licences come additional licensing fees, which can put a heavy strain on an operator’s budget. In light of these regulatory shifts, more European gaming companies are venturing beyond the continent towards untapped markets that provide lower operational costs, less stringent regulation and new player bases. As more legislators across North America,
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Latin America, Africa and Asia are warming towards regulating online gambling operations, the iGaming industry is experiencing unprecedented growth and change. Many established companies are now looking to take advantage of the great potential these emerging international territories offer. These factors are also impacting demand for talent, and several new recruitment trends have emerged in the wake of this increasingly global industry. Of particular note is how demand for junior, tech and commercial roles is being reflected in the ongoing development of newer iGaming markets. Increased regulation in Scandinavia and Germany aside, Europe still holds a ton of promise and potential. The last few years have seen emerging markets such as Estonia and Bulgaria put themselves firmly on the iGaming map. The Bulgarian market alone is currently on course to break past €550m ($587m) in the next five years. Now that Bulgaria and Estonia have established a solid infrastructure for their respective iGaming industries, with many operators armed with expert teams backed by market-specific experience, demand is currently high for entry-level roles as companies strive to expand their operations further. In particular, Bulgaria's capital, Sofia,
has turned into a real iGaming hotspot in recent years, with many candidates continuing to show great interest in relocating here to break into the industry. Customer support, data analyst and affiliate coordinator roles are just some of the most in-demand junior positions in Sofia in recent months.
"Tech roles have also been in high demand of late, especially among companies based in Portugal, Spain, London, Ireland and France"
Conversely, there has been great demand for candidates with senior-level experience in the United States. Since 2018, states across the US have been steadily adopting total legality of online gambling practices. More
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EXACTA SOLUTIONS
and more European-based companies are now looking to capitalise on the huge potential of the US market. This has created a surge of interest in candidates with US experience, resulting in highly competitive salaries for the right senior and C-level talent. The US market is estimated to be worth $5bn and is forecast to surpass $15bn by 2025. Tech roles have also been in high demand of late, especially among companies based in Portugal, Spain, London, Ireland and France. Outside of Europe, iGaming companies based in Costa Rica and New Jersey (USA) have also stepped up their efforts to recruit for tech-related roles. The evolution of the iGaming industry is intrinsically reliant on technological innovations. And, of late, there has been a huge push among operators to incorporate newer technologies, such as virtual reality and mobile gaming platforms, into their products to help them reach new audiences and stand out from their competitors. However, the demand for such highlevel technological expertise outweighs the talent currently available. This is why many companies are offering experienced tech candidates highly attractive salary and benefits packages that usually include remote working possibilities. In fact, plenty of iGaming companies have proven keen to take advantage of the possibilities
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of remote working while they set up shop in new territories. This has certainly been the case with tech and commercial roles. Because operators are looking to enter new jurisdictions and geographical locations quickly and efficiently, many are offering remote opportunities to the right talent who can help fast track their company’s foothold within these new markets while they better establish physical premises. The remote trend has continued among iGaming operators in Asia, which has been the progenitor of a new trend – that of the crypto casino. The jury remains out on whether blockchain and crypto betting platforms will gain widespread traction. As yet, there have been no noteworthy success stories that indicate players are ready to move in that direction. However, if a breakthrough were to happen, it would certainly come from within the Asian market, which has seen a rapid expansion of crypto casinos since the start of the pandemic. As a matter of fact, in March of 2022, news broke that an effort is underway in Malaysia to allow Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies to take their place alongside fiat as legal tender on online gambling platforms. As crypto casinos continue to gather steam across Asia, the industry is expecting to see a greater demand for candidates with the skills
and vision to combine crypto, and online casino games, into seamless products that appeal to today’s crypto-savvy consumers. With more operators looking towards Asia, LatAm, the US and emerging territories in Europe, the following decade is set to irreversibly transform the iGaming industry. The question in the local sector is increasingly: Will Malta still have a role to play on the international iGaming stage? The answer is not so simple. In the short term, locally based recruitment professionals are still seeing plenty of interest from candidates wanting to relocate to and work in Malta’s renowned iGaming hub, especially among junior-level talent. However, the hard truth is that more and more candidates are increasingly looking at iGaming opportunities abroad. More will need to be done if Malta wants to compete with the likes of the US and Asia going forward, especially in terms of the cost of living and quality of life on offer. The local iGaming industry has become an integral part of Malta’s reputation and economy. After all the great success and acclaim the island has enjoyed within the industry over the past 20 years, it would be a shame if the powers that be fail to see the shape of things to come; and let Malta’s industry-leading status slip away for good.
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BESTODDS
WHAT MAKES A RESPONSIBLE AFFILIATE? PART II Malcolm Darnley of BestOdds gives more tips to end users when picking out a good affiliate In our first article covering key messaging (in the March/April issue), we talked about the role of affiliates when it comes to responsible gaming. And we talked about the importance of bankroll management for end users. Most importantly, we must make sure that those who identify as problem gamblers and those who ultimately are looking for help can find the resources and contact information quickly, and easily, in multiple locations within websites and ecosystems. However, from a key messaging standpoint, there is more affiliates can do to ensure the wellbeing of their end users than just posting the required responsible gambling information. MISLEADING OR DIRECTIONAL LANGUAGE Marketing when done properly in any industry can be the most effective sales tool a company can have. As affiliate companies in the sports gambling space, we tow an interesting line. Affiliate business revolves around those who want to gamble on sports. The more people who find value in affiliate products, the more successful affiliate companies are. However, the grey area in all of this is how affiliates choose to communicate with end users, and how much they use language to direct customers into making decisions they may not have made on their own. As an affiliate, you must be aware of the power that language and keywords can have. Affiliates must recognise the value of strategically suggesting to customers that the key to successful sports gambling is to play more often and give yourself more chances to win. This convinces people to spend more money gambling.
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Malcolm Darnley It is not wise to do that. Gambling affiliate sites should be a destination for those who have decided sports betting is for them. However, unlike in the fast food industry, affiliates shouldn’t look to upsize a customer’s fries at the end of a transaction. Staying away from directional language, or misleading language that may result in users spending more money or time on sports gambling than they originally intended, should be a best practice we all adhere to as well. PROMOTING LEGAL AND LICENSED SPORTSBOOKS Whether you are a sports betting consumer deciding on which sportsbook should earn business, or an affiliate deciding which operators you should target for partnerships, you should always be looking at only those who are licensed and legally
able to be doing business. As many of us are learning, the value of an affiliate partnership can differ greatly from operator to operator. The reward for partnering with some is greater than with others. This is true whether you are talking about offshore sportsbooks or those that are licensed and legal. Many offshore sportsbooks see great value in affiliate relationships and are willing to pay very competitive rates for those who can drive business to their sites. However, as affiliates, we have obligations to our customers, our employees and our neighbours, to only be working with those who are legally allowed to operate as a sportsbook. Each US state has established detailed licensing requirements to ensure consumers are protected and game integrity is maintained. Offshore sportsbooks are not being monitored to ensure they follow responsible gaming best practices. There is no system set in place to protect consumer funds and no privacy laws to follow, to ensure personal data is protected. In a worst-case scenario where an end user is in disagreement with an operator or unable to withdraw their funds, there is nowhere for a consumer to turn. Even when an offshore sportsbook is providing a quality product, it is not contributing to local and federal taxes. This helps grow affiliate communities. Being a successful affiliate company can be a very rewarding business or career. However, we believe that those who are truly successful over time are those who take into consideration the best interest of the betting community; and are not just singularly focused on the easiest way to make a profit.
THE INSIDERS In every issue, Gambling Insider commissions guest columns and interviews with people at the heart of the gaming industry – to discover more about the challenges its leaders, pioneers and innovators face. These contributors form The Insiders
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DAVID WILLIAMS The Rank Group
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ANNA SAINSBURY GeoComply
BJÖRN KRANTZ Yggdrasil
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INSIDERS DAVID WILLIAMS
Exploring the process The Rank Group’s Director of Public Affairs, David Williams, speaks to Gambling Insider on the upcoming Gambling Act review and the current state of land-based casinos in the UK The Gambling Act review has been long in the making, what do you think the results of it will be? I think it would be a bit ill-advised to anticipate the results, it is more prudent to have a look at the process. The fact that the Government has committed to this being an evidence-based review gives reason to be hopeful. Our belief is that there is ample evidence in terms of land-based for the modest proposals that we have made for modernisation to be implemented. These proposals are all underscored by player protection, which I think has to be at the heart of the issue. We believe we have put our arguments forward coherently, and providing the evidence is looked at, with all the parliamentary engagement that has taken place, you would hope it will end well. A key thing is that the modest proposals we have put forward, particularly in terms of land-based, are in effect an extension of the experiment that was created in the 2005 Act. It was very much presented as an experiment, the analysis and conclusion of that has not taken place until now. We, the industry, have put a pretty compelling argument together for modest modernisation that can protect jobs, bring in tax money and create a better proposition for our customers; thus ensuring the long-term survival of land-based casinos.
A big part of the discussion right now surrounds problem gambling and addiction; what is the best way for the industry to address this? I think the industry has actually come a very long way in recent years. When I think back to the passage of the 2005 Act, there is no doubt now that there is much more of a focus from the very top to ensure safer gambling is at the heart of everything we do. Quite rightly, it is front and centre in our proposals. We have been very mindful to
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and overcome the cost-of-living crisis. But what we do and what we offer has the potential to bring success. There are a lot of moving parts here, it isn’t just about bouncing back; it is about investing in the fabric of our venues, getting the very best products to customers. When you piece all of this together, and overlay it with what we would like to see coming out of the white paper, then you have a potential recipe for something that looks pretty good.
The time and energy put into player protection is light years ahead of 2005 make sure that appropriate levels of player protection are baked into everything we have done. We have spent a lot of time trying to articulate this to parliamentarians and the media, who have been more than happy to have those discussions with us.
What is the current state of land-based casinos in the UK?
Land-based casinos, and bingo for that matter, were significantly hit by the pandemic and the lockdown; it was a gruelling time across the industry, with closures and job losses. It will take time to come back to the levels that we saw pre-pandemic; but I think the industry has a very good proposition which has stood the test of time very well. It is not without challenges, though; we need to get more people back into the capital,
You have said that the industry has come a long way in terms of perception in the last three or four years; what changed?
Having worked in the industry for 17 years it is very evident to me that the time, energy and resources put into player protection is light years ahead of where it was in 2005. Technology has to be our friend here. We have to use the skills of our teams, the data we have in order to make sure player protection is personalised and suitable. One size will never fit all, and this is a journey that will never be finished. But it is about raising standards and investing into getting this right. The key thing here is that obviously this is the right thing to do, and increasingly there is an upside to getting this right. Businesses are listening to their ESG agendas and operators who excel in this area will flourish.
ANNA SAINSBURY
INSIDERS
Border control: Geolocating customers GeoComply CEO Anna Sainsbury discusses the importance of geolocation technology at ICE London, while looking forward to the rest of the year with Gambling Insider You’re now the CEO at GeoComply. This is a recently assumed position, but not the first time you’ve held the role. Can you talk us through the change to your job title? David Briggs and I co-founded GeoComply just over 11 years ago now. Up until 2018, I was the CEO at GeoComply. I had a wonderful opportunity to step back for three years while maintaining a seat as the Chairman. So I was still very much active in the business, just not fully responsible for day-to-day operations. On 1 January I came back as CEO while remaining the Chairman. It’s been wonderful to wrap my hands around the business again and retake the reins. The market has changed so much in my three years away. When I stepped down back in 2018, PASPA had just been struck down, so that has created new conversations in the market now.
Hi Anna. What are some of the main messages GeoComply put out at ICE London this year?
A lot of what GeoComply is known for surrounds geolocation technology in the US market. Geolocation is crucial for an operator so that they know where their customer base is. This ensures operators can gain and retain their licence, as it’s a federal felony to accept bets from across state lines. So when we started in the market, we set out to accomplish where an operator’s user was, and supply this technology to operators. We set out to provide a strong user experience but also a strong compliance experience. What we realised over time was that geolocation data can tell us so much about a user; that who you are and where you are are intrinsically tied together. We also realised that with these types of data insights, an operator’s AML capabilities are so much stronger.
Let’s talk about New York. What kind of geolocation data have you seen since New York went live in January?
What we’ve really seen in New York since it went live is a range of new, unique users. This has been great to see. There was a hunger in the market for New York to go live with online sports betting. It was a smooth launch given the huge size of the market. For those who don’t know, when things first went live in New Jersey it was a real hustle. New Jersey is a state that has so many millions of people in its border areas; 90% of New Jersey residents live within five miles of the border with other states. For a company like GeoComply, which hangs its hat on geolocation compliance and guaranteeing that it works, issues of state lines can create somewhat of an intense experience when trying to get things right. We always try to make sure we have these issues set properly so that our customers can trust our product to the maximum.
Looking north of the border towards Canada, Ontario is now regulated. There’s huge market potential here, what are some of the trends GeoComply has noticed? What are some of your general thoughts when it comes to Canada?
Firstly, from me, as a Canadian, I’m delighted that single-event sports betting and iGaming have finally gone live in Canada. As the market was opening up, there were so many different considerations. It’s a good thing that there are these advancements to sports betting regulations, which will be good for Canadian players. Single-event betting is what players were waiting for. Ontario has a lot of different borders close by, including the US which has different principles at play in its compliance and regulation laws than what is typically seen in Canada. Getting the balance right between expectations of those neighbouring US borders and what Canada’s expectations are, and what they have been for a longer period in the gaming industry, is an interesting balance to find.
A final question for you Anna. What is on the horizon for GeoComply in 2022? Aside from the US and Canada, what else are you striving to achieve? One of GeoComply’s key focuses for this year is to look and work with our customers on the player experience. We have all been pushing for growth, and each market has had its expectations for what best practice looks like. This has essentially meant, as iGaming and sports betting rolls out in new states, that there could be more tension to that user experience. Hosting the conversation around this, looking at the data, looking at what is best for the player, the intention of the operator and refining this is what we are looking to do this year. We want to know that we are achieving the highest level of compliance possible, while still being able to innovate and give a great user experience.
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INSIDERS BJÖRN KRANTZ
A new face at the helm We sat down with Yggdrasil’s new CEO Björn Krantz, then Chief of Global Marketing Operations, at ICE London
"The importance here has been finding a very reliable partner who can help us maximise our business strategy"
supplier in Europe, we recognise that this is a tremendous opportunity for us to take our portfolio and bring it to the US market. The importance here has been on finding a very reliable partner who can help us maximise our business strategy, that thinks in the same way we do. IGT was the partner that we selected and just a few weeks back, we went live in Michigan. So now for us, it’s more about how can we expand this rollout over more brands in Michigan, and then to other states. For years, we have wanted to play a part in this market; and we have very long-term strategic ambitions for it.
Speaking about innovation, I want to talk about technology. What is Yggdrasil working on development-wise? You’ve been with Yggdrasil for over two years now. How do you reflect on your time at the company so far? A lot of things have happened in the past couple of years. When I came in, we had just decided to roll out the publisher strategy within the company. Looking at the approximately 200 customers we have now, and the trust and confidence that we have been given, we really capitalised on scaling up our output during that couple of years. Another area is the output of roadmap offerings, which has almost doubled year over year; then the initiative working with the GEMs – the game engagement mechanics – and the high-performing mechanical frameworks.
You joined just before the pandemic hit. How has Yggdrasil responded to it and, more broadly, what impact has Covid had on the company? First of all, being in a very digital segment, everyone is used to working from their computers. I think having a hybrid or remote setup has forced us to take a step back on leadership. How do we work with our teams in
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order for them to be engaged and motivated when they’re sitting at home? How does it impact the communication and the transparency of communication in our day-to-day work? From my perspective, we are now much more focused and much clearer in everything we’re doing. We have learned how to be very focused on our requirements and in how we work and act internally. But we do miss out on the normal day-to-day and being in the office. Coming in, doing the whiteboard stuff, talking about innovation, you know, the queue behind the coffee machine. One thing that we have worked on is bringing a social element into this hybrid or remote setup. But all in all, I think the whole company has supported the new way of working.
The US is obviously a big opportunity right now. How are you looking to capitalise on this? If you look at US player behaviour, there’s a nice correlation to what we see in Europe. Most of the games, if you look at mechanics, are quite well tuned to what works well in the US. Considering that we are a premium
I think we are driving the development of technology, but also how we can optimise the experience over the technology. One example is GATI, the Game Adaptation Tools & Interface. It is a centrepiece in our offering and optimises the way you can commercialise your content across all of Yggdrasil’s regulated markets. If you’re innovative but don’t have your own platform, or you don’t have the muscles to do a global push, you need to work with a partner that has the right technology; the right tools to maximise your success and get your content out there. I believe GATI is a technology that can do that.
What does the future hold for Yggdrasil?
We will continue to build on the foundation we have and make it stronger. But, ultimately, it’s all about people. We care about our people; and we care about how we maximise the opportunities for our colleagues and being innovative in our company, as well as having the strongest relationships out there in the market.
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WHAT’S NEW ON THE MARKET Gambling Insider takes a close look at some of the exciting products that are now available on the casino floor, with exclusive interviews from ICE London 2022 but it’s also for people who are looking for human-like assistance, because that’s what Hoory’s biggest value is. It acts like a human, but it is a virtual assistant. We offer a free trial now, so try it out and see it how it goes!” Hoory can help businesses handle more customers, save money and time, increase availability and help connect teams.
BETCONSTRUCT: HOORY “Hoory is an AI-powered assistant, designed for businesses to automate their customer interactions,” noted Hoory Product Owner Hamlet Arakelyan at ICE London 2022. “For BetConstruct partners, we have betting solutions
so that our AI assistant can help companies place bets, guide their users with useful insights and much more in the world of gambling. “We have launched the product; it’s not only for people who are looking to automate their customer communication,
SWINTT: THE CROWN Swintt presents The Crown, a new branded title in collaboration with ex-footballer and actor Vinnie Jones. Speaking at ICE London 2022, Swintt CPO Per Hedén explained: “The Crown is our first branded game with Vinnie Jones. It involves players visiting four different bars – The Crown, The Bullseye, The Drunken Duck and Michael’s Whiskey Tavern – and looking for the Crown Jewels. “Players can spin with different types of wild functionalities for each of the bars. They can take the taxi, look at the map and decide which bar they would like to visit. We have different types of wilds; expanding wilds, sticky wilds, wilds multipliers. “The Crown has been really well received so far. It was fantastic to have Vinnie on the stand at ICE, presenting the game, promoting it, playing it. He had been part of the product process and really liked the game. And we’re having two more games with Vinnie coming out later this year as well.”
Swintt - The Crown
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HOORY… ● Understands what your customers need ● Accumulates knowledge through the power of AI ● Shares knowledge with your customers in human-like conversations ● Helps customers resolve their problems instantly ● Allows you to understand and gain insights into customer behaviour
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Galaxsys - Cash Show
GALAXY GAMING: RICOCHET POKER Speaking at ICE London 2022, Galaxy Gaming presents Ricochet Poker, a poker variant. A Galaxy Gaming spokesperson said: “How it differs from most poker games is that, mainly, the dealer antes into a pot. It’s a pot-based game, where every player plays against other players and against the dealer, for that pot of money at the end. It’s essentially a five-card poker game where the best hand wins and takes it all. “Everybody antes in, each player starts with two cards and the dealer has all five at once. So instead of standard poker, where you start on one side and move into a position all the way, the name ricochet comes in here, where the hand to act is the lowest two-card hand. So action is to that lowest hand to see if they want to play and receive their remaining three cards, to try to become the highest hand. If that hand loses, it’s discarded and their ante and play wagers go into the pot, and the last person standing wins the entire pot. “What’s great about Ricochet Poker – especially as we’re all coming back from the pandemic – is that it really has a community feel, because everyone is playing and cheering in a different way; it’s not just an individual player playing against a pay -table or a dealer, for example. Rather that the money is being pooled and there is great excitement there, especially when everything is back in the casino the way it should be.”
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GALAXSYS & FASHION GAMING GROUP: Speaking at ICE London 2022, Galaxsys Sales Team Manager Teni Grigoryan said: “The game was launched this month, in cooperation with Fashion Gaming Group, it’s a very engaging game with real models. “For each round, you can play with a new model, and the idea of the game is that you need to cash out before the model stops walking on the stage. We have the option to cash out, or half cash-out, so that you can secure yourself and continue playing with the rest of the amount you made the bet with. “We have quite a lot of functionalities like Auto Bet so that you can play non-stop each round; again, we have the Auto Cashout so that you can decide which multiplier you want to start the game on and do the cashout. “It’s very engaging and so far a lot people are interested in the game.”
The game also has optional bonus wagers; Hedge Bet and Rapid Fire. The former is when a player wagers that the dealer’s five-card hand achieves a winning triggering event according to the posted paytable,
while the latter is when a player wagers that their initial two-card hand will beat (or tie) the dealer’s five-card hand. Winning triggering events are paid according to the posted paytable.
Galaxy Gaming - Ricochet Poker
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EVOLUTION: DIGIWHEEL - DREAM CATCHER As noted by a DigiWheel spokesperson at ICE London 2022: “DigiWheel Dream Catcher is one of the branded Evolution online games, now available for land-based casinos. It’s a 54 segment wheel with multipliers on the DigiWheel, two metres of LED display, 12 square metres of real estate. The Dream Catcher logo in the middle does not rotate when the wheel is spinning. “There is also the table version, which has the betfields in the middle. The croupier will open the bets on one of the terminals, players will then place their bets, and the wheel will be spun, stopped automatically and the croupier pays out the winnings. Dream Catcher is now available for land-based casinos globally.” Evolution announced the agreement to acquire DigiWheel in September 2021, an all-cash deal with a total up-front consideration of €1m ($1.09m). Evolution added that it will pay an earn-out payment based on DigiWheel’s EBITDA during three years. As noted by the group at the time, “the deal will further strengthen Evolution’s online gaming portfolio through DigiWheel’s unique and innovative digital technology being blended into Evolution’s online live casino games and game shows. The Evolution portfolio already includes successful wheel-based games including Dream Catcher, Crazy Time and other games."
EZUGI EMBRACES MULTIPLIERS AND LAUNCHES Ezugi embraces multipliers and launches Ultimate Sic Bo. Pang Goh, Business Development Director at Ezugi, comments on increasing the thrill of the Sic Bo game by providing players with an extra feature. Ezugi has today announced the release of a brand new Sic Bo variation – Ultimate Sic Bo. Since the company’s establishment in 2012 and its acquisition by Evolution back in 2018, Ezugi operates from various global studios with over 20 different game types and has partnerships with more than 200 operators worldwide. Ultimate Sic Bo introduces a new and exciting feature – multipliers up to 1,000x that hugely will increase the thrill of the game that players absolutely will love! The aim of the game is to predict the outcome of three dice shakes. Although the gameplay is simple, the variety of all the betting options provides a huge amount of player excitement and engagement. Ultimate Sic Bo comes with an easy-to-use user interface to make the game even easier
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Evolution: DigiWheel - Dream Catcher to play without losing entertainment. Pang Goh, Business Development Director at Ezugi, said: “Multipliers give player’s the opportunity to maximise their winnings and they have the
Ezugi - Sic Bo
added benefit of putting a unique twist to any game. This kind of feature can be seen as a key step for us to provide players with some of the best live casino games and experiences.”
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NETGAMING: SHELBY ONLINE VIDEO SLOT Speaking at ICE London 2022, NetGaming Head of Product Nat Ovchinnikova noted: “The Shelby Online Video Slot is our collaboration game with the Shelby brand. Carroll Shelby is the massive, legendary manufacturer of cars. The whole legacy with any game of NetGaming is that we try to stay true to the brand, we try to stay true to the core mechanic and the ideas of the game. “The Shelby brand is all about his own personal legacy and history of racing; it’s about all those luxurious cars which are currently being auctioned and are sold at extremely expensive prices. So we accumulated all these parts of what is the true core of this brand, and with that in mind this slot was created. “There is a boost bet option which does increase your chances of getting certain features; and in terms of the features, we have base game features as well as different free spins and bonus modes. There is the auction bonus game, where players can bid on cars by choosing from five models that we have the rights to use. All the footage
ALFASTREET LUCKY 8 - THE INTELLIGENT CHOICE The Alfastreet Lucky 8 has been rapidly climbing the ranks of the most successful products since its introduction in 2016. Considered an alternative to the recognised R8, it was conceived as a more space-efficient and economical interpretation of an eight-station automated electronic roulette cabinet. Despite offering an estimated 25% less space occupancy in comparison to the “big sister,” it still provides the same roulette wheel and same technical components. All of these factors are extremely important and dear to our customers, who value the reliability and proven efficiency of Alfastreet products. The main features of the machine are: • perfect ergonomic position for the player, with comfort and excellent overview of the game developments • sleek and elegant design, with different chromatic options, to best suit gaming venues worldwide • 21,5” HD touch screen monitors, with optional mechanical keyboards • state-of-the-art hardware equipment, with choice of industry’s leading components • newly designed signage superstructure with HD screens, providing added attraction to the gaming venues, clear and engaging graphics and signature Jackpot solutions • ease of operation, including assembly and service access • dedicated chairs to ensure the optimum
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that we use is the original Shelby historical footage. “Players can also get free spins where you go into the race. We’re going to race
with the multiplier, so the more symbols you collect, the faster it goes, the faster the multiply grows; and players are ending up at extremely high speeds, x100 multipliers."
NetGaming - Shelby
height for the player’s comfort The latest evolution has focused on streamlining the design and optimisation of hardware components, as well as providing it with the new software platform; which introduces extended functionality, new game designs, improved graphics and easier connection to alternative game sources (the machine supports Alfastreet Multigame® and Simultaneous Play® options, that enable the players to play a large number of games simultaneously). Alfastreet has always valued the feedback from the players and operators alike, and strives to implement it to the development of the products to the highest possible extent. As with all other Alfastreet products, the Lucky 8 operators benefit from an impeccable 24/7 support and warranty service to ensure long term care-free operation. The Lucky 8 is a relatively new addition to the product lineup of the company, which has been setting the standards for the gaming industry for almost 30 years, but it is continuing the legacy of the all-conquering R8.
Alfastreet - Lucky 8
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CREEDROOMZ: ROBA Speaking at ICE London 2022, CreedRoomz Live Casino Marketing Director Galust R. Stepanyan noted: “One of the main innovations that we have is the robot hand, the robot croupier, which is called ROBA. “Basically it’s a pro robot croupier, which is dealing Dragon Tiger and Baccarat already, so we have integrated these two games and we’re starting with the Asian market. They will go forward with blackjack tables as well, so later this year we’ll have blackjack too. “One of the main points is salaries. For providers taking these robot croupier, the first point is that they are not paying salaries; so in the base of one year, there is a huge amount of money that they are keeping. “The second point is the speed. It’s dealing in the same speed all the time, 24/7. The third part is the behaviour. The robot croupier doesn’t have any bad moods! It’s always smiling and it always welcomes you. “What we are suggesting to our partners is that they can have their own custom
CreedRoomz - Roba design of the robot, with colours and with everything else. “For the rest of the year, we are planning
to open 10 more tables of the robot croupier, and the blackjack game will also be integrated, as I mentioned."
two wins, increasing the overall maximum prize by €500,000 ($524,000). This cycle will continue until the Mega Jackpot reaches an astonishing maximum of €10,000,000. The first game to feature the Dream Drop Jackpots will be the highly anticipated sequel to Temple Tumble, Temple Tumble 2, which will be released on 4 May, 2022. Additionally, Dream Drop Jackpots will be underpinned with an impressive 1,000,000 Euro campaign following its launch. It’s expected that Dream Drop Jackpots will also be added to a wide range of leading titles from Relax Gaming’s catalogue by the end
of 2023. Heralding the release of Dream Drop Jackpots, Simon Hammon, Relax Gaming CPO, said: “This is without a doubt one of the biggest product launches that Relax Gaming has ever announced. We’re incredibly proud to enter the jackpot space with a highly unique product, underpinned by our strong technology and commitment to drive differentiation.” Daniel Eskola, Relax Gaming Deputy CEO, added: “Early on in the creative process, we decided that a classic legacy type jackpot was off the table, as the market is already saturated with multiple jackpots like this. “With Dream Drop Jackpots, players will experience the most heart-racing jackpot on the market thanks to the multimillion mustwin element. Operators with Dream Drop will have an extremely powerful tool for acquisition and retention. “The reception and feedback we’ve received from operators so far has been phenomenal and we have high hopes this launch could be the future of jackpots.” Relax now offers its partners more than 3,000 online casino games, featuring headline slots from its in-house studios; along with a vast collection of content aggregated through its Silver Bullet and Powered By Relax partnership programmes. Recognised by the industry as a true driver of differentiation, Relax Gaming has won a host of industry honours in recognition of its innovative approach.
Relax Gaming - Dream Drop RELAX GAMING TRANSFORMS JACKPOT SLOTS WITH DREAM DROP Relax Gaming, the iGaming aggregator and supplier of content, has unveiled its Dream Drop Jackpots product, a five-tiered progressive jackpot designed to revolutionise slot gameplay, offering players the biggest must-hit jackpot to date. Enabled by the Relax Apex™ platform, the jackpot offers multiple ways for players to win big with five winning opportunities; including Rapid, Midi, Maxi, Major and Mega Jackpots, all of which lead to a guaranteed hit. Relax will level up the Dream Drop every
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FINAL WORD Gambling Insider spoke with Trust Payments Director of Gaming Vertical, Rio Broadfoot, for an update on the payment industry and the company’s aims for 2022 What’s new for Trust Payments in 2022? What do you aim to achieve by the end of the year? It’s been a year of innovation for our gaming solutions at Trust Payments. We’ve really strengthened our offering to the market with enhancements including: • Accepting broader secure pay-in and pay-out options including Original Credit Transactions & Pay by Bank options • Strengthened dynamic routing between acquirers • More alternative Payment Methods including tokenisation, in-app game solutions, digital currencies, Buy Now Pay Later & more • Making our AI fraud tools and chargeback management more robust • Broadening the scale of our solutions, which now run across the UK, EU & seven US States with 24 settlement currencies available • More rigorous onboarding & monitoring to ensure gaming payments remain risk-free throughout. Our focus for the remainder of the year is to ensure our technology continues to assist the transition to cashless gaming, and making payment experiences as seamless as possible. How has the new PSD2, which requires SCAs to be applied to all electronic payments, affected payment solutions companies? It has been an education curve to get companies to adopt the need for SCA as a modern way to provide customers with a frictionless payments experience across all technological devices. We have spent a lot of time helping merchants understand how to securely process payments while protecting the card issuer from fraudulent transactions, particularly at a time when there is a shift
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towards mobile and invisible commerce. We advocate two-factor authentication where a secure passcode is used for verification to enable a real-time, secure, information-sharing process that merchants can use to send specific transactional attributes; which the issuer can use to authenticate customers more accurately without asking for a static password or slowing down payments.
When something goes wrong, it’s reassuring to know that you won’t lose out on key card payments at a time when cash usage is falling drastically. Merchants should ensure that their POS providers offer round-the-clock support, including next-day swap outs to prevent downtime and lost income.
Broadly, how can you see payment solutions evolving in the future? What kinds of new technology could revolutionise the industry? We are in a new era of money, or green paper, as private merchants need more safe and secure payment options. Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDC) is the major buzz term in paytech, and rightly so, especially given the efficiency and profit-driving benefits partners provide. Consumers are abandoning cash for cards, contactless and crypto. We’re seeing more and more retailers offer crypto as a payment method, giving customers more choice and flexibility at checkout. Crypto is pushing the boundaries of payment possibilities, making it well worth the hype, as the world moves Generally speaking, do the industry’s biggest towards a digital currency society and builds global trust in technology. operators and suppliers use established The QR code payment trend was all the rage payment solutions (PayPal, Apple Pay, etc.)? over the pandemic, reducing the gap between Merchants need to think about the payment mobile, digital and physical to meet the needs methods they have the ability to offer to of social distancing. QR Codes are worth their end consumers; having contactless the hype as it has drastically improved the payment connectivity from the likes of PayPal customer experience in a safe and secure way. as well as Apple, Samsung and Google Pay Businesses are combining different value capabilities is now essential for retailers. propositions to meet the demand for new Approaching point of sale choices can be sales flows. Also known as Converged tricky. For example, for the bricks and mortar Commerce, this concept is transforming gaming retailers, it’s worth considering your the e-commerce landscape and is a worthy specific POS needs. Do you take payments at investment. From alternative currencies the counter? A standard, wired connection will to online, offline and mobile add-ons, merchants be fine. Need to move around the shop floor, are harnessing customer data to create powerful or complete transactions at a customer’s table? and intuitive ecommerce offerings. And the Have a chat with your POS provider about Metaverse will also influence this! machines with Wi-Fi, or SIM card capabilities.
"More rigorous onboarding & monitoring to ensure gaming payments remain risk-free throughout"