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To 2020 and beyond: the future of AI in igaming
With Digitain’s Director of International Development, Simon Westbury
Our interpretation of artificial intelligence, its progressive role in the world, or its actual relevance to us in any given moment very much depends on our domain of discourse. We’ve all seen the dystopian movies about the rise of the robots. Elon Musk is talking about self-driving cars soon rendering human-driven vehicles illegal, at least on public roads. One AI “teacher” even apparently improved student marks by 35% compared to its human equivalent – wish I had one when I was at school! Meanwhile, back in our own realm of igaming, just take a stroll around any conference floor and you’ll see the majority of stands promising to automate you to the moon and back – and walk your dog while they’re at it. Surely they can’t all be right, at least right now.
So, let’s dispense with fantastical future, and deal in more sober realities. Where are we presently at when it comes to AI? Well, having chaired a panel on the very subject at the recent Eastern European Gaming Summit (EEGS), I’m now in a position to corral and share the thoughts of some top industry experts on artificial intelligence and its current implementations across our industry.
Automated, algorithmic trading is perhaps the most obvious use case for the industry, particularly for in-play betting which has taken over as the main driver for turnover in the UK (up to 70% in some reported cases). However, dig a little deeper or speak to any senior sports trader, and they’re still loading up and Excel spreadsheet, enabling macros on formulas, and overseeing the games themselves.
Quantitative models, running off data channeled from global odds markets, can accurately adjust prices and manage risk as things unfold. However, that’s it for now. By way of analogy, take chess. The algorithms may now wipe the board with the Grandmasters, but the best human-computer teams still consistently win against the robots. Algorithms can process a myriad of moves, but a more detached risk-management system with man-and-the-machine oversight still has its place. As with every intelligent endeavour, though, AI systems will surpass us one day. So, the costs of running sportsbooks are forever diminishing.
For my part, I’m especially interested in CRM as the next big potential differentiator for our operator partners over the coming year, especially in Europe’s more mature market post-GDPR. To which end, I predict that 2020 will be the year of the player journey and player protection. Therefore, it’s now up to operators and suppliers to process the myriad data points available nowadays, whilst also securing the best way to stay fully compliant within the tightening grip of worldwide regulation. Which means that both operators and suppliers must start asking the right questions – even basic questions such as: what do I want AI to achieve? I worry some industry peers sometimes expect the solution without taking the trouble to pose the correct question.
Expect the trend towards the personalisation of marketing to pick up its pace. It’s all about leveraging the data at your disposal, converting it into actionable insights that can boost your bottom line. Only optimal behavioural data insights and personalising your communication will reliably unlock the door to “dwell” time, not to mention gaining ground on the holy grail goal of knowing your customer from the login – their passions, their proclivities, the offers and bonus that drive engagement, a customised user interface promoting the markets they want. Tags which flag behavioural traits (in-play biases, preferred sports, even a customer’s favourite club or player) also offer a personalised and customised experience, configuring all aspects of the customer journey in a responsible, trackable way.
Old-school marketers may baulk at some of our revolutionary code-reliant methods. But at the end of the day, this is simply a question of data processing by a bigger-brained beast. After all, efficient information processing represents the backbone of any intelligent system, and no CRM team can handle these modern-day challenges manually. Basically, AI is a tool to hone and gear up what you can already do manually in order that a more efficient process can ensue. That’s true whether you’re measuring margin, safeguarding your customers from high-frequency deposits, or installing an optimised marketing campaign to better speak to the customer and elevates their experience.
There’s also a danger that regulation is becoming so politicised that new technologies, led by AI, are not being fully adopted in a way that best benefits the customer. That’s because regulators simply don’t understand AI since their respective CVs do not include any tech or gaming know-how. So, we need to promote effective use cases in order to better articulate the AI proposition and its inherent advantages to the relevant authorities.
Ultimately, my view is AI needs to be fully understood in the specific areas where we seek to employ it. We need to focus on the player in terms of entertainment and protection. We need to cooperate with the regulator in terms and language they quickly comprehend. One challenge which the entertainment AI disruptors of Netflix and Amazon have is that they cannot sell cross-platform. In our own industry, from an operator POV, we can. Accordingly, we’ve since seen a lot of stuff around request-a-bet and build-a-bet formats, so we’re getting some sort of worthwhile personalisation. Nevertheless, we can perform far better as we embrace machine-learning techniques. In fact, this represents one of Digitain’s central focuses – understanding the wealth of data we have and using the algorithms to produce a gaming equivalent of the Netflix experience, Betflix so to speak.
I concluded my seminar in Sofia by asking the panel to assign a percentage as to where we currently are when it comes to exploiting AI in gaming. Their answers varied between five and 20%. And while such predictions invariably aren’t worth the paper they’re written on, considering tech’s take-off potential (please pester a professor to explain the doubling power of Moore’s law!), we all agreed that we have barely begun to scratch the surface here.
Whatever the immediate future, it’s an exciting time at present if you’re operating in one of the most progressive and tech-friendly industries around. We’ve now put our powerhouse sportsbook platform in sync with these advances in automated processing. Those operators marooned on legacy technology, however, now have a new raft of agile bookmakers nipping at their heels. At the same time, others who own their own tech are capable of pulling away from the field. If I was stuck on a legacy platform, I’d be very concerned right now.
Author: Simon Westbury
Soft2Bet, a leading provider of iGaming turnkey solutions, has been recognised as the Best iGaming Solutions Provider in Romania at the 12th edition of the Reunion of Gambling Professionals. Highlighting its excellence in the region, the company’s brand, Don.ro, received the title of Best New Launch of 2024, reinforcing Soft2Bet’s reputation for delivering innovative and tailored solutions to Romanian players.
Soft2Bet has established itself as a global leader in the iGaming industry by developing exceptional brands and delivering solutions tailored to the unique needs of local markets. With its innovative technology, deep market expertise, and unwavering commitment to quality, Soft2Bet has consistently exceeded expectations for both operators and players alike. In Romania, this dedication is exemplified by the remarkable success of Don.ro, a brand designed to set new standards in player experience and engagement.
Launched earlier this year, Don.ro offers players an intuitive design, a diverse gaming portfolio featuring over 3944 slot games, table games, live dealer options, and unique engagement tools. Powered by Soft2Bet’s proprietary Motivational Engineering Gaming Application (MEGA), the platform combines entertainment with cutting-edge technology to deliver an unmatched user experience.
Yoel Zuckerberg, Chief Product Officer at Soft2Bet, remarked: “These awards are a testament to Soft2Bet’s position as a leader in the iGaming industry. They highlight our commitment to innovation, quality, and creating solutions that resonate with local markets. The success of Don.ro reflects not only our ability to deliver tailored, high-quality brands for the Romanian market but also our broader vision of redefining gaming experiences. We’re proud to be recognised for our efforts and are excited to strengthen our presence in Romania with new and innovative offerings.”
Here are this weeks latest slots releases compiled by European Gaming
PG Soft, has crafted its latest mouthwatering title to celebrate the beginning of the holiday season, Chocolate Deluxe. The alchemy behind PG Soft’s game takes inspiration from a beautiful love story between two of the finest chocolatiers, Belgium’s Valentina and France’s Pierre. As a pair they have created the True Love Chocolate Collection- a masterpiece of flavor and romance. Chocolate Deluxe is presented on a 6×6 tray that features sticky winning symbols with multipliers reaching as high as x100.
Betsoft Gaming has released Ultimate Golden Dragon InfernoTM – Hold & WinTM, the third installment in the incredibly popular Golden Dragon InfernoTM series. This new addition offers an immersive 5-reel, 3-row slot experience with the potential for massive wins. The game enhances the beloved Hold & Win feature, introducing a grid expansion mechanic where the screen can expand from a 5×3 grid to a maximum of 10×6, opening up even more opportunities to claim rewards.
PopOK Gaming is thrilled to unveil its latest creation, Yo Dragon – a dynamic slot game that brings the charm and mystique of classic Asian culture to players worldwide. Set on a vibrant 3-4-3 grid, Yo Dragon combines dazzling visuals, engaging features, and a playful dragon mascot for an unforgettable gaming experience.
This new release from MGA Games is a thrilling new game that beautifully combines excitement and nature. The game’s main character is the snow leopard, a majestic creature that serves as an Expanding Wild symbol. When the snow leopard appears, it not only captivates players but also enhances their chances of winning, adding to the excitement with every spin of the reels. Wild Snow Spin is a 5×3 slot game featuring a Scatter symbol and the opportunity to access a variable Free Spins screen, depending on the number of accumulated counters.
Gamzix proudly announces the release of its newest creation, Book of Zulu. This highly anticipated slot marries the timeless charm of classic “Book” games with an electrifying African theme, offering operators a game-changing addition to their portfolios. Featuring immersive visuals, culturally inspired details, and cutting-edge mechanics, Book of Zulu promises to captivate players and set new standards in the industry.
Play’n GO invites players to step into Sobek’s Godly Spins, a 5×3 slot set on a luxurious, deity-filled casino floor – where Gods like Sobek, Ra and Anubis compete for the spotlight. With a unique Nested Free Spins feature, this mythological-meets-Vegas adventure is unlike any other. In Sobek’s Godly Spins – players are transported to a realm where ancient Egyptian Gods enjoy the thrill of the casino floor, each with their own spin on divine glamour.
Evoplay has launched Mega Merry Gifts, a holiday-themed slot that combines the magic of the festive season with innovative gameplay mechanics. Set on a traditional 5×3 grid, the game immerses players in a cosy Christmas setting featuring Mr. and Mrs. Claus, their helpers Elf and Rudolf, Christmas wreaths, and gift-filled bags that act as Wilds. The unique feature of this game is the Free Spins Mega Symbols.
Tom Horn Gaming, the award-winning iGaming supplier, is turning up the temperature this winter with the release of Hot Blizzard Deluxe. This fery slot promises to deliver an electrifying gaming experience with explosive features, blazing visuals, and high-intensity gameplay that players love. At the core of the Hot Blizzard Deluxe’s gameplay is the Expanding Wilds feature, where Wild symbols not only fill entire reels but also come with blazing multiplier values of x1, x2, x5, or x10.
Nolimit City shows you what fighting for domination is really like in its latest release – Tanked. Witness the war between 4 power-hungry warlords who’ll stop at nothing for total domination! This Labs-branded slot is a chaotic masterpiece of destruction. This is the first of its kind for Nolimit City, even following their most recent experimental titles Munchies, Outsourced: Slash Game and Brick Snake 2000.
Red Rake Gaming announced the launch of its latest video slot, Christmas Wins, an unforgettable holiday experience that is now available on all the best online casinos. This spectacular game will immerse players in a world full of magic, joy, and big wins, with innovative features and a highly impressive visual layout and design. Christmas Wins offers a compelling gaming experience, with its 5×5 reel format and “Anywhere” wins in each spin.
He’s making a list, and checking it twice; he’s gonna find out who’s naughty or nice Santa Claus is coming to town… and he’s inviting YOU to take a special tour of his Christmas Factory in Vibra Gaming’s new holiday slot game. Plus, if you’ve been VERY good this year, you could walk away with up to x4500 times your stake!
Take to the African wilderness in Lion Saga Odyssey! This immersive new release takes players on a visually stunning quest, guided by the Lion Spirit and his loyal pride, as they traverse the parched savannah in search of life-giving waters. The latest addition to Play’n GO’s portfolio captures the raw beauty and power of the African ecosystem while offering exciting gameplay mechanics.
Belatra Games, the specialist online slots developer, has unveiled its festive treat this holiday season, Winter Thunder. Swapping the arid US plains for a wintery wonderland, Winter Thunder carries players into an enchanting atmosphere surrounded by snow-covered canyons and frosty forests. Players will be joined in the wilderness by lynxes, eagles, bears, and, the star of the show, the white wolf. This represents the Wild symbol replacing symbols and covering two reel positions.
Playzia is excited to unveil its fiery new slot game, Volcanic Coins. This sizzling hot game takes players on an explosive journey deep beneath the Earth’s crust, where bubbling lava guards hidden treasures just waiting to erupt into massive wins! Volcanic Coins features a classic style 3×3 grid layout with no paylines—which delivers big when it comes to rewards.
Relax Gaming has teamed up with CasinoDaddy to create its latest action-packed collaboration, Immortal 5. Following the success of their previous titles, Sloth Tumble and Epic Dreams, the pair have joined forces once more to introduce a team of five superheroes, guiding players on a quest for maximum wins worth up to 10,000x their bet.
You are going to love this game a lot if you are a dog lover! “Doggie Star” takes players into a world of dogs, where players can meet the doggie star and visit her house! Filled with dogs and many treasures, they are all yours to claim! “Doggie Star” is a 3×5 reel, 20-line slot. This game contains Wild Symbols with Multiplier Feature to allow bigger wins when the outcome involves Wild Symbols.
With the festive season now upon us and the magic of Christmas already thick in the air, sought-after software provider, Swintt, is inviting players to get into the holiday spirit this week with a seasonal reboot of a much-loved Premium slot, X-Max The Winner. Again starring the insatiable squirrel, Max, the new slot is played out across a 5×3 reel set and features 10 fixed paylines.
Asia
The Pokémon Company Announces Open-For-All Pokémon UNITE Winter Tournament India 2025 With $10,000 Prize Pool, Skyesports To Serve As Esports Partner
The Pokémon Company, with Skyesports as the esports partner, has announced an exciting new grassroots esports tournament, the Pokémon UNITE Winter Tournament India 2025. Open for all players across the country, this competition offers an opportunity for aspiring pro players to represent India on the global stage.
Registrations for the tournament are now live and will remain open until Jan. 29, 2025. Players from across the country can sign up on the official website to secure their spot and compete for national pride and international glory.
The Pokémon UNITE Winter Tournament boasts a massive prize pool of $10,000. The stakes are even higher, though, as the tournament winner will join the champion of the Pokémon UNITE ACL India League as India’s representatives in an international tournament. This international competition is the Pokémon UNITE Asia Champions League 2025 Finals which will bring the best-of-the-best from across Asia to Shinjuku, Japan on March 29 and 30 to fight for the ultimate title!
- The Pokémon UNITE Winter Tournament India 2025 will begin with the Qualifier Stage, which will follow a single-elimination bracket.
- The top 16 teams from the qualifiers will advance to the Group Stage. Here, they will be evenly split into 4 groups where a single round-robin format will be followed.
- Finally, the top two teams from each group will progress to the Playoffs. These top 8 teams will compete in this penultimate stage across a double-elimination bracket for glory and the chance to represent India on the international stage.
The Pokémon Company executive said, “While the ACL India League supports the top-tier organizations of the country, the Winter Tournament highlights our commitment to grassroots development. By supporting players at every level—from grassroots to the pro scene—we aim to ensure the sustainable growth of Pokémon UNITE esports in India.”
Commenting on the tournament, Shiva Nandy, Founder and CEO of Skyesports, said, “With the ongoing Pokémon UNITE ACL India League bringing esports action to thousands of players, we are now thrilled to introduce the open-for-all Pokémon UNITE Winter Tournament. This competition gives every aspiring pro player a chance to shine and represent the country in Japan. As long-term partners of The Pokémon Company, the tournament underscores Skyesports’ vision of giving Indian players and teams a chance to compete on the global stage. I wish the best of luck to all participants.”
With its intense 10-minute matches, Pokémon UNITE has seen remarkable growth in India, attracting a vibrant community of players and fans. The Winter Tournament is the latest effort to nurture and expand this ecosystem.
Today’s announcement follows the Pokémon UNITE ACL India League, where The Pokémon Company has directly invited India’s top eight esports organizations to compete, which includes the likes of S8UL, GodLike, Revenant XSpark, and Global Esports. The tournament, currently ongoing, is set to wrap up on Jan. 26, 2025. Immediately after, Skyesports will kick off the Pokémon UNITE Winter Tournament to continue the momentum of Pokémon UNITE esports in the country.
The complete schedule for the Pokémon UNITE Winter Tournament India 2025 is as follows:
- Registrations: Until Jan. 29
- Qualifier Stage: Feb. 1 and 2
- Group Stage: Feb. 8
- Playoffs: Feb. 9
Soft2Bet Recognised as Best iGaming Solutions Provider in Romania
Week 49/2024 slot games releases
The Pokémon Company Announces Open-For-All Pokémon UNITE Winter Tournament India 2025 With $10,000 Prize Pool, Skyesports To Serve As Esports Partner
Kindred Sportsbook Platform Goes Live in Estonia
WorldMatch Announces Partnership with Dench Solutions
DAZN Becomes Exclusive Global Broadcaster of FIFA Club World Cup 2025
Play’n GO celebrates award of Malta Gaming Authority ESG-C Seal
CT Interactive Named Finalist for “Most Innovative Supplier” at European iGaming Awards
Kyrrex to host online panel discussion on MiCA and the future of crypto in Europe
Evoplay enters Czech market with exclusive Fortuna collaboration
South Africa: Tribunal Grants Lottoland Interim Relief – Orders Google to Grant Lottoland Access to its Advertising Platform
BEGE celebrates 15 years as Eastern Europe’s premier gaming expo
Head of Communications Eugene Ravdin to represent MightyTips at SiGMA Europe
The iGaming Conference Boom: A Catalyst for Industry Growth or Event Overload?
Booming Games Partners with Hollywoodbets to Launch Immersive Slots Games in South Africa
Aviatrix approved for Sweden take-off
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