Interviews

Platform power

Published

2 years ago

March 29, 2023

Reading Time: 8 minutes

In this round-table feature, we look at the ways in which aggregation platforms are advancing and embracing new technology to overcome pain points for studios entering unfamiliar markets, enabling them to focus on creating quality content for players. Insight is provided by Rhys Hatton, Senior Product Manager at Light & Wonder; Ivica Jovanovski, Head of Aggregation at Bragg Gaming; and Tatyana Kaminskaya, Head of SOFTSWISS Game Aggregator.

How would you define the relationship between a modern aggregation platform, an ambitious games studio, an operator and its players?

Rhys Hatton: When aggregation platforms do their job well, it’s a really powerful relationship. Ultimately, our role as a provider is to remove complexity and provide distribution at scale, into regulated markets all over the world. We do this through the delivery of premium in-house and third-party content, through our OpenGaming platform which is truly scalable and which also contains all of the promotional tools and gamification features operators need to attract and retain players.

The penny has also dropped for some operators when new regulations have been imposed in certain markets including the UK, Germany and Sweden. Our technology platform is able to pivot quickly to react to these changes at a network level, keeping operators legal and compliant without the need to drop content, or having to suddenly handle huge projects and take on fire drills.

Ivica Jovanovski: It is an advanced 360-degree ecosystem that is interconnected and highly interdependent. Each segment plays an essential role, with the biggest emphasis on the player who is the initiator and main driver for competing game studios. An aggregator acts as the link, determining how innovative products will perform among a target audience, while the operator gets the opportunity to test and trial the offering and to enhance their portfolio.

Tatyana Kaminskaya: All actors in this line depend on each other. I guess it is a lot easier when it comes to players, as their major goal is entertainment. Most vulnerable are game studios, as they need to attract literally everyone – players, operators, and game aggregation platforms. And the spheres of interest they target may be totally contradictory, so it is important to find balance.

Generally, there’s no way to leave any of these actors out – they function as an organic whole. Of course, we could imagine studios, operators, and players coping without game platforms’ involvement and without content hubs, but this trend never stays long in the market. Working with aggregators is much more beneficial both for studios and operators in terms of saving resources. Despite spotted direct contracts between studios and casinos, aggregators cannot be ousted because of their ability to handle legal, technical and account management issues. It is the economic viability that tips the scales. Aggregators deal with high volumes, build price offerings, and are a kind of security guarantor for providers.

In which markets are aggregation platforms particularly advantageous as a route to market for studios?

Ivica Jovanovski: In markets with stricter regulations, and ones with few operators where barriers to entry are high and the immediate return for direct integration is expected. Europe and North America are regions where aggregation has really been advantageous to date. However, with upcoming regulations and consolidations in South America, I expect this will change the competitive landscape on the continent and aggregators will play a bigger role.

Tatyana Kaminskaya: Advantages do not depend on markets but on the scale and maturity of a game studio or aggregation platform. The concept is roughly the same for both. At the start, when a studio is new to the industry, it should try getting maximum output at minimum input. The priority should be given to loosely regulated markets which would not involve large expenditures. The first steps in such markets do not require excessive effort to obtain licences or certificates, but help understand the process and build up capital. It gets you prepared for landing in more serious and regulated destinations, such as the UK, already fully mature and weathered to withstand challenges and bear financial costs. It is a certain degree of product maturity when you can afford to invest six to twelve months of your effort and reap the benefit, bringing much more value, later.

I believe studios should focus on choosing a game aggregator rather than a market and seek the best offering matching their current development stage. And while choosing, they start analysing access to operators, services, and technical functionality. The SOFTSWISS Game Aggregator works with over 180 game studios, which is a testament to trust in our functionality and features.

Rhys Hatton: Overall, it is more about the universality of platforms, rather than simply catering to any one market. The breadth of access is important, but at the same time we really earn our lunch when markets are regulating and have evolving requirements. North America stands out in this regard with its fragmented, complex regulatory environment, which varies a great amount from state to state. From a supplier standpoint, this necessitates undertaking major costs in gaining individual licences, given the weight of resources that need to be assigned to this lengthy process. However, a platform provider can remove these pain points at a stroke through the development of strong working relationships with regulators – even before a market has gone live for the first time.

Across the board, the support of a modern aggregation platform nurtures and drives innovation for studios worldwide. We aim to provide operators with stand-out content that occupies every gaming niche, including local, market-specific games. It is vital that the scope of content we can offer is both as broad and as market-specific as possible, taking in every potential player preference. One interesting example here is Light & Wonder LIVE DEALER by Authentic Gaming, which we have taken live in Colombia with other regulated markets set to follow. There is a real appetite for live casino entertainment across the Americas and through the power of our platform, we are perfectly positioned to satisfy the demand by rolling this content out at speed.

What is changing in terms of technology at a platform level, and to what benefit?

Tatyana Kaminskaya: There is no common pattern that would apply to all aggregation platforms. I can say that not only the SOFTSWISS Game Aggregator but also some of our competitors see the need for technology upgrades and closer communication with players. Traditionally, a content hub has been an invisible mediator allowing players to run a game. At the same time, players are unaware that this mediator exists. That is why game aggregators try to input their value and approach players – for example, to create engaging tools to bring additional value both for game providers and operators or add functionality unavailable in games.

But this is only possible if a platform has grown its basic functionality to the golden standard – an extensive game portfolio, data processing, help desk, multifunctional back office, and high-level service. And after that it is time to add icing to its cake – additional player engagement and retention tools.

Rhys Hatton: It has also been interesting to see some of our competitors now adopting solutions that we have had in our locker for a while – such as our client middleware solution. It’s inspiring to see others incorporate and build upon our ideas, as it shows the impact and relevance, they have in the industry. Going forward, we believe the future is also about continuing to build out our network services. For many years, we have offered network-wide Free Rounds, which removes the complexity of many different back offices and systems for operators, and we are busy expanding this to incorporate new features. There are smaller aggregators and single studios that have developed great products in this space and there is no question we have areas we are targeting to catch up. At the same time, achieving what we already do at global scale across the whole network is already huge for us and not something you can get easily elsewhere.

In terms of content, our acquisition of Playzido has significantly increased the scope of our capabilities. Its proprietary Remote Gaming Server (RGS) platform is one of the best in the iGaming industry for rapid custom game development and already, it is helping to accelerate the pace at which we can help both game studios and operators across the world to co-create new and exclusive content for players. With competition higher than ever for player attention, this approach drives differentiation and innovation for the benefit of all stakeholders.

Ivica Jovanovski: There are two streams, in which change is guided. First are the technological improvements, from blockchain, VR, and AI which can help build up the gamification experience. The second thing is the easier compliant adaptation to new regulated markets, enabling faster delivery, which is crucial when first-mover advantage is so important.

How important is it for these platforms to be robust at scale, to provide players with a seamless entertainment experience?

Ivica Jovanovski: Due to the large data and traffic volume processing, stability and security are exceptionally important. This serves as one of the biggest competitive advantages for operators. As technology continues to advance, the platforms will only become better, and more elements and functions will be added that will further improve the experience for players.

Rhys Hatton: We often talk about online gaming as being part of the wider entertainment ecosystem and rightly so. However, that idea goes hand in hand with the expectation of a perfect playing experience and this means platform resilience at a global level. Wherever they happen to be in the world, players demand a gaming session free of all technical bugs. If a game breaks down upon trying to open it, there’s a risk that a player will never play it again – or worse, leave the operator altogether. In emerging markets in particular, the implications on revenue of losing a casino player due to a substandard gaming experience is of major significance. That is why for major platform providers, such as Light & Wonder, reliability at scale is not only desirable, but utterly essential.

Scalability at a platform level is also about customer protection. Technical attacks across global markets will continue to become more advanced, ranging from data breaches to ransomware. Operators need to know that their chosen platform is resilient and reactive to such adversity, so that its operations continue to be efficient while running at scale.

Tatyana Kaminskaya: Since game aggregators are invisible actors in the gameplay process, the bare minimum of seamless operation is when a player starts a game without noticing its technical side. Players value good gameplay which is free of technical issues. Therefore, flawless operation is a must for game aggregators, same as the ability to process big data flows, so that no technical anomalies would interfere with exceptional player experience. And only when you have reached perfection at this stage you should approach players – with no pressure but giving space to accept or decline your offer. That’s exactly what we do with the SOFTSWISS Game Aggregator’s Tournament Tool – we analyse, and adjust to, player preferences, showcase the benefits we offer, and give a choice.

The same story is with bonus games, savings, challenges and others. They all can become valuable assets and find their niche, but are absolutely worthless without the basic functions working properly. But the more competitors offer, the faster these additional features will outgrow from pleasant additions into a must.

How do you see the future landscape developing for aggregation platforms?

Tatyana Kaminskaya: Answering this question, I will repeat my previous words: aggregators will interact more with players. Historically, only operators used to have direct access to players – they kept in touch, built communities, etc. Once a game is downloaded, the game provider also gets access to players, but it is not communication that matters at this stage, but a quality gaming experience. At this point, aggregation platforms could enter the communication process and work on retaining and engaging players through additional features and tools. It doesn’t mean that players will remember our brand – we would rather not brand ourselves in this context. But we will show operators that an aggregator can help boost player retention, increase the number of players, their LTV and potential deposits without any additional effort from a casino. Operators will want to work with us and recommend us in that case. And if we develop sought-after and popular functionality, casino players will ask for specific features available only through aggregation platforms. This will facilitate the growth of game aggregators and strengthen their impact on player experience, boosting further developments and updates to their functionality.

Ivica Jovanovski: If the pace of innovation is sustained, adeptness of modern technology is accelerated, and adaptation to new regulations is expedited, operators will value a reliable partner across multiple markets, and this bond will get even stronger. Since many parameters inevitably have to be adapted, platforms will geographically divide and develop in different directions. One thing is certain – the future is strong for aggregation platforms as they solve a number of headaches for operators and help them boost their offering and accelerate their reach in key markets.

Rhys Hatton: We believe that particularly when it comes to emerging markets, the future for aggregation platforms such as OpenGaming continues to be very bright. In addition to delivering content to operators quickly and at scale across multiple jurisdictions, with a tech stack and tools that are designed to aid this process, there is also the issue of agility at play. Again, it is about suppliers being able to utilise the resources that an aggregation platform has available: the ability to conduct adaptive planning and to continually assess and evolve whole responding to changing requirements. Regulatory change, which can often be imposed without consultation, is a fact of life in our industry. It is about how a platform provider can adapt and meet shifting requirements and expectations for the benefit of everyone, while also providing added value beyond scale and distribution.

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Interviews

Exclusive Q&A w/ Radek Pšurný, CEO at Match Hype

Published

4 days ago

November 14, 2024

George Miller

Exclusive Q&A w/ Radek Pšurný, CEO at Match Hype

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Match Hype has just won two industry competitions. Talk us through your product.

Match Hype brings engagement from social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram into the sportsbook. Our technology automatically turns raw sports data into short videos full of sports and betting insights. We have the capacity to create up to a million videos daily in more than 30 languages. We also provide hosting and streaming of the videos, and we track everything in the video thanks to our own player. The high level of video experience and the scale make us unique in the market, and we believe that this innovation is extremely needed in the industry—and the judges in the competitions probably agree with us.

What technologies are you leveraging to deliver such a cutting-edge tool/product?

We have more than six years’ experience in developing dynamic video solutions for clients like Microsoft, HBO, and SAP, and a decade in high-end video production for similarly well-known clients. Match Hype is the essence of this. We have developed our own robust cloud infrastructure that enables us to work on a huge scale. We can also leverage the integration of third-party solutions that help us make the video content rich and engaging. The AI boom came at the right time to help us make the experience for the viewer even better.

Who is Match Hype aimed at?

We focus mostly on sportsbook operators, where we think we can bring the biggest value. But we also have clients on the affiliate and media side. Our “competition” at the moment are creative professionals who are able to create one video at a time. To cover hundreds or thousands of events daily, you need huge manpower. With Match Hype, you don’t need that—it’s all automated. Anybody who appreciates this level of efficiency will benefit.

The end users are any sports fans who enjoy engaging videos. So basically everybody.

Has this industry been slow to embrace video content and unlock the potential it offers? If so, why?

It’s hard for us to talk about the whole industry, as we haven’t been part of it for that long. But iGaming feels like a conservative industry where only truly meaningful innovations make it. Fingers crossed for Match Hype being one of them. We are confident because of our track record in other industries, and mostly thanks to the results of our dynamic videos that are already used by significant igaming industry players.

What makes video content so effective at customer acquisition? How can Match Hype be used in this regard?

People just love video content. In the last review, TikTok said that the average user spends around 90 minutes a day on their platform. Platforms like Spotify used to be music and podcasts only; now they are full of videos. You just can’t ignore that. Video killed the radio star, and a static sportsbook is next to die.

And what about retention? How can it be used to keep players engaged and coming back for more?

Imagine that a 30-second video gives you the exact insights to help you make a betting decision without spending dozens of minutes on different resources to gather all the information. People don’t want to read anymore. This is probably an even bigger strength of Match Hype than user acquisition.

What can we expect from Match Hype in the coming months?

We will establish Match Hype as an industry standard for dynamic video content. We’ll bring many more sports like tennis, basketball horse racing and. We are preparing real-time video use cases—for example, half-time updates in football—and new distribution channels like integration directly into streams. The potential is huge. Stay tuned.

Any final thoughts?

For the last year, we have talked with literally hundreds of iGaming experts, investors, and executives. Almost every one of them sees fan engagement as a huge topic in the upcoming months and years. And video will definitely play a key part in it.

Video says more than a thousand words. Give it a go—watch one of our 30-second videos and see for yourself.

Affiliate Industry

Flying high: How RavenTrack is helping operators unlock the true potential of their affiliate programs

Published

6 days ago

November 12, 2024

George Miller

Flying high: How RavenTrack is helping operators unlock the true potential of their affiliate programs

Reading Time: 3 minutes

We sit down with Adam Rowley, Managing Director at RavenTrack, to understand why data, tracking and optimisation are key to a successful affiliate program

Your tagline is “win at performance marketing”. Tell us more about how you help operators maximise their partnerships with affiliates.

It is indeed. RavenTrack is a powerful affiliate tracking solution that allows operators to track, optimise and grow through their affiliate programs. Our proprietary solution offers an advanced affiliate tracking platform built by iGaming experts – this ensures it meets the unique demands of the industry, including the need to withstand the pace and complexity of affiliate marketing in the online sports betting and casino space. RavenTrack has also been designed to be flexible and customisable so that it can be adapted to individual client requirements. This combination of qualities has seen us become the go-to affiliate software tracking provider for more than 150 brands across the world, brands that are winning at performance marketing with the support of RavenTrack.

Why is tracking so important to the ultimate success of an affiliate program?

Tracking is the glue that holds marketing and sales together in the online arena. But effective tracking requires a platform that delivers reliability, accuracy and a seamless UX so that users can easily dig into the data and generate valuable insights. Speed and reliability are crucial so that operators don’t miss a single click or conversion. To track data effectively, operators (and their affiliate partners) need tools such as pixel and postback capabilities and geo-targeting. The former allows affiliates to track customer activity in real time which helps them maximise the revenue of the brands they work with. When it comes to intelligent geo-tracking, it allows users to identify and aim to funnel traffic through specific locations.

But tracking is just one part of the process and success of an affiliate program– online sportsbook and casino operators must be able to take the data they have tracked and use it to optimise campaigns, both internally and those being run by their affiliate partners.

What does optimisation look like? How does RavenTrack help its customers do this?

Traffic source provides a lot of spoke for optimisation, especially when it comes to things like which affiliate is performing best, changes to traffic, ROI and conversion rate optimisation. With RavenTrack, operators have the insight they need to do this. They can also give their affiliates access to data via their own internal reporting systems – this is done via our two-way API – to help determine which campaigns and creatives are delivering the best results. Operators also need to optimise the commercial agreements they have in place with their affiliate partners, and this means being able to offer them a range of options including CPA, revenue share, CPL, CPM and hybrid.

As operators – and their affiliates – get more experienced at using data and tracking, they will want to customise reports to a pretty granular level so that they can optimise to a much deeper and greater extent. Customisable reports (we have more than 20 reports available), marketplace and dashboards are just a few of the tools we provide to help operators and affiliates optimise campaigns and work to the commercials that deliver for both parties.

And how does all of this come together to help both operators and affiliates scale at pace?

Our fixed-cost model means operators can create as many campaigns for their brands as they like without the worry of additional costs. This in turn makes growing their program pretty straightforward. With a long list of commission structures available (which can be customised by the client) for their affiliate partners, operators can ensure the growth of the program is reflected in the growth of the wider business, ultimately allowing them to maximise profitability from affiliate marketing activity while at the same time ensuring their partners are fairly compensated for the quality traffic they send.

Migrating to a new affiliate tracking platform can cause major upheaval. How do you help operators through the process?

We know that moving to a new platform can be a big decision and a significant undertaking, but we have plenty of options to make it a seamless process from start to finish. This includes working with the affiliate program team to run their old and new program side by side to ensure there is absolutely no drop-off in traffic or lost data. Our UK-based account and customer support team is always on hand to assist during the migration process, and once operators are up and running with RavenTrack – this includes helping them get the most out of our platform and tools.

RavenTrack has only been around for a handful of years but has already achieved great things. What can we expect in the months ahead?

We hit the market in 2018 and haven’t looked back. Today, we work with 150 brands, processing more than one billion clicks per month and £2billion in deposits to date. The operators using RavenTrack to run their affiliate programs have generated more than £500 million in revenue and counting. Our numbers speak for themselves and no matter the size of brand or affiliate program, our solution is the key to unlocking the true potential of affiliate marketing. As for the months ahead, expect more platform updates, new tools and some big-name partnership announcements.

Africa

SmartSoft’s expertise and future vision for the African market

Published

4 weeks ago

October 23, 2024

George Miller

SmartSoft’s expertise and future vision for the African market

Reading Time: 4 minutes

In recent years, the online gaming landscape has witnessed a surge in innovative and engaging titles that capture the interest of players worldwide. Among these, first ever flying crash game by SmartSoft – JetX emerged as a standout game, particularly gaining substantial traction in Africa. This article provides an in-depth examination of JetX, a popular online crash game, and explores the expertise behind its creation. By focusing on the game’s features, the developer SmartSoft Gaming, and insights from an interview with the Vice President Commercial, we aim to highlight the factors contributing to JetX’s success and its impact on the gaming industry.

About SmartSoft Gaming

Founded in Georgia in 2015 by industry experts, SmartSoft set out to create a one-of-a-kind casino games provider that offers high-quality gaming experiences worldwide. By combining interactive features with captivating visuals, we blend gaming and gambling to deliver more engaging, entertaining, and superior experiences. Our mission is not just to attract players but to enhance their enjoyment.

To gain further insights into the development of JetX and the vision behind its creation, we spoke with the Vice President Commercial of SmartSoft.

Rusa Javakhishvili Vice President Commercial of SmartSoft shared insights and analytics from African countries, and outlined future plans. Rusa joined SmartSoft two years ago as Head of Finance and Strategic Projects. In early 2024, she transitioned to the commercial side as Head of Account Management, and is now Vice President of Commercials, overseeing several regions, including Africa.

What was the general concept and inspiration behind JetX?
In recent years, the online gaming landscape has witnessed a surge in innovative and engaging titles that capture the interest of players worldwide. Among these, JetX has emerged as a standout game, particularly gaining substantial traction in Africa. The main concept of the game is that it is easy to play, the player is involved in the decision as much as possible, it is fast and within the fast-paced world we think that it delivers exactly what players need for an enjoyable experience.

How does JetX differentiate itself from other crash games in the market?

At SmartSoft, we appreciate our relationships with partners, it’s very important to us. We constantly think and work to create a valuable product and maintain strong connections with them. SmartSoft’s portfolio includes a diverse range of online casino games, each designed to offer unique features and interactive gameplay but JetX is the literal gem!

JetX is an online crash game that combines simplicity with excitement, offering players an engaging betting experience. This dynamic gameplay requires both luck and strategy, appealing to a broad audience seeking quick, high-stakes action. JetX stands out due to its user-friendly interface, real-time gameplay, and mobile compatibility, making it accessible and enjoyable for players on the go. Its growing popularity in Africa can be attributed to its exciting gameplay mechanics and the potential for significant winnings.

What strategies did you employ to ensure JetX appeals to a diverse audience, particularly in Africa?

When we expanded into the African market, we knew it’s a big and diverse region, so it’s important to understand each country individually instead of seeing it as one market. With our partners’ help, we’re working hard to learn about each country’s marketing practices and what types of games people enjoy. It’s a challenging task, but the African market is a top priority for us, and we’ve allocated resources to quickly build our knowledge in this area.

How has JetX been received by African players compared to other regions? Are there any notable differences in player behavior or preferences?

The African market is one of the most interesting and significant for us, and we believe it has great potential. It is a highly dynamic and exciting market, where players are exposed to a wide variety of games. Their enthusiasm for diverse content gives us inspiration and motivation to create games specifically tailored to their unique preferences and needs. Moreover, they are quick to engage with new releases, eagerly embracing fresh content when it aligns with their tastes and expectations. Although Crash products were introduced only recently, they have quickly become a favorite among consumers. We expect this trend to continue growing.

How do you assess player feedback and incorporate it into ongoing game improvements?
This is a crucial aspect for us. That’s why, in collaboration with our partners, we consistently review key feedback on our games and strive to incorporate it as much as possible into new versions. We strive to bring enjoyment in everything we do – whether it’s in our work environment, or for the end users. Our goal is to delight both the customers and ourselves with our work. Therefore, we integrate gaming’s fun elements into gambling to maximize enjoyment. This approach fuels our drive to innovate and create playful experiences, redefining the gambling industry and making it more entertaining;

What future developments or updates can players expect for JetX?
Our product has undergone numerous changes since its inception, with many more improvements planned. These changes are aimed at delivering the best possible user experience for players while ensuring the product remains of the highest technical quality.

How has the success of JetX influenced SmartSoft’s approach to game development?
JetX, the first Crash game created in 2018, holds a special place as one of the company’s most beloved titles. Its global popularity is evident, and we’re thrilled that players enjoy it. At SmartSoft, having a diversified portfolio is crucial, which is why we release new games every year. As pioneers in the Crash genre, we ensure that we continually expand our offerings. Our goal is to provide players with a wide range of high-quality games they can trust to deliver an enjoyable experience.