Would you tell us about the idea behind the Xprizo fintech platform?

It’s a story that started several years ago when the founder was conducting business on the ground in several emerging markets. Xprizo was founded to respond to the needs of emerging market consumers and merchants, whilst also addressing the limitations of Western banking systems.

This full-service payments platform combines all functionality needed by merchants, with a product tailored to unbanked consumers, bringing this market together in one, seamless ecosystem. What’s more, we drive adoption and consumer education through a network of agents, supporting cash deposit and withdrawal in a way that our target audience is accustomed to.

Xprizo’s mission statement is to ‘revolutionise the future of fintech’. What gaps in the market is Xprizo working to find solutions for and improve in the fintech space?

We are primarily targeting countries which have substantially large communities which are under served when it comes to fintech or banking. Therefore, we are operating in a challenging environment where we truly believe we can have a life changing impact connecting these people to several national and international services. We are delivering a comprehensive financial service where our clients are usually just served with either mobile money or cash and with the introduction of Xprizo our customers can benefit from p2p payments, card processing and full integration to the local mobile money ecosystem, debit cards, crypto and much much more.

How was the development process in building the platform? Were there particular challenges along the way and how long did it take to get the platform ready for market?

We wanted to build the platform from the ground up using local knowledge and tenants so we are working with people coming from Africa, India, Southeast Asia and also Latin America. To arrive at where we are it took several years actually and it is always developing. Having said that in the last 12 months the platform and the wallet took the shape it has today and we covered a lot of ground. Main challenges were the territory we operate in since we needed to make sure the platform can run smoothly with less than ideal infrastructure. One has to keep in mind that we are operating in a space where lack of electricity is the norm, interrupted internet is an everyday occurrence, regulatory matters are still very complex and more.

How does the Xprizo platform set itself apart from other fintech offerings? What can the service provide that others can’t?

As explained earlier, we build the platform from the people to the people. Most other offerings are a one-size fits all where they are adapted versions of what is available in the western world. Moreover, we are offering a truly comprehensive payment orchestration for users and merchants. One just needs to get on our platform and doesn’t need anything further. You can get the local payment methods, our own p2p, cards, etc.. No other service out there has such a complete  offering.

Xprizo’s platform features a number of payment service providers such as M-Pesa, what benefits does this bring customers?

The idea is that our clients don’t need to use several systems to make their life or business. Using or integrating to Xprizo gives you a number of payment methods in one place where for the business side you would integrate one API and you can pick and choose what you wish to use.

How is 2024 shaping up for the business and what plans are in place to continue to develop the platform?

2024 is proving to be an incredible year for Xprizo. We are very happy to be overwhelmed with businesses that are recognising the benefits of using our system and we are having internal discussions to be integrated with very well known businesses and also by Tier 1 banks. Our ground reach though the agent network will also keep expanding month on month and the product offering will keep being a one of a kind setting the standard for other Fintech companies to keep up to.

2024 will also see us expand our reach in Africa launching several other countries and more importantly we will be launching our first operations in South East Asia. We will be beginning with the Philippines in June with the goal of expanding our reach across the following months.

Euro Games Technology continues its fruitful collaboration with Gaming IQ in Africa. After the large-scale installation in Grand Palace Casino in Cameroon several months ago, the Bulgarian manufacturer of gaming equipment recently made another big delivery of more than 60 cabinets in the reputable Grand Leone Casino in Sierra Leone, the operator’s biggest establishment in Free Town. Thus, EGT became the main supplier of the casino, which currently has a total of 80 machines.

Its guests now have the chance to enjoy some of the most popular products in EGT’s portfolio. Among them are the top performers from Vega Vision Series, as well as the Premier Series bestsellers P 24-24 Up, P 27-27 St Slim and P 42V St Curved, which are among the most successful slot cabinets in the African markets. Super Premier also made its debut in the country, having demonstrated the same excellent performance as the other models. All machines are equipped with the well-known Collection Series multigames: Gold, Purple, Union, Orange, Green and Fruits Collection, featuring some of EGT’s most popular titles on a global level. The players’ experience is complemented by the opportunity to try their luck with the well-established in the local markets Lady’s Cards and Premium Link jackpots. At their disposal are also several S-line terminals connected to a live and an automated roulette wheel and offering the latest multiplayer software of the company: King 3 and 4, Multiplay and Royal multigame mixes.

EGT’s casino management system Spider has been installed in Sierra Leone for the first time. After the impressive results it showed at Grand Palace Casino in Cameroon, the operator decided to implement it here and it is already successfully assisting for the easy and efficient management of the daily activities in Grand Leone Casino as well.

“With this installation, EGT became the leader in Sierra Leone with 60% market share,” commented Lilia Georgieva, CEO of EGT Tanzania. “We would like to thank our valued partners from Gaming IQ, who once again chose to provide one of their top gaming locations with our products. I highly appreciate that they place their trust in us and I believe that we will fully meet the high expectations they have for us.”

Delcho Petrov from Gaming IQ also shared his positive feedback regarding the new collaboration with EGT: “We are extremely happy and grateful for achieving this project at the beautiful and reputable property of Grand Leone Casino. The property now offers two VIP Slot Areas and various gaming spaces to accommodate each type of customer and has the highest footprint of slot machines in Sierra Leone. Our Collaboration with EGT has proven again a successful product delivery.  We continue to strive for delivering quality and modern products and to develop the African casino market. We look forward to our upcoming projects in different countries and expanding our footprint.”

With growing competition in the online casino industry, finding effective ways to attract new players is crucial for operators. To discover which strategies are the most effective, we contacted Christoffer Ødegården. He serves as Head of Casino at Bojoko, one of the top affiliates in the UK, and has access to comprehensive data on what features help secure additional FTDs. In this interview, he shares how diversifying payment options, lowering deposit limits, and refining bonuses can help casinos stay competitive.

What are the most effective strategies casinos can use to increase FTDs?

Most casinos focus on tweaking their bonuses to attract new players, which is effective. However, it can also have certain financial risks and lower player value. Our data shows that one of the fastest ways to increase FTDs is to simply expand the selection of payment methods.

It might not be intuitive, but offering a variety of methods does not just mean that players can choose what works best for them once they are on your page. Having the right payment methods will actually lead to a large number of players hearing about and exploring your casino in the first place.

Could you explain the impact of offering diverse payment methods on player behavior?

Many players have specific payment preferences and will only make deposits and withdrawals with specific payment methods, some sticking with just one. It is essential to have all relevant UK payment methods to avoid missing out on these users. As I already mentioned, many Brits actively search for casinos with their preferred payment method available, and comparison sites like Bojoko cater to them.

Bojoko has pages for every popular UK payment method, where players can quickly compare their offers and make their choice. This is without ever being exposed to brands that do not offer their deposit method of choice.

Let me provide a quick example. We have noticed that many Brits actively search for Paysafecard casinos and land on our dedicated page, where they compare casinos that let you deposit with Paysafecard and sign up. These players come with high intent, resulting in higher conversion rates. It is not just Paysafecard; a long string of more niche payment methods are hugely popular amongst Brits.

Which payment methods have proven to be most beneficial?

There are almost too many to mention, but pre-paid cards like Paysafecard, e-wallets like Neosurf, and mobile payment options like Boku and PayForIt are clearly gaining popularity. We have also seen an enormous rise in PayPal in the last few years, and the industry has responded, with most British casinos now offering PayPal. ApplePay is another mainstream payment method that has somehow been largely ignored among online casinos.

How should casinos respond to these emerging trends?

Casinos should always try to quickly embrace these trends, as the earlier they adapt, the more players they stand to earn. There is always an adaption curve where the less common payment methods are only available at a few operators, meaning they share the entire pot of players searching for these options.

I’d also recommend utilizing their relationship with affiliates like Bojoko, which can also amplify visibility. As I mentioned, our platform provides curated lists that guide players to casinos offering their preferred payment method. This visibility and alignment with player preferences often result in a noticeable uptick in FTDs. However, our collaboration with casinos goes beyond simply listing them on these pages. We can and do also provide insights on which payment methods and other features they should add to increase their FTDs.

You mentioned other features they can add to increase their FTDs. What specifically are you referring to? 

Another quick way for a casino to increase their FTDs is to lower the deposit limits. This makes it easier for players to sign up and get a sense of your brand. High minimum deposits can deter new players who want to try the casino without committing too much upfront.

I’d also like to specify that bonuses are still a powerful tool, with no deposit bonuses in particular being an effective way to bring in new players. However, these require a strong focus on player retention to avoid risks like bonus abuse. Less risky bonus options include increasing the percentage of your welcome bonus and trying out wager-free offers. However, no matter what you do, effective retention strategies remain key to ensuring players continue depositing after their initial experience.