Keith Goddard: Blazing a trail for iGaming disruption

In a chat with European Gaming, Blaze Gaming CEO Keith Goddard discusses how the games developer plans to stand out as a beacon in the gaming industry with its entertainment-inspired portfolio of games.

Blaze Gaming is a new studio looking to make its mark on the industry. Tell us more about the team behind the business and how you plan to stand out in a crowded market.

Blaze Gaming is owned by Digient Technologies and has a rich cultural diversity with team members hailing from all corners of the world including India, Southeast Asia, Africa and Europe. This wonderful tapestry of cultures, values and experiences infuses our creative process with a unique global perspective, bringing a vibrancy to our games that sets us apart from other studios. It also means our games resonate with all players in all markets. We’ve gone to great lengths to ensure our management structure reflects this diversity and consists of incredibly talented individuals representing various backgrounds and genders. This openness and inclusivity fosters innovation and creativity and ensures our decision-making is enriched by different insights and viewpoints. Ultimately, this allows us to develop better games while allowing Blaze Gaming to stand out as a beacon in the gaming industry. This, combined with the entrepreneurial capacity of our owners, serves as a driving force behind Blaze Gaming, empowering us to take bold risks, explore new opportunities and always push the boundaries of what’s possible.

Can you talk us through your portfolio and what it includes?

Our expansive portfolio has been designed to meet player preferences and expectations in markets across the world. Right now, we have 23 slots, 11 draw games, four table games and five roulette variants based on a variety of themes and with a brilliant mix of mechanics and bonuses to ensure each provides an immersive and engaging entertainment experience. We also offer eight Casino Trading Games – this is a super interesting format that seamlessly blends the excitement of cryptocurrency trading with the edge-of-the-seat thrill of traditional casino gaming. In addition, we have dedicated platforms for poker, rummy and sports betting so that our operator partners can offer the players a comprehensive suite of gaming experiences. Looking ahead, we’ve got a busy product roadmap covering the next 12 months with at least 30 new games set to land in our portfolio.

Your Casino Trading Games sound like they have the potential to be the next big thing. What are they, how do they work and who will they appeal to?

You’re right, they are a game changer. They capture the adrenaline of the volatile, high-risk/reward world of crypto trading and fuse it with the presentation and polish of a casino game. They deliver fast-paced action, boundless entertainment, endless excitement and tons of big-win potential. We know that players are seeking deeper and richer experiences at online casinos and these games deliver exactly that round after round.

Which markets do you see as offering the greatest potential for Blaze Gaming? How will you look to localise your portfolio for each of these markets?

We see huge potential in emerging markets such as Latin America and Asia as well as established regions like Europe. We recognise the importance of locally influenced partnerships in these markets, especially when it comes to distribution and growth. This is why we prioritise forging strategic alliances with local stakeholders including established operators, content aggregators and marketing partners so that we can maximise our presence and reach. These partnerships allow us to leverage the expertise and networks of trusted local entities which in turn facilitates a much smoother market entry and expansion. Working closely with our partners gives us invaluable insights into the market, regional trends, player preferences and the regulatory landscape we need to navigate and this in turn guides product development, the localisation of our portfolio and the marketing strategies we deploy. Through this emphasis on locally influenced partnerships, we can maximise the distribution opportunities while fostering sustainable growth and deeper relationships in each jurisdiction we target.

The slot provision space is highly competitive. What challenges have you faced so far and how were they overcome?

We’ve encountered many challenges so far including market saturation, regulatory compliance, customer acquisition, technology infrastructure and the constant need to innovate and differentiate. But this is what makes it such a fun space in which to operate. To clear these hurdles, we have focused on premium distribution channels, daring to be different in the quest for true innovation (our Casino Trading Games are a great example of this), have never compromised on quality, have established a dedicated compliance team and have adopted a multi-faceted approach to customer acquisition. We’ve also invested heavily in technology infrastructure and fostered a culture of creativity and experimentation within our diverse development teams. By doing this, we have overcome all obstacles in our way while ensuring we deliver exceptional gaming and entertainment experiences to players worldwide.

What can we expect from Blaze Gaming in the coming months? Can you share any big announcements coming up?

Hold tight as we’ve got a run of never-seen-before product releases set for the coming months. This includes slots with exhilarating math models, diverse draw, table and trading games and much, much more. Digient Technologies has also entrusted us to rebrand its poker, rummy, sportsbook and igaming platforms and we’ll be making more announcements about this shortly. But until then, you’ll just have to watch this space.