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The Challenges of Bridging the Gaming and iGaming Gap

Published

1 year ago

February 23, 2023

Reading Time: 3 minutes

With both forms of interactive entertainment experiencing their highest points yet, gaming and iGaming are still far from a visible plateau. As two parts of a digital market, they both illustrate fundamental differences, but they also experience undeniable crossover. Actually taking advantage of this crossover can be complicated, however, with key differences holding back what could potentially be a lucrative combination. Looking at the stats and the challenges, it’s clear there is something to be found here, but how could it come about?

Not Always a Young Man’s Game

As much as gaming is thought to be the primary domain of young men, the statistics show otherwise. A recent study of thousands of American and UK gamers by ExpressVPN found that the average age of gamers is incredibly broad, falling between players in their late 20s to their early 40s. The gap between women and men has been similarly unexpected, with 72% of men self-describing gamers versus 49% of women. In terms of games, the most popular for both sides was the Call of Duty series.

Turning now to iGaming, a study from Time2Play found that most players have similar ages between their late 30s and early 40s. Looking at inclusion, another study found that around 33% of men in Great Britain had gambled online in the last 12 months, versus 24% of women. In terms of games, there is again a lot of popularity, with both sexes turning to roulette as their go-to.

Finding Common Ground

Looking at these statistics, the inevitable question arises of what can be done to cater to men and women of all age grounds who enjoy both video games, and casino titles. With so much shared ground, there has to be a way to leverage one side to the other, and online casinos have been experimenting with the combination for years.

Video games, enjoying a long legacy on the digital front, as well as having much larger budgets than individual casino games, inevitably serve as much stronger starting points. You’ll often see translations like Tomb Raider and Resident Evil made into slot games, for example, thanks to having long stories and many titles to draw from.

Moving in the opposite direction from casino games to video games is possible on a broader scale, but it’s harder to leverage for individual properties. Video games based on casino titles tend to be generic, without themes of trademarks to go alongside them. Even the big names like Gonzo from Gonzo’s quest haven’t stepped out far, and this is unlikely to change.

Given these elements, it seems like the best combination of casino and video games would be to adapt the most popular video games towards the most popular, or best-suited, casino titles. As explored at Bloody-Disgusting, this has been tried many times in pachinko, with standout examples of Silent Hill and Resident Evil. Representation in the west is often lacking, however, especially when it comes to the big and obvious names.

Ultimately, the ripest game for exploration would have to be Call of Duty. Since the game has offered levels set in casinos before, this would be a more natural fit than most, though it seems a game like this would struggle to integrate with the most popular casino game of roulette. While a themed release would be possible, the most suitable combination would instead likely be found in slots, with bonus games taken from the series’ history.

The big takeaway here is that while there is so much shared between gaming and iGaming, finding a way to combine the two areas is tricky at best. While there’s no doubt multimedia and franchising pushes will further attempt, so far there’s been no killer apps to keep both sides happy. As for what comes next, unexplored potential in VR and AR could hold an answer, but only time will tell if this proves true.

Related Topics:Call of Duty ExpressVPN gaming iGaming UK US

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Wazdan pounces for bigger wins in new sequel Mighty Wild™: Panther Grand Gold Edition

Published

13 mins ago

April 26, 2024

Adrienn Sarkany

Reading Time: < 1 minute

Wazdan, the gain-focused developer behind some of the world’s most rewarding casino game experiences, is multiplying jackpots in the follow-up to its top-performing game Mighty Wild™: Panther Grand Gold Edition.

Venturing to the depths of the jungle where a black panther rules the reels on a 5×3 gameboard, the new edition provides even larger win potential. With the increased value of the Cash symbols and Cash Infinity™ symbols, there is also a more lucrative Grand Jackpot of 1500x the base bet.

Players can trigger either the Hold the Jackpot™ or Wild Rampage™ bonus rounds after landing at least six bonus symbols. Furthermore, Chance Level™ has been amplified to improve players’ chances of hitting the bonus round.

Bolstering the ferocious Wild Rampage™ bonus game, Mystery Symbols transformed into jackpots are multiplied by a value between 1x to 10x, providing the opportunity for even bigger rewards.

Wazdan’s Online gaining™ philosophy empowers players to tailor gameplay to their preferred style through customisable features like Volatility Levels™, Buy Feature, and Ultra Fast Mode which has delivered proven results for its partners.

Andrzej Hyla, Chief Commercial Officer at Wazdan, said: “Mighty Wild™: Panther Grand Gold Edition features an exciting new lair through the inclusion of transforming mystery symbols, adding multiplier prizes to jackpots.

“Enhancing the gameplay of a pre-established hit allowed us to expand upon the engagement and entertainment on offer and we anticipate a great reception to this release.”

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PRAGMATIC PLAY DELIVERS BRAND NEW DEDICATED LIVE STUDIO FOR BETSSON

Published

23 mins ago

April 26, 2024

George Miller

Reading Time: < 1 minute

Pragmatic Play, a leading content supplier to the iGaming industry, has expanded its partnership with Betsson Group to deliver an exclusive dedicated Live Casino studio featuring a mix of premium Blackjack and Roulette tables.

Incorporating all the fan-favourite features of Pragmatic Play’s Live Casino games, including multiplayer mode, chat functionality, and bet behind, the nine custom-built tables have been uniquely crafted to immerse players in the Betsson Group brands.

In total, eight new dedicated Blackjack tables and one new Roulette table will be broadcast from the custom-built live studio, every detail of which has been designed to Betsson’s precise requirements.

It is the latest dedicated studio to be delivered by Pragmatic Play, whose operator partners can also use Smart Studio to customise elements of the Live Casino titles to produce bespoke environments that showcase their brands.

Irina Cornides, Chief Operating Officer at Pragmatic Play, said: “Delivering a dedicated studio for Betsson marks another milestone for Pragmatic Play’s award-winning Live Casino offering. Betsson is a much-valued partner, and we are delighted to provide them with an immersive live environment that is fully dedicated to their brand.”

Chellyanne Cassar, Live Casino Manager at Betsson Group, added: “We are delighted to collaborate with Pragmatic Play to ensure delivery of a bespoke dedicated studio, where we can showcase our brand-new Blackjack and Roulette tables.

“The partnership highlights our shared commitment to delivering unparalleled gaming experiences, and we’re thrilled with the final results of the studio.”

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Evoplay bolsters presence in Lithuania with Betsafe deal

Published

52 mins ago

April 26, 2024

George Miller

Evoplay bolsters presence in Lithuania with Betsafe deal

Reading Time: < 1 minute

Evoplay, the award-winning game development studio, is expanding in the Baltics thanks to its latest tie-up with Betsafe in Lithuania.

The deal sees over 90 of the supplier’s leading titles live on the Betsson Group’s Lithuanian brand Betsafe, a leading operator in the market.

Included in the agreement are Evoplay’s top-performing titles such as Elven Princesses, Hot Triple Sevens and The Greatest Catch Bonus Buy which are now available for Betsafe players.

The latest integration follows a string of similar deals for Evoplay who has continued its expansion across regulated markets in Europe and beyond.

Ihor Zarechnyi, CBDO at Evoplay, said: “Integrating our products to Betsafe, a leading brand in Lithuania, is another important step in our commercial trajectory as our titles continue to grow in popularity and develop a stellar reputation among gaming enthusiasts worldwide.

“Lithuania is a vibrant and dynamic market, and we are thrilled to bring our award-winning content to even more players in the region.”

Aurimas Šilys, Head of Lithuania at Betsson Group, said: “Boosting our offering with a diverse array of titles is of utmost importance for Betsafe as we strive to deliver an unmatched gaming experience to players in Lithuania.

“We are delighted to integrate Evoplay’s dynamic portfolio into our offerings, and we anticipate it will resonate exceptionally well with our audience.”