Tag: Interviews

Rio Broadfoot, Head of Gaming at Trust Payments, provides insight into how those who offer a wide range of alternative payment methods can win gamer loyalty and can come out on top.

1. Could you introduce yourself to our readers? Who are you and what do you do?

I am the Gaming Vertical Director at Trust Payments and have been with the company for the last 4 and a half years. I manage the European Gaming Sales and Account Management divisions within the business and have been in payments for the past 10 years, specialising in gaming for the last five.

I work with Trust Payments helping Gaming Operators optimise their sales and customer experience through speedy and seamless payments, loyalty, and data management. This creates truly Converged Commerce by connecting multichannel data from customers and interactions to deliver memorable, personalised and consistent customer experiences.

2. How does a smooth and trusted payment process offering a wide variety of services help gamers control their budgets?

It is crucial to ensure your players get the experience they deserve at checkout with a smooth and trusted payment process that includes instant deposits, withdrawals, and subscriptions.

By offering relationships and integrations with various relevant service providers and platforms such as Visa Verify, Mastercard Ethoca, and Chargebacks911, gamers can pay on their terms and help control their budgets.

Open Banking has become increasingly popular over the years. As a result, push payments have rapidly grown, and customers no longer need to share sensitive card information. In addition, gaming customers today prefer simple, quick, and personalised experiences.

3. Does the offering of different payment methods really become an order-winning criterion? Is it such an important aspect for gamers when choosing the gaming platform?

Absolutely. As the gaming industry is characterised by a constant cash flow spread across different time zones and regions, it is a significant benefit for companies and their customers to withdraw money using a convenient method.

4. Can in-app purchases elevate playing experience? Aren’t they regarded by players as another form of making them pay more money?

Yes. Mobile players spend more money more often, and the merchants who will profit the most from these trends are the ones that optimise their monetisation techniques. As the most downloaded games in 2021 were free to play (F2P), finding a payment gateway that supports in-app purchases and rewarded ads should be a priority for mobile game developers.

5. How does Trust Payments help iGaming providers achieve higher gamer loyalty?

Using the online experience Trust Payments has for payout methods and the SmartPOS technology available today for paying, we can facilitate a cashless experience using these tried and tested online forms in a brick-and-mortar Operator. Furthermore, with the advancement of tokenisation, we can automate the payout using technologies like Visa Direct to enable immediate withdrawal of funds, similar to receiving cash at a booth, event, or high street bookies.

Payment companies are focusing on new innovative technology to assist the transition to cashless gaming, like prepaid cards, loyalty points and wallet top-up systems. These are now all accessible from a mobile device, delivering ultra convenience for players.

6. Anything to add…?

The industry’s evolution now largely depends on regulators and developing payment models as needs change. With this, I am intrigued to see what the future holds for gaming, as innovative payment methods are widely accepted. It will be interesting to see the benefits in action. A secure, fast, and trustworthy pay channel will answer growing gamer demands and provide a pleasant experience when playing.

A staple of many businesses since time immemorial and a vital cog in the machine for suppliers across the online casino industry – but how has it changed over the years to what we recognise today? How can best practices be evolved further? Kalamba’s Andrew Crosby examines.

Account Management teams – everyone has them, but what does it mean to be an Account Manager within the i-gaming industry? It’s obviously a critical role, but where do you think it sits within an organisation’s hierarchy?

For me, it sits at the top of the tree. The company’s AM team is the conduit of information, commercials, game presentations, promotional buy-in, and fundamentally the business relationship with the customer. Relationships with the customer can last for many years within the iGaming sector so it is a very good idea to retain quality staff who’ve built up these relationships over the years. I’ve seen it many times that where staff have moved on, ultimately the business suffers due to the new relationship that’s put in place. Obviously, this is not always the case but it’s certainly a risk to look out for.

Do you think that there is anything within account management in the online casino industry that you think can only be found there?

As the industry has matured the Account Management teams have become more corporate and in line with AM practices across various industries. Earlier there was a large learning curve for everyone in the industry but now there is a more standard practice between operators and suppliers in general I would say. I also think our industry has more entertainment than any other now with the sheer volume of suppliers available compared to 10 years ago but is still a vital part of relationship building within our industry.

We all know of the impact that Covid-19 brought to our working lives but many of its changes have been adopted and fostered since lockdowns were lifted – is this a positive evolution?

Working from home and being more flexible with working hours has changed the landscape and allows people a better work-life balance. Customers and suppliers had to adapt to online meetings and convey information differently from the norm of face-to-face meetings, it was difficult but if you were creative some meetings could be very informative as well as entertaining. The 9-5 working hours are now more flexible and I feel suppliers understand that an AM’s job can be over many hours and weekends so the flexibility has been widely received. As an example not having to rush out of the gym to make it to work at 9am, having these work-life balances really help with employee happiness. It’s also been a breath of fresh air getting back to face-to-face meetings, conferences, and work events and in my opinion face- to face meetings have always been the best way of conducting business and building strong long-term relationships.

What is expected from an account manager in 2022 that wasn’t a decade ago?

Account Management is driven by relationships over long periods and those relationships stay with that AM during their career. A decade ago there were only a handful of players in the market Playtech, Microgaming, Cryptologic, NetEnt and a few small studios. Now the competition is immense and with that, the competition to get your games prominent on operator sites, on release day and promoted is becoming increasingly more difficult. Account Management has now become one of the key if not the key department in the industry to achieve this now. When I applied for the AM role at NetEnt it was the first vacancy of that type I had seen after living in Malta for two years and at that point, NetEnt had four AMs, two in Malta and two in Sweden – I was handed sixty-five accounts on day one! Now the landscape has changed dramatically, and AMs can move around frequently if they are not suited to the company or are looking for higher salaries. This presents a new challenge in trying to keep valued members of the team. Work-life balance, good relationships with colleagues and always being there to support and mentor the Account Manager’s career will go a long way in retaining valuable staff members.

What are your most important messages to any individual or business looking to improve their account handling skillset?

Response times for me are the most important thing, and will always go a long way in relationship building. Being honest with your accounts is key, as is setting realistic targets. Always giving the correct information to your accounts builds confidence and trust in the relationship. With the development of regulated markets and increased competition, it has become incredibly important for AMs to build their knowledge in many different areas. It’s very different now compared to the .com era which now seems so long ago! I still remember negotiating and signing the first regulated market customer for NetEnt, which was also highly likely to be the first one in the industry, while on a train to Salzburg from Vienna. I think that Quickspin Co-Founder, Joachim Timmermans may still remember that one! 🙂

To sum up, being knowledgeable and timely in your responses is key, because of course, things can change at any time but I think that if you strive for these things, ultimately you’ll build successful relationships and a great account management function within any business.

Following their latest announcement about partnering with leading sportsbook solution provider Altenar, we sat down with Rob Verdia, Head of Products at Nexiux Solutions, to hear more about the partnership and of course their awesome products.

The global online gambling industry has its fair share of platform providers. What does Nexiux Solutions bring to the table?

It does indeed, but that has never deterred us from our mission to provide operators with access to the best platform, products and services in the market via our modular, cutting-edge Player and iGaming Platform. It is a one-stop shop for operators, allowing them to launch compelling online casino and sportsbook experiences to players in regulated markets around the world. They can also take advantage of additional products and services for compliance, CRM, player management, payments, customer support and more, providing them with everything they need to run competitive online casino and sportsbook brands. Despite having only made our debut in 2018, we have already signed some of the biggest names in the business including Stake, FUN88, SBOTOP and Sportsbet.io.

What makes Nexiux Solutions and its Player and iGaming Platform stand out from others in the market?

Nexiux Solutions is an innovative, agile and dynamic company that has put state-of-the-art technologies such as artificial intelligence and automation at the core of its Player and iGaming Platform. We have also made it modular, so we can bolt on additional products from leading third parties. This allows for multiple integrations for sportsbook, casino, payment and fraud solutions with minimal lead times and reduced overhead costs. Other highlights include a unique billing module, high levels of automation, a data-focused player experience engine and unlimited content integrations and aggregation. This comes together in a secure, compliant solution that operators can use with confidence to offer their players a superior experience at all times. As you said, there is a fair share of providers serving the industry, but not all platforms are created equal and the Nexiux Player and iGaming Platform sets the standard for others to follow.

Can you tell us more about your recent partnership with Altenar?

Of course. We recently strengthened our sportsbook offering by entering a strategic partnership with Altenar. This means we can now offer a fully managed sportsbook solution via Altenar, whose software delivers the stability of an established product but with modern features such as a wide range of sports content sourced from multiple data partners. It also includes risk management, trading and 24/7 customer support, allowing our operator partners to deliver the best sports betting experience across both desktop and mobile. The provider also holds certifications in prestigious markets such as the UK, Malta, Romania and Ontario, allowing us to help our partners launch in these jurisdictions for the first time or strengthen their position if already live.

In addition to casino and sports, esports betting is also part of your product offering. Is this now a must for operators looking to engage the next generation of bettors?

The rise of esports and esports betting has been meteoric, and its steep upward growth trajectory looks set to remain on course for many years to come. Esports betting not only allows operators to engage the next generation of players/bettors but provide existing customers with new betting experiences and opportunities. It can also act as a key differentiator for brands looking to get the edge on the competition. Of course, once an esports bettor engages with their brand, there are plenty of opportunities to cross-sell that player to other verticals such as traditional sports betting and casino, especially if the operator stocks games designed to appeal to this customer demographic and in particular crash games.

Just how important is the platform when it comes to operators being able to differentiate?

It is vital. The platform is the foundation of the sportsbook and/or casino and delivering an engaging, seamless and entertaining experience is the difference between success and failure. This is not just regarding the games stocked in the lobby, or offering personalised bonuses, but more fundamental things like customer onboarding, payments and platform stability. Big bonuses may initially draw players to a brand, but they don’t keep them playing there for long. In order to boost acquisition and retention, operators must provide the absolute best experience to their players. Again, this is why the Nexiux Player and iGaming Platform is modular, allowing us to quickly and easily integrate products, services and solutions from expert suppliers. Ultimately, this is what allows our operator partners to stand out from their rivals.

Where is the industry heading in the next 12 months and what are the key challenges operators will face?

I think it is clear that the industry will continue to regulate and consolidate, and this provides both challenges and opportunities for operators. Compliance is now a key focus and to be compliant operators need to power their brands with the latest technologies that are agile and nimble; this is the only way to keep up with different requirements in different markets. They need to be compliant while also ensuring players have a reason to engage with the brand over others in the market. This is a big ask considering the sheer number of casinos and sportsbooks for players to choose from. Of course, those that meet and overcome these hurdles will rise to the top and capitalise on the tremendous opportunities available in jurisdictions around the world, and here at Nexiux Solutions, we look forward to helping many leverage the power of our Player and iGaming Platform to do just that.

Today we also sat down with Athanasios-Thanos Marinos – MD Greece at Betsson Group, and talked about the Greek gambling industry.

Betsson has been active in the Greek market for 12 months now. Has the market performed in line with expectations?

We launched Betsson in Greece on 11 June, 2021, and since then we have gained incredible traction in the market. This is because we have leveraged the tremendous experience we have gained in other jurisdictions and used it to deliver a superior player experience in Greece. This includes providing players with access to a wide range of casino games and a compelling sportsbook product, underpinned by award-winning customer support. This has enabled us to gain a significant share of the market in a short space of time and this is something we will now build on as we continue to improve the product and experience we offer to players in Greece, and as the market continues to mature and grow.

What drew Betsson to Greece in the first place?

Greece is one of the largest markets in Europe, so it was a natural step for Betsson to apply for a licence from the Hellenic Gaming Commission when it moved to a regulated model in 2021. To not only secure this licence but to be the first operator to do so was an incredibly proud moment for us and is evidence of our position as a leading regulated markets operator. Today, we hold licences in 19 jurisdictions around the world with an ambitious strategy to enter even more regulated markets over the coming months and years.

What are the key challenges faced when entering a newly regulated market? How are these challenges overcome?

There are always plenty of challenges faced when entering new markets and this is why it is incredibly important to carry out thorough research before applying for a licence. Operators must understand what players are looking for from an online casino and/or sportsbook and then determine whether they are able to offer this or not while being fully compliant with the regulations in place. This research also helps when it comes to localisation and understanding what it will take to not only compete with but stand out from other brands in the market.

Understanding the regulations is also a must. This is the only way to ensure that the licensing process is smooth and seamless, and that time is not lost going back and forth with the regulator over issues that can be avoided by simply following the rules that are in place. It must be said that the Hellenic Gaming Commission was incredibly professional in this regard and went to great lengths to support operators throughout the process while also ensuring its standards were being met and that players were protected.

Of course, we had to make sure that we had the necessary resources and infrastructure in place to overcome any challenges faced – from regulation to tax to compliance – in order to secure our Greek licence and successfully enter the market.

The market is growing quickly. What is driving this growth and what role is Betsson playing in this? 

The market is growing incredibly quickly, and we expect this to continue for several years to come. This will be driven by more players becoming aware that online sportsbook and casino is legal and regulated, and available to them. This will see many consumers shift away from playing at land-based venues to playing on their laptops, tablets and smartphones. We plan to spearhead this growth by continuing to deliver a superior experience to our players.

What player trends are emerging? How do these preferences compare to other regulated markets in Europe? 

Due to the pandemic and the lack of sporting events we saw an uptick in online casino play and also in the popularity of virtuals. While the return of sports has seen many players transition back, virtual  games and in-play are still incredibly popular across both sports betting and casino. What’s more, mobile is very much the dominant channel of play, and we are capturing a huge share of the mobile market in Greece and right across Europe thanks to the Betsson Native Mobile App which has won several industry awards.

Is live casino popular with players? If so, what makes it so popular?

Live casino is actually one of the best performing verticals in Greece, both for Betsson and the wider market. That is why we have partnered with innovative live dealer providers who continue to launch new games and features that ensure our players can enjoy the most engaging and entertaining live experience with Betsson. In terms of what makes it so popular, it is the combination of the thrilling gameplay, the authentic casino environment and the interaction with the dealer and other players.

How have you localised your brands for the Greek market?

Localisation is absolutely key in Greece. We are competing with retail brands that have been active in the market for more than a decade and know exactly what players are looking for. For Betsson, we are firm believers that a one-size-fits-all approach is very much a thing of the past and that is why we see localisation as an ongoing task with us always looking at new ways of offering a more personalised player experience.

Of course, it is just as important to gain brand awareness and engage with players and to do that we have rolled out a number of marketing initiatives. This includes sponsoring the SuperLeague2, which was renamed the Betsson SuperLeague2. The goal here was to be present at all of the 32 football grounds in Greece rather than just supporting one or two of the big teams.

Other sponsorship agreements entered include the Rally Acropolis WRC and the International Cycling Tour of Greece. These agreements around high-profile sporting events allow us to generate brand awareness both locally and internationally, so they deliver huge value.

What will the Greek market look like in another 12 months’ time? 

It will look a lot more competitive, that’s for sure. We expect to see more operators enter the market over the next 12 months and that will undoubtedly lead to some level of consolidation. The market itself will grow and evolve and we expect the Hellenic Gaming Commission to roll out several important initiatives that will help the land-based sector develop and become more involved with the online market.

Is Betsson committed to Greece for the long term? What plans do you have for the market? 

Betsson is here to stay, and we have high expectations for the Greek market. We are a challenger brand right now but very soon, with hard work and commitment, we plan to become one of the top brands in the country. We have even opened a tech hub in Athens and have a number of Betssonites working in Greece to ensure that we really understand the market and what players are looking for. There is no better way of doing this than having boots on the ground.

Thomas Aigner, Head of Business Development at Ibex.ai discusses the changing landscape of CRM processes and how the development of artificial intelligence is altering the future of CRM.

How does Ibex see the future of iGaming CRM developing in relation to AI and how will this benefit operators? 

What does the current landscape of iGaming CRM look like- what changes are you expecting over the next few years?

Currently, we are seeing more and more investment in AI solutions as operators and suppliers look to gain an edge in the increasingly competitive iGaming market, however, I think as an industry we have only just begun scratching the surface with significant changes to CRM forthcoming. There are some obvious, well-known CRM suppliers in the market, such as Optimove and Fasttrack as well as a lot of promising rising stars entering the space. We have already seen examples of acquisitions of these newer companies through recent deals involving Optimove acquiring Graphyte, and I’m expecting to see more of these types of partnerships moving forward.

Most of the ongoing innovation has been structured in a traditional linear way, to optimise the current CRM processes and how those teams work, essentially helping them better segment players or create rule-based systems (gamification or customer journeys). Once built, they send automated communications, but much in the same way as the term personalisation is often misused, automation is also because businesses still need someone to constantly create new target groups, campaigns and rules for new journeys. This increases overheads through the cost of labour to manage these systems whereas using an AI that offers true automation reduces these costs. The future of CRM is AI – creating full automation and developing a self-driving system is paramount, and this process is at the core of what Ibex.AI stands for.

As AI becomes increasingly integrated into the CRM process, we will see fundamental differences in how companies operate daily. CRM teams will begin moving away from segmentation and average campaigns for target groups and pivot towards 100% personalisation. We will see less human error through data analytics, and close to perfectly accurate execution.

What does the advancement in AI technology mean for jobs going forward?

There’s always a sense of fear of the unknown when it comes to innovations, especially surrounding Artificial Intelligence. The real aim here is for AI to assist companies by automating the process, reducing the amount of legwork that is currently done by humans, with these job roles adapting to focus increasingly on creativity, strategy and giving more commercial responsibility to people. It could mean that CRM and Retention Managers can grow more into the role of Brand Managers, gaining more responsibility and taking care of bigger markets. AI also creates the opportunity to help start-ups without the budget for their CRM team, as well as those brands looking to enter new markets.

How will changes to CRM affect issues surrounding bonus abuse and player retention?

Bonus abuse and player retention have been a cause for concern within the industry and AI can solve many of these issues through the use of deep learning algorithms. AI can predict the LTV of each player under many different scenarios, only executing an action if it will return a profit. As a result, those models can also identify bonus abusers and would limit or even stop bonusing these players because it has become unprofitable for the business.

Real personalisation will play an important role in player retention moving forward – albeit not in the way it is currently used – all companies say they personalise but in fact, just get more granular when setting up target groups or building more and more rule based customer journeys. This relates heavily to retention, with players receiving a far greater personalised experience from campaigns and activities that are aimed specifically towards them, as opposed to an average group of people, further connecting customers to the brand.

How does AI allow operators to affect player behaviour- does it differ from the standard CRM approach?

AI can fundamentally change the standard CRM approach and how it functions as it reduces the workload of marketing teams and the CRM process. A practice that can in many cases have six major steps to it can be shortened to one or two, those being checking on the performance of the machine and coming up with new and creative ideas that AI can then execute and optimize. This focus on new creative ideas goes on to change players’ behaviour by diversifying how operators are reaching out to players. Additionally, AI is affecting each player by analysing them as individuals and constantly improving what is best for them, a process which would take far too much time using the standard CRM approach.

Are there any specific markets you believe will get an added benefit from advancement in iGaming CRM?

Obviously, the majority of innovative ideas originate in mature markets in Europe and the US, but I think that, especially in LATAM and Africa, there is a great opportunity to grow and help operators there to make a difference and to scale more quickly while developing the overall market. This can only be a positive. If we can raise the overall betting experience for players in these markets and allow the companies to free up time and focus on other areas of business as they grow, then I think that is a great outcome.

What is the future for AI?

I believe in the future we will reflect and struggle to understand how we could have lived without the support of AI to be able to offer the best entertainment to each player. AI will be integral to the iGaming market and it is only going to continue to grow and develop as more people within the industry come to understand how machine learning is now proving an invaluable asset to retention teams. Everybody will use at least some and in some cases a greater number of AI tools and will be developing their teams to understand and work effectively alongside this innovative technology.

Your tagline is that you create slots with a German accent. Can you tell us more about that?

Germany is our market. It’s where we live and work, and also the market we work for. Of course, we would have liked the regulation that came into force last year to have been different. But as is so often the case in life, there’s opportunity there.

The German market is large and remains so, despite adversities. It’s the second or third largest market in Europe. And it is also a special market in terms of gaming habits and tastes, which we understand well through our years of experience, both land-based and online. That is our ‘German accent’: from the market, for the market!

We produce games with mechanics, features and mathematics that we know German players like. But we also like to take a fresh, modern approach beyond our great graphics. Because that’s the second level of our German accent: we want to stand for what ‘Made in Germany’ represents in the best sense: quality, technology and reliability. And, of course, the famous measure of humorlessness’.

What makes for top-performing content in the German market? What themes/features/etc are players drawn to?

Quality works everywhere, of course, and it doesn’t matter where it comes from. That’s why we don’t limit ourselves to the German market. We know that features that work particularly well in Germany also find fans in the Nordic or Asian markets.

Of course, there are the essential classics that belong in every portfolio: good fruit games, Ancient Egypt-themed slots, and so on. But to stop there would be too simplistic.

Hold & Respin is definitely a feature that we think is a real gamechanger after our first release of this kind, “Total Eclipse”, and we want to explore variations of that.

We have dedicated ourselves to some German themes and myths, stories that haven’t been told hundreds of times by game designers. But we don’t want to ignore classic themes and myths, like Norse Gods, for example. We want to work internationally.

How do you add in the unmistakable German humour into your games and your studio brand?

Is there a German sense of humour? Or in other words, is there humour in Germany? We’d rather leave the answer to the readers, but let’s just say this: our industry in general, but also German regulation in particular, can only be endured with a good measure of humour. Failing that, German beer always helps.

Have regulations negatively impacted the German market? How can operators adapt?

For us, the regulations have certainly not made it easier to enter the market as a new provider. But since we are also aiming beyond the German market, we are still very optimistic. The regulation has been positive for us in that not all games available on the international market could simply be offered unchanged in Germany. But German-market demand is still high, so it is important to know the needs of the players and to be able to serve them specifically. Just lowering the RTP will not be enough.

Thanks to our many years of experience, we can cater to those needs, from the themes and game mechanics to the demand for quality. And the list of our partners, like Relax, Pariplay and United Remote, is testament to that.

Do you have any plans outside of the German market?

As I’ve said, although you have to start somewhere, we’ve been thinking beyond Germany from the very beginning. And our success in other markets is proof of that. It would be presumptuous to measure ourselves against the German automotive industry just yet. But if we did, we’d rather be Porsche than VW.

What lessons have you learned in Germany that will help you succeed elsewhere?

Always expect the unexpected, especially when it comes to regulation. And on the same subject, if you can make it here, you can make it anywhere. And lastly, not everything has to make sense, but you have to know how to deal with it.

What types of games does Turbo Games` portfolio include? Why this kind, not another one?

Turbogames are the so-called “PROVABLY FAIR” games. This kind of game is based on technology that allows the player to make sure that the results are genuine and honest. In other words, this is simple mathematics in the “wrapper” of an entertaining game.

That’s what I like – playing such games gives a player a chance to touch pure luck. “Environmentally friendly luck” – I would say so. At Turbo Games, we have created several games based on very popular and familiar mechanics – like Mines, Crash, Limbo and so on. At the same time our portfolio has games for every taste – and this is the uniqueness of our selection of games.

With so many games out there, what differentiates Turbo Games from the rest of iGaming content providers?

As a designer, I would say that we are different, because we have a special visual character.

We are bold, bright, we are like a fresh breeze. We are assertive and even a bit aggressive. But this is our point. We are not afraid to be misunderstood – because our players are thinking people who want to be on the wave and are open to new things. And, I’ll tell you a secret – luck loves such people.

What are the key guidelines that you follow when designing a new game? Do real life events influence your choice of elements or general idea of the game? 

In the process of designing, we try to adhere to certain algorithms and not go beyond the given UI / UX design, as we have earned a good audience on our first games, and we try not to change UX much from game to game. It should be “comfortable ” in each of our games, so that our players can quickly figure out familiar features.

At the same time, we try to use more and more new ideas and embody them graphically.

Here we work as a team. We generate ideas, discuss, look for references, and come up with a “plot”. This is great. We have a great team – and everyone from project managers to programmers and testers are super creative people. Therefore, we get such cool games.

Sometimes ideas are just in the air, sometimes we get inspired by something… it’s always a creative process.

How do you manage to create exciting games for the players? Where do you get inspiration from?

I have a whole collection of completely different pictures on Pinterest – which are not united by a common idea at all, at first glance. But, this is my “chest” with ideas for Turbo Games.

I like to start with history. For example, when we came up with our game “Hamsta” – at first it was a hamster who runs around a wooden wardrobe with supplies and steals jam … at the end, this idea grew into a radioactive cyber-hamster that digs holes in a post-apocalypse and collects various items .

Could you tell us a bit more about current trends? What makes a game successful nowadays?

I think it’s definitely important to keep up with new design trends, or marketing, or… just keep up with the news, after all.

Games are a very emotional thing, so in order to do something that will cause a response from the user, it must correspond to his/her thoughts today. This is not easy to follow. But we do our best.

At the same time, many factors must be taken into account – to make the design not only beautiful for today, but so that it does not become outdated quickly. At the same time, it is necessary to respond to the demands of the public. 

Furthermore, trends scan the global geopolitical landscape and remind people what is going on in the world through different channels. As Ukrainians, we filled the duty to create military games as Bayraktar & Javelin and to use them as the instruments for transmitting the current Ukrainian reality of cruel unprecedented war to our global audience. So, with the help of the product Turbo Games makes its contribution to support our Homeland in 2 ways:

1.  by forming the conscious understanding of the true picture of russian invasion into Ukraine;
2. by attracting the attention of the global community that all the world should be involved to stop this madness. 

On such a wave we created the game Bayraktar inspired by one of the drones that the Ukrainian military forces use on the battlefields. After it our rating just soared!

Therefore, to be successful it is needed to be in & to set trends that have a big sense close to your users` feelings and wishes right now.

What Turbo game do you consider the most successful from a designer’s point of view? Why?

I really love Mines. We decided to make them in neomorphism style – that’s why the game looks very modern, “tactile” and as clear as possible. A player wants to play it because the effect of “soft buttons” and pleasant clicks is created. In fact, our Mines are practically an anti-stress game.

I also love Neko. There is a very cute cat and a very “delicious” environment.

How much time does it take to draw 1 instant game? Do you do it alone?

For over a year I had been drawing the game alone. Now we have 2 designers in our team. As we have an age gap this helps us to cover trends and preferences of different generations. Furthermore, the basis for the development of any game is collective expertise of all the team.

What concerns development – well, all games are born in different ways, from a month to three. Depends on the working load.  

Finally, what can we expect in the future from TurboGames?

We have extensive plans. But you can be sure – they will be very nicely implemented and it will be a pleasure to play them!

As Altenar continues to go from strength-to-strength in the online space – we caught up with Sales Manager Alejandro Cazorla to talk all things retail and the sports betting expert’s plans to bring a truly next-gen in-shop betting experience across Europe and LatAm. 

Having already launched their next-gen betting terminal with Golden Palace in Belgium, we got ready to cover all the goal posts – through retail technology, player demographics and the keys to bringing the new generation of players into betting shops.  

Talk us through Altenar’s plans for your high-tech terminal for global markets – what makes your product stand out from the crowd? 

Our solution is a terminal with a difference, developed from the ground up to represent one of the most advanced terminals available on the market. We’ve designed our retail offering to be as tech-first as possible, with a view to placing it at the forefront of the technology space.

This approach means we’re able to offer an advanced betting experience that is individual to each partner – ensuring no front-end shortcut is the same – but also the technology that ensures each product will be continuously updated and upgraded in real time with as little as one click.

Combining central back-office management, highly advanced tracking and performance tools, as well as telemetry, close to zero downtime is the priority. The goal is to create a truly next-gen betting experience that will bring new demographics into retail shops.

Localisation is another key factor, and by bringing this concept to the terminals, it is highly likely to enhance the consumer experience. The objective is to give operators the ability to deliver a personalised in-shop experience with retail technology that can truly cater to specific markets and player preferences.

Your initial success with the terminal across selected markets has seen Altenar’s terminal live with Golden Palace in Belgium – what potential for European retail estates do you see right now? 

It should be a key part of every major operator’s channel. Thanks to our resounding success across selected Belgian and LatAm retail estates, Altenar is now ready to scale its product globally across the 13 markets it is licensed in, including the UK, Malta, Spain, Colombia, Denmark and Sweden.

There is plenty of potential here, as we’ve built our product to suit the player of the future. We’ve got some unique, first-of-its-kind retail tech built into the product, which can be utilised to offer our European and LatAm retail partners something that can’t be found elsewhere. In addition, the front-end, built to offer multiple shortcuts, is sure to give operators an individual edge.

In terms of futuristic UX, and other features, how far has in-shop betting technology come in recent years? 

The new generation of player wants personalisation, easy-to-access shortcuts and a betting experience that makes it as in-line with the social experience they’re looking for as possible, and we have come incredibly far in catering to these demands.

The future of betting terminals is all about delivering a betting experience that is individual to each partner – ensuring no front-end shortcut is the same – but also the technology that ensures each product will be continuously updated and upgraded in real time with as little as one click.

Additionally, the massive changes we’re seeing in terms of the back end bring a whole new level of centralisation to operators. A robust back end enables operators to manage multiple terminals from a single back-office access and check not only financial performance or the number of bets, but also allowing them to check their application performance in general, like RAM usage, CPU usage. The level of functionality extends to keeping track of, for example, ink status and how the different components in the terminal – the way the technology is evolving is changing the way we meet the needs of the consumer.

How can the retail betting experience appeal to new demographics of players, and how key is the transactional process with terminals towards that? 

Personalisation is key to making all of this work. The modern-day customer expects a high-quality UX, the likes they are accustomed to seeing on streaming platforms and social media. For that to happen, the UX and customer experience needs to be futuristic, easily navigable and, above all, personalised to local preferences – just as they would expect for any app on their phone.

Of course, the back end is what makes that happen, and the Spanish market is a great example of how we’re going to optimise the transactional process to work perfectly for Spanish players. We know La Liga and regional teams are a serious part of the betting mix, so we’ve front loaded our bespoke Spanish UX to deliver the exact sporting markets we know players are looking to bet on the most. We are repeating this for each of the 13 key regulated markets we’re live, to ensure that each partner has their own customised experience.

Last but not least, talk us through your vision for Altenar 2022 and beyond – which markets will be key this year for Altenar’s retail team? 

LatAm and Southern Europe have a very strong retail heritage, and players really value the social element of betting in-shop over online. For this reason, I anticipate we’ll likely see the most initial activity from Altenar in Spain and our partners in LatAm.

Further north, Scandinavia and the UK are strong markets and ones that will be especially receptive to our new product, especially given how we we’ve done with our Belgian operator partners on the retail scene there. Granted, retail and in-shop betting is less popular there, but with a terminal like ours, which is the most advanced of its kind, we can truly make a difference.