The European Gaming Congress (EGC) returns to Warsaw for 2024 on 15-16 October, and organizer HIPTHER is proud to introduce the conference’s esteemed Sponsors – trailblazing companies and accomplished professionals that help make the magic happen! In this Sponsors Spotlight Feature, we welcome Piotr Fedak, CEO at Promatic Group, parent company of the Platinum Sponsor for EGC 2024, Promatic Games.

To start off, thank you for becoming the Platinum Sponsor of the upcoming EGC in Warsaw. We truly appreciate your trust! What inspired your decision to participate and sponsor this event?

The European Gaming Congress is a very important event for us, we have participated in the past edition. The congress creates an opportunity to meet, exchange experiences, discuss trends between industry professionals as it gathers representatives from all over Europe. Being a Partner in such events is also part of our organization’s strategy. And the fact that the conference is held in Warsaw, Poland, is of great importance – we are a local company and the Polish market is extremely important to us, hence our strong involvement in EGC.

As is tradition, could you tell us a bit about yourself? How long have you been with Promatic Group and in the gambling industry overall?

I have been associated with Promatic Group nearly 20 years now, the vast majority of my professional experience in the industry. In our organization I have held various positions related to operational areas, later I became a Managing Director and currently I am the CEO of the company being responsible for strategic, operational and organizational management.

You describe Promatic Group as a “one-stop solution provider for the gambling industry.” How should we interpret that? Tell us more about the company and its journey.

Correct, hard to believe it’s been almost 30 years now! We started as a distributor and over the course of almost 3 decades we have been developing our products – at the beginning we only offered EGM Terminals with slot games produces in Austria Later, we started producing our own game collections which naturally led us to developing a fully professional games studio that delivers own, developed in-house products to both the retail and online markets.

Our conference focuses on the European market, but you have a presence beyond Europe as well. Which markets are most important for you, and what offerings do you bring to Europe versus other regions? Which market is easier or harder to operate in, and how do they differ?

As I mentioned, Poland is a key market due to our origin. However, with nearly 30 years of experience, we now operate under two flagship brands, Promatic and Promatic Games, and we are present in various locations globally, including Europe, Africa, and Latin America.

European markets are definitely more saturated and are characterized by high competition. In Africa, for instance, there is much more space for business development, but also more organizational challenges than in European countries. It is difficult to say which market is easier as they differ significantly. Yet, our diverse offer allows us to operate in many regions, and although each market has different regulations we deal with in our daily activities. That is why we are always flexible and able to adapt to a given region and its specific requirements.

Like any company, you surely have competition. If you had to pinpoint what sets you apart, what would you say is your competitive advantage?

Our industry is characterized by very strong competition. Yet, we always try to use our competitive advantage – we are an independent manufacturer with our own resources and capital, we have an autonomous game studio and we are self-sufficient in every aspect of our activity.

Besides, Promatic Group is a local company quite different from big enterprises, not limited by corporate complications, intricate processes and complex internal regulations. We do not follow extensive bureaucracy and we adapt faster to changes in the business environment. Consequently, we can create new products and complete business agreements faster and more agile, easily competing with large corporations.

On top of that, we offer a very competitive product with excellent value for the money. We create top-engaging content as our games always respond to individual needs of the market, local players and that definitely distinguishes us from the competition.

And what do you admire in other companies? Do you have any role models or best practices that you follow? Is there someone/some company worth emulating—even if you don’t want to name names?

Like most companies we follow industry trends as well as competing businesses and wish to be one step ahead. We are confident that with such an approach the industry can develop, and direct, open competition creates opportunities for growth.

In our organization, we act as a participant in the gaming industry – we observe others, but we also want to have a significant impact and set the trends based on our capabilities and resources. What characterizes large companies is a strong distribution and operational authority in the countries they come from as it allows to scale global operation.

Let’s talk about branded games. Do you have any other themed games in your portfolio? If so, what are they like? What guides your choices when selecting these themes?

Games featuring celebrities, such as Mariusz Pudzianowski – the brand ambassador of Promatic Group, allow us to stand out on local markets and create unique, dedicated content, responding to individual needs of players in a given region. Apart from Pudzian, our games feature other famous figures who are popular in Slovakia, Romania or Ukraine. But celebrity games are not the only trend we use in our slots, we also focus on popular and well-known historical, cultural or social themes, examples include titles like Janosik, Husaria, Golden Train or Copernicus dedicated to Polish players or games with African themes, very popular in Nigeria: Naija Wheels or African Carnival. The ability to create branded games is a great added value of our brand and we are happy that we can promote themes and motives ​​that are important to players in local regions

What opportunities and challenges do you see for the gaming industry in Europe? How is Promatic Group preparing for changing trends (do you notice any, e.g., in customer behavior, industry needs, legal regulations, etc.)?

Our industry is defined by very strong legislation, also in Poland.

The European market as a whole is already very regulated and saturated and most of our neighboring markets have increasingly restrictive regulations that do not translate into sales opportunities in the retail segment. Online market currently offers greater space for development and this is one of the trends that Promatic focuses on – we want to deliver products to the online sector in Poland and other European markets.

But regulatory restrictions and differences are not the only challenge, players’ preferences are changing too and we want to follow them by modifying the ergonomics of the machines following waving popularity of games, and user behaviors, which is why we constantly develop new products, providing new, engaging content that is both safe and compliant with Responsible Gaming policy. It is our highest priority to deliver safe products, our production process is always well-thought-out from the early design stage to publishing aspects, ultimately leading to the certification of our products according to the highest European standards.

It is difficult to say which market is easier as they differ a lot. On the other hand, despite discrepancies, our diverse product offer and ability to adapt to specific market requirements allow us to operate in many regions with changing regulations.

You were nominated in four categories for the EiGE awards:

• Best iGaming Supplier > Promatic Group
• Best iGaming Product > Miss Joker Show (Promatic Group)
• Best Game Developer > Promatic Group
• Best Emerging iGaming Company > Promatic Group

From what we see in the results of the first stage, you have a chance in several categories. Winning in which category would make you the happiest, and why?

We proudly received nominations in four different categories and in each of them we were among the finalists, which makes us very happy. The categories are very diverse, and the nominations in all of them confirm the hard work of all our teams in our organization, show our versatility and motivate us to continue the good work. The nomination in the Best Product category is certainly very important to us, we know that Miss Joker Show is very well received by players in many markets, but of course we keep our fingers crossed for any award in any category.Each will make us equally happy.

Engagement vs. Responsibility – will you be discussing this at the congress? What is your opinion on the topic, and how does Promatic approach it?

All aspects of Responsible Gaming are always significantly important to us. We adapt the policies already at the design stage of our products. We want our games to be engaging, but at the same time not to extend any negative patterns, so we implement a number of features and mechanisms to our products to be fully compliant with principles of Responsible Gaming.

During the European Gaming Congress, Promatic representatives: Maciej Makuszewski – Head of iGaming and Luka Oblak – Product Manager will present a very interesting workshop showcasing how to capture such balance between user engagement and policies compliance. The presentation ‘Mastering the Art of Balanced Slot Development’ – we kindly invite all the attendees of EGC to participate.

As we approach the final quarter of 2024, it’s a good time to start reflecting on the year.

What are your plans and goals for Q4 and the upcoming year, 2025? What challenges do you foresee?

Although it is still too early to sum up, this year was very successful for us – we managed to complete many key business projects, we keep developing our online product, receiving new relevant certifications and we would like to maintain this trend. In the coming months, we plan to expand to new markets and grow our team of experts. We also focus on the development of new technologies, we expand the retail network while focusing on further development of the online product. We concentrate a lot on diversifying our product offer, which will certainly be much wider next year.

EGC is not the only conference where we can meet you at industry events in the near future. Can you share any plans in this regard?

Industry events are an important platform enabling valuable discussions and meetings. This week we are participating in SBC in Lisbon, we will also be at iGaming in Malta.

Next year, we are exhibiting at ICE 2025 in Barcelona and warmly invite you to visit Promatic Group’s stand. All the above events are very inspirational as we are committed to following trends, developing know-how and new technologies in gaming, and exchanging experiences with industry experts, which certainly contributes to our development.

Piotr Fedak – BIO

PIOTR FEDAK

Chief Operating Officer of Promatic Group

Actively working in the gaming industry for over 20 years.

Associated with Promatic Group for most of his professional career, solely involved in operational processes.

He held the positions of Operations Director and Managing Director, supervising operations on domestic and global markets, also managing introducing innovations.

In 2023, he took the position of the CEO of the company, leading and managing the organization in the scope of operational and strategic processes.

Promatic Group’s iGaming Director, Maciej Makuszewski, and Product Design Manager, Luka Oblak, will be presenting a workshop at the European Gaming Congress on ‘Mastering the Art of Balanced Slot Development.

Join us in Warsaw and meet the Promatic Games Team in person:

Get your tickets for the European Gaming Congress 2024 Now!

ProgressPlay, recognised as one of Europe’s Top 10 Casino Tech Solutions Providers in 2024 and a finalist in the EGR B2B Awards, has broadened its game portfolio by adding a diverse range of new titles from its extensive network of game studios. This strategic expansion is a significant milestone for ProgressPlay as a B2B provider, underscoring its commitment to equipping operators with diverse, high-quality gaming content that enhances player engagement and satisfaction.

Since early 2024, ProgressPlay has collaborated closely with top game developers to introduce a variety of new games designed to cater to different player preferences and trends in the online gambling market. These additions include immersive video slots, innovative table games, and more, all crafted with state-of-the-art graphics, compelling narratives, and unique gameplay mechanics to deliver exceptional entertainment value. By expanding its game offerings, ProgressPlay aims to help operators retain players longer and increase their lifetime value.

Some of ProgressPlay’s content portfolio includes absolutely world-class producers such as Bally Wulff, Merkur Gaming, Evolution Gaming, Microgaming, NetEnt, Play’nGo, Yggdrasil, Habanero, TVBet and Evoplay Entertainment, amongst a core community of almost 50 top games studios with Synot, Greentube and BF Games added this year, amongst others.

“Our expanded game portfolio reflects our dedication to meeting the evolving needs of our operators and their players,” said Marina Nahhas, Sales and Marketing Manager at ProgressPlay. “We carefully select each title to ensure it aligns with our high standards for entertainment and quality. This portfolio expansion not only broadens our market reach but also reinforces our position as a content platform in the online gambling industry.”

The newly added games are a result of a strategic partnership with game developers who share ProgressPlay’s vision for innovation and excellence in gambling entertainment. Each new title is designed to be highly engaging, providing operators with the tools they need to offer an unparalleled gambling experience. The games are accessible across all platforms; desktop, tablet, and mobile; ensuring that players can enjoy them anywhere, anytime.

This portfolio expansion is expected to enhance ProgressPlay’s market position by deepening its relationships with operators and providing them with a more comprehensive and diverse game selection. As a result, operators can better cater to a wider audience, offering a richer variety of games that appeal to different player demographics and preferences.

ProgressPlay’s CEO, Itai Loewenstein, emphasised the importance of this expansion: “By continually adding new and innovative games, we are helping our operator partners differentiate themselves in a competitive market. Our focus on quality and variety ensures that players receive the best gambling experience, which ultimately drives operator success.”

Over 150 online casino and sportsbook brands currently leverage ProgressPlay’s robust platform, benefiting from a unique combination of casino games and sports betting services. The platform features a sophisticated AI-driven user interface and user experience (UI/UX), extensive value-added services, and a vast library of casino games including slots, online casino games, live casino options, poker, table games, and a sportsbook offering over 30,000 live betting markets across 20 languages.

Looking forward, ProgressPlay is committed to further expanding its game portfolio by bringing new releases to the market from their game studio partners as well as partnering with more innovative developers and introducing even more exciting titles. This ongoing dedication to growth and excellence ensures that ProgressPlay remains a leading B2B provider in the online gambling industry, offering unmatched entertainment experiences to players worldwide.

Octoplay continues its expansion in Europe by going live in Italy through a strategic partnership with Microgame, a key B2B provider in the Italian online gaming market. This collaboration marks another significant milestone for Octoplay, following recent partnerships with major operators including Kindred, Bally’s, LeoVegas Group, and Sky Betting & Gaming.

Italian players will have access to Octoplay’s games through Microgame’s network of over 50 licensed operators. The launch features 10 of Octoplay’s most popular titles, including Eggsponential, Shaolin Panda Chaos Reels, and Buffalo Smash. These games will be available exclusively through Microgame’s network for the next six months, reflecting Octoplay’s strategic choice to partner with a market leader for its Italian debut.

Ralitsa Georgieva, Director of Business Development at Octoplay, commented: “Our partnership with Microgame marks a strategic step in Octoplay’s European expansion. We’re excited to bring a selection of our most popular games exclusively to the Italian market through Microgame’s extensive network.”

Marco Bedendo, General Manager at Microgame, added: “As a leader in the Italian online gaming sector, we’re excited to offer Octoplay’s innovative games exclusively to our network. Our Italy-specific omnichannel platform, combined with Octoplay’s content, will enhance the entertainment experience for players across our partner network. This collaboration aligns with our commitment to technological innovation and flexible, tailored solutions for our operators.”

Octoplay’s entry into the Italian market through Microgame underscores the growing demand for its premium gaming experiences. The company’s innovative portfolio has attracted significant attention from operators across Europe, driving Octoplay’s continued growth. With active licenses in Sweden, Malta, Romania, Greece, Ontario, and the UK, Octoplay continues to strengthen its position in key regulated markets.