Asia

Are slots losing popularity?

Published

2 months ago

October 3, 2023

Reading Time: 4 minutes

What are the most popular games? What iGaming providers have achieved the greatest success? SOFTSWISS, an innovative company providing a complete ecosystem of comprehensive software solutions, shares valuable insights across regional markets.

The analysis presented is based on the Game Aggregator data spanning the second half of 2022 and the first half of 2023.

Europe

Slot games remain popular in Europe, even though they lost around five p.p. during H2 2022 and H1 2023. Despite this decline, their market share still exceeds 80% among the other gaming categories. In contrast, card games improved their position by almost four p.p.

The top five most popular game categories underwent minor changes in Q2 2023. The Total Bets Sum in Craps games saw a substantial increase, growing 2.7 times in comparison to the previous quarter. This boost in performance secured the fifth position for this type of games in the top rankings, displacing casual games.

Gates of Olympys, Big Bamboo and Midas Golden Touch emerged as some of the most popular games during the past year. Notably, the landscape of top games exhibited significant variations from quarter to quarter.

In the European gaming sector of 2022-2023, top-performing game providers include Amatic, Amusnet (EGT), BGaming, Evolution, Pragmatic Play, Push Gaming, and Relax Gaming. Their positions in the rankings experienced subtle shifts from quarter to quarter.

Asia

The top five most popular game categories in Asia have exhibited a consistent trend since the final quarter of 2022. Slot games hold a prominent position in the asian gaming landscape, with their market share exceeding 80% compared to other categories.

Gates of Olympys claimed the title of the most popular game in Asia in Q4 2022, and has maintained its leading position since. Meanwhile, another popular game, Bonanza Billion, has experienced fluctuations in its rankings within the top five since the end of the previous year. The Total Bets Sums of Aviator increased twofold during the first half of this year, propelling the game into a leadership position. In contrast, the once-popular game, Hot Fruits, lost its foothold in the top rankings during the second quarter of 2023.

As for the most successful game providers in Asia, it should be noted that Evolution, Pragmatic Play and BGaming have continually jostled for positions within the top five over the past four quarters under review. Play’n Go and Amatic ceded their places in the rankings to 1spin4win and Amusnet (EGT), with the latter heading the list in Q2 2023.

Tatyana Kaminskaya, Head of SOFTSWISS Game Aggregator, comments: “The popularity of the Aviator game can be explained by simple interface and fast payouts. What sets it apart even further is its distinctive gameplay mechanics, which significantly differ from other crush games in the market. Notably, Aviator provides players with the illusion of “control” over the game, adding an extra level of excitement and intrigue.”

Latin America

The top five of the most popular game categories in LatAm have remained consistent over the last year, with almost 60% of these categories dominated by slots.

The current top five most popular games are as follows:

Roleta Brasileiri – 8.27%
Aviator – 5.97%
Gates of Olympus – 5.24%
Sweet Bonanza – 3.44%
Crazy Time – 3.14%

Notably, Aviator surged to the top in Q4 2022, experiencing a significant increase in the Total Bets Sum, nearly 170 mln euro more in comparison with the previous quarter. This success propelled its provider, Spribe, from the tenth place in Q3 2022 to the fourth in Q2 2023, displacing Play’n GO from the top five. Other providers, specifically Pragmatic Play, Evolution, Playtech, and BGaming, remained in the top with minor shifts in their rankings over the past year.

The top five most popular games account for approximately 25% of the Total Bets Sum across all games in Latin America, while in Europe and Asia the same covers around 10%. Another noteworthy market trend is the displacement of slots with roulette, and the growing preference for live games.

Carla Dualid, Regional Business Development Manager at SOFTSWISS in LatAm, comments: “Players in Latin America in the context of online gambling may differ from players in Europe in several ways. Most Latin American players bet through mobile devices and prefer online play. Local casino slot players tend to place small but regular bets, which distinguishes them from European online casino players, who, in turn, bet less frequently, but wager larger sums on slots. Speaking about the LatAm market, we should keep in mind that Brazil is the most active player in it. Such factors as economic potential, increasing Internet penetration, mobile accessibility, and regulatory changes are making the Brazilian market more attractive for operators.”

About SOFTSWISS

SOFTSWISS is an international iGaming company supplying certified software solutions for managing gambling operations. The expert team, which counts 1,400 employees, is based in Malta, Poland, Georgia, and Belarus. SOFTSWISS holds a number of gaming licences and provides one-stop-shop iGaming software solutions. The company has a vast product portfolio, including the Online Casino Platform, the Game Aggregator with thousands of casino games, the Affilka affiliate platform, the Sportsbook Platform and the Jackpot Aggregator. In 2013, SOFTSWISS was the first in the world to introduce a Bitcoin-optimised online casino solution.

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Asia

India: Six People, Including Cops, Arrested After Ranchi Police Busts Illegal Gambling Den

Published

5 days ago

November 29, 2023

Niji Narayan

Reading Time: < 1 minute

Six people, including cops, were arrested after the Ranchi Police busted an illegal gambling group in the Gonda area of Jharkhand’s capital.

In recent news, six people, including cops were arrested after the Ranchi Police busted an illegal gambling den in the Gonda area of Jharkhand’s capital. Acting on the received information, a police team raided the spot. Reportedly, a sum of five lakh rupees was seized from the accused.

BJP State President Babulal Marandi raised his concern over the incident, emphasising on the involvement of police personnel stationed at CM Hemant Soren’s residence in the gambling operation. Marandi suggested that there might be pressure on the police, leading to potential manipulation of the case.

He even took to his official handle on X (formerly Twitter), to express his worries over the state’s leadership being involved in wrongdoings. He also questioned where the money earned from the gambling activities was going.

The station in-charge Ravi Thakur confirmed the arrests. A detailed investigation into the matter is underway. The illegal gambling activities were reportedly ongoing in the police like area for several days. Upon receiving the information about the illegal gambling den, Ranchi SSP formed the team who conducted the raid.

Asia

Genting Berhad Reports Group Revenue of $1.57 Billion for Q3 2023

Published

6 days ago

November 28, 2023

Niji Narayan

Reading Time: < 1 minute

Genting Berhad has posted its financial report for the third quarter of 2023, highlighting a 20.39% increase year-on-year in its group revenue to RM7.37bn ($1.57bn).

This improved performance in the group’s revenue was contributed mainly by the Leisure & Hospitality Division continuing to recover.

There was a significant increase in the group’s net profit from the previous year’s third quarter results, seeing them go up 177.16% to RM995m.

EBITDA also saw an increase, going up from RM2.06bn in the third quarter of 2022 to RM2.73bn in the third quarter of 2023, representing an increase of nearly 33%.

Resorts World Sentosa continued to benefit from the sustained recovery of travel and tourism within the region, seeing both revenue and EBITDA increase, while Resorts World Genting recorded higher revenue this quarter due to a higher volume of business registered by its gaming and non-gaming segments; owing to the relaxation of border control as compared to Q3 2022.

Genting mentions that its financial performance for the rest of the 2023 financial year may be impacted by a number of factors, including the continuation of domestic demand employment growth; and the regional gaming market is expected to continue its recovery as airline capacity and air connectivity in the region improves.

The report also mentions that Resorts World Sentosa has collaborated with a local charity organisation called Food from the Heart to fund, to enable the distribution of fresh, locally sourced produce to 2400 underprivileged families across the island over the next three years.

Asia

PAGCOR SCORES 99.46% IN GCG 2022 PERFORMANCE EVALUATION SYSTEM

Published

7 days ago

November 28, 2023

Hunor Pal

Reading Time: 2 minutes

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) recently received formal recognition from the Governance Commission for GOCCs or GCG for achieving a score of 99.46% in its annual Performance Evaluation System (PES) for 2022.

The score is one of the highest in the history of PAGCOR and was achieved on the first year under the leadership of Chairman and CEO Alejandro H. Tengco, who was appointed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in August 2022.

PAGCOR’s score in the 2021 PES was 98.08%, while in 2020 it was 91.38%.

The award for 2022 was received by PAGCOR President and COO Atty. Juanito L. Sañosa during the inaugural GOCC Governance Awards Ceremony on November 20, 2023 at the PICC Complex in Pasay City.

Atty. Sañosa said the award elevated PAGCOR to the ranks of the best performing GOCCs in the country.

“This is truly another proud moment for PAGCOR. While this award serves as a validation of our efforts and hard work, it also inspires us to continuously exceed our past accomplishments – all in the service of our country,” he said.

The PES award is a recognition of the unwavering dedication to the highest standards of accountability and efficiency among government-owned and controlled corporations.

In the GCG report, PAGCOR garnered perfect scores in the following categories: Increased Contribution to National Government Coffers and Nation-Building Efforts; Increased Gross Gaming Revenue of the Industry; and Increased Revenue of PAGCOR; among others.

In his keynote speech during the awards ceremony, Executive Secretary Lucas P. Bersamin said GOOCs contributed Php48.68 billion in dividends in 2022, funding some of the most vital government socio-civic projects such as infrastructure, health, education, and others.

“It is beyond question that GOCCs are significant tools in adjuring inclusive economic growth and development for 2022. The Bureau of Treasury recorded Php48.68 billion dividends coming from different GOCCs that are covered under Republic Act 10149,” Bersamin noted.

In a statement, GCG Commissioner Atty. Brian Keith F. Hosaka encouraged all GOCCs to work closely together in making the GOCC sector a prime driver in delivering effective and efficient progress for Filipinos.

Aside from PAGCOR, twelve other GOCCs received awards for achieving the highest Corporate Governance Scorecard (CGS) ratings in 2022 while three bagged the CGS Hall of Fame.