European Gaming talks to Liam Mulvaney, Founder of Bigly.

Bigly is the latest studio to have launched into what is a hugely competitive space. What makes you stand out from the crowd?

You’re absolutely right when you say this is a crowded market. Today, there are more than 750 studios providing in excess of 38,000 games to operators and players. But Bigly is not just another game studio. We will be producing thrilling and entertaining content for our partners and their players, but we are positioned to be much more than just a content provider. We consider ourselves a marketing studio that happens to provide assets in the form of slots.  Our unique commercial model means operators can access our games for a reliable and predictable cost, which in turn means they can ramp up marketing activity behind the titles that best meet the preferences of their players AND keep the lion’s share of the revenue each game generates. As costs rise and margins fall, Bigly is exactly what operators need to ensure sustainable success.

Tell us more about your unique commercial model.

So Bigly allows operators to access content for a capped monthly fee instead of the standard commercial model used by other studios where they work to a revenue share format. For the operator, this means if a game performs well, they hand a significant chunk of the revenues generated back to the studio. This ultimately has a knock-on effect as to the games that operators push to players and how they allocate marketing resources – this is why you often see the same slots from the same providers at the top of casino lobbies or used for promotional activity. But with our commercial model, which is sort of hybrid between a revenue share and a fixed cost system, operators have much greater flexibility over the games they give top lobby positions to, and how they market those games to players. Of course, they also know that if the game performs well, they get to keep the majority of the revenues made.

How does Bigly’s commercial model help operators beyond cost savings on content?

Our vision is to provide more opportunities for operators to push their own brand rather than Bigly. A quick example is that Bigly will not brand our games’ loader screens, but operators are free to feature their own logo if they wish. This means more brand presence from the operators. With Bigly, operators and their marketing teams can get super creative with their campaigns knowing the cost of accessing the game (or games) is fixed so the better the game performs, the more money the casino makes. In fact, the bolder the casino is in its marketing activity, the bigger the returns they will likely enjoy.

How do operators access your content?

There are a couple of ways. The first is directly through our remote game server, which is provided by our technical partner, Reelsoft. This is our preferred method of integration as it allows us to foster incredibly strong relationships with our operators while ensuring the smooth and seamless delivery of our content into markets across the world. Operators will also be able to get our games through aggregation platforms although the commercial relationship will be with Bigly – the aggregator will simply be a technical partner in the same way that Reelsoft is. This approach allows us to offer our content – and unique commercial model – to operators in the vast majority of jurisdictions from the get-go.

How does this approach to commercials and your wider business model benefit Bigly?

It gives us a major point of difference from the 100’s of other studios in the market, that’s for sure. And there’s something nice about bringing a product to the market that disrupts the status quo and genuinely revolutionises a major part of the industry. Ultimately, our approach and commercial model mean that we can provide the games and financials that operators are seeking, and, over time, this will see us become a major player in the content provision space. Of course, our approach works both ways – while our games are a predictable cost for our partners, they are a predictable income for Bigly and this really helps when it comes to establishing, growing and future-proofing the business. This can be really tough for new studios given the competitive nature of the market and the need for their games to be played at scale which of course requires top lobby positions and operator marketing activity, both of which are hard to secure for a new developer.  It is important to note that the vision of this studio is for this approach to be the lifetime model for Bigly, a new way of selling and consuming content.

Your USP is your commercial model, but what about your games?

Our games are a crucial piece of the puzzle. Our commercials can be super attractive, but if our games are tosh then players just won’t play them. This is why I’ve been tapping into my extensive network to assemble an incredible team of designers, mathematicians, developers, testers and so on, as we will live or die by the quality of our content. The first games of a studio are always tough but we are confident that our slots will hit the mark in terms of quality and playability. Our first slot is Deep Sea Treasure and takes the cascading reels format, with symbols tumbling as players dive into the underwater abyss in search of big wins. I’ll be giving people a sneak peek at the SBC Summit in Lisbon, so flag me down if you want to see it in action.

European Gaming talks to Andy Rogers, the Founder and CEO of Rokker.

Can you tell us more about RokkerX and the services you offer?

RokkerX is the managed services arm of Rokker, a professional services company that has been supporting tier-one operators and suppliers since 2015. We currently have a team of 60 incredible people and are on track to grow to 150 employees by the end of 2025. Our teams are based out of hubs across the globe including the UK, Spain and Bulgaria (Sofia) with plans to open a South American office by the end of the year. We are also closing on a deal for another 1,000 square meters of office space in Sofia so that we can meet client demand. In terms of services, when RokkerX debuted in 2023 we started with trading and operations but have just added a trio of services including customer service; KYC, ALM, fraud and payments; and player retention.

Who are your services mostly aimed at?

The end client is always a B2C operator but where we currently see the most interest is specifically from those wanting more control over their operations but who are less likely to want to take these services from a whitelable supplier. We also have several channel partners that deliver our services to operators including platform providers; we are always working to grow our roster of B2B partners with new companies coming on board all the time.

Talk us through your new services and how they help operators.

For KYC, AML, fraud prevention and payments, we provide a fully integrated solution that streamlines player onboarding and payments while ensuring compliance at all times. Operators – and indeed software suppliers – can tap into our expertise in these areas to be fully confident they are being managed to the highest standards of accuracy and security.

For example, we handle KYC and AML checks seamlessly to reduce the time and effort needed to verify players while ensuring full compliance with local and international regulations. Our fraud prevention services add an extra layer of protection, safeguarding operators from risks while optimising payment processes to ensure smooth, fast and secure transactions for both deposits and withdrawals. By allowing RokkerX to take on the complexities of these services, operators can focus on their core business while mitigating operational risk and meeting regulatory standards.

For us, the push into these new areas means we have a more comprehensive suite of services for operators which provides them with the flexibility to scale and focus on strategic growth while we take care of operational and regulatory demands.

Were there any other drivers for increasing your service offering?

We have seen strong demand for these services and, to us at least, there didn’t seem to be a simple independent solution out there. Sure, operators can take these services from whitelable suppliers, but many operators now want more control over their technology by buying or leasing their core stack – some have even built their own. These operators really need an experienced partner to help launch and run this part of their operation and that’s where we come in.

Independence is important to us, too. We are not tied to one platform, and this means we can be contextual and responsive to clients. We’ve all heard stories about player data being blurred or ownership of that data being held with providers – this is not our philosophy at all. With RokkerX, clients are segregated across our systems with all player data, brand scripting, and specific performance data and retention strategies, owned by the client at all times.

What challenges are operators facing in these areas and how do you help to overcome

them?

One of the biggest challenges operators face – especially those with multiple brands in multiple markets – is managing large teams while keeping a sharp focus on strategic business objectives. With RokkerX, operators can relieve some of the operational burden such as managing large teams and instead focus on driving their companies forward. Our ability to scale our service provision to 24/7 coverage means we can provide this support regardless of the magnitude of ambition or scale of capacity required.

The quality of the experience offered is also a challenge and we help our partners maintain the highest levels of service to their customers. We do this by leveraging economies of scale and as we continue to work with more operators, our clients benefit from a more experienced and cost-effective workforce when compared to managing everything in-house. This is another area of concern for operators, with accessing and onboarding skilled talent harder than ever before, especially in areas typically prone to high churn such as customer support.

Through our innovative talent solution, we offer a pathway for talented individuals to return to clients’ businesses as educated team members, minimising churn risks internally while maximising the value of their experience as they are specifically trained in the client’s systems and processes. In addition, our Learning and Development platform supports this by transforming typical pain points into opportunities and long-term benefits which in turn makes talent retention and development an asset rather than a challenge.

What makes RokkerX different to other companies providing the same services?

We are the only company that provides such a broad scope of services while being fully independent – most of our competitors focus on one or two of the areas we cover. So that’s our real USP – offering services to the market that are very underserved by companies who don’t make you take their platform alongside it, as is the case with most whitelable providers. This one-stop-shop approach allows us to provide holistic data across our services which in turn offers an additional layer of insight that can inform and guide other areas of our clients’ operations such as product and even marketing.

How will you further scale the business over the next 12 months and beyond?

We plan to rapidly scale in line with our growth trajectory and market demand – this includes scaling our team and adding more hubs. This scaling will not only increase our capacity but allow us to stay agile and responsive to the needs of our clients and partners. We are especially excited about our plans for South America where we are establishing a dedicated team and hub. This serves two purposes – one, to ensure we continue to expand and two, to align our teams and services even more closely with the aspirations and operations of our customers. This will reinforce our ability to provide contextual, client-focused solutions, helping both our business and our partners achieve their long-term goals. In short, if they win, we win.

You’ve scaled your operations in Sofia. Can you tell us more about this and what makes it such as good base for RokkerX?

Sofia has proved to be a great location for us – this should be no surprise as it’s become a really popular destination for iGaming businesses. Why? Because the city offers a dense talent pool and is a hub for related services and businesses. For us, the location provides the perfect foundation for further expansion, especially because of its time zone alignment and proximity to many of our clients. This allows for incredible operational efficiency while staying closely connected to our customers and their needs. The high-quality multi-lingual talent in Bulgaria has also been instrumental in delivering exceptional service to our clients – service we have built our reputation on.

What are your plans for South America?

Latin America is one of the most exciting markets right now, especially with Brazil coming online next year. For us, we see Brazil and the entire region as a significant opportunity and are actively targeting the region with our services – there is strong demand for our managed services and experience, especially as more markets embrace regulation. We are already in advanced talks with operators and partners, and the next run of industry events will be pivotal in further strengthening our presence in this exciting, rapidly evolving market.

Congratulations on your appointment as Senior Sales Manager at PandaScore. How have you settled in?

Thank you. I’ve settled in really well, helped of course by the entire PandaScore team being incredibly welcoming and supportive. This has allowed me to hit the ground running and to enjoy getting to know the team and the business. I’ve spent my initial days understanding the intricacies of our products and the specific needs of our customers. This has been crucial in helping me align my goals with the company’s vision. I’ve also taken time to get a feel for the dynamics of the business and my immediate team to ensure that I integrate myself smoothly into day-to-day operations. It’s been a busy few weeks, but great fun at the same time.

Where will you be focusing your attention and efforts initially?

Now that I’ve got my feet under the table, my focus will be on strengthening the relationship we have with our current sportsbook operator partners and also identifying new business opportunities. I plan to expand our market share by showcasing the unique value that we bring to the esports betting space through our Odds feed as well as cutting-edge products such as our BetBuilder and PlayerProps. I’ll also be working closely with teams across the business to ensure our solutions and services align with the needs of our customers and they not only meet expectations but exceed them.

Can you talk through your previous experience and how you will use it to help drive growth at PandaScore?

My background is in sales and business development, especially driving growth through strategic partnerships. This will be instrumental in my role at PandaScore where I’ll leverage my experience in identifying new market trends and customer needs to develop and deploy targeted sales strategies that will help us expand our presence across international markets and ultimately drive growth. That I have experience in both the video games and gambling industries is an added bonus, too.

You mention you have experience in both video gaming and gambling – what are the main similarities between these industries?

Both industries are about engagement and entertainment. In video games, the focus is on creating immersive experiences that captivate players while with betting, it’s all about providing thrilling and potentially rewarding experiences. Of course, esports betting sees these two worlds collide. They are a good fit, too. Both rely heavily on innovation and a compelling UX. They also have a shared community aspect and the need to build a loyal user base to ensure long-term success. The overlap between the two provides plenty of opportunities, especially when it comes to esports which bridges the gap between competitive gaming and betting.

Some operators have been slow to embrace the esports betting opportunity. Why is this and what are you doing to ensure more sportsbooks tap into the rising demand for esports betting?

There are a few reasons for this. Some operators are hesitant due to a lack of understanding of the esports audience and how to engage them – esports fans are quite different to traditional sports bettors in their preferences and expectations. There’s also the challenge of navigating the fast-paced and ever-evolving world of esports. This is why we have focused on educating our partners about what makes esports different and then providing them with the tools they need to engage players and deliver the esports betting experiences they are seeking. To do this, we take a data-driven approach alongside offering a suite of innovative solutions that simplify the process for operators to get in on the esports betting action.

What makes for a compelling esports betting experience? Does it differ from standard sports betting and if so, how?

It comes down to offering fast-paced, engaging and tailored betting opportunities across many esports disciplines. The user experience and bet types offered need to reflect the dynamic nature of esports, including things like player props, bet builders and micro-betting. Esports fans also expect enhanced on-site content to add more value to their overall experience with the esportsbook, which is why our pre-match and live stats widgets is proving really popular with operators and their players.

What opportunities are operators missing if they don’t get in on the esports action?

Those who fail to tap into the esports market are missing out on the chance to engage a rapidly growing and highly motivated audience. Esports allows operators to reach a younger demographic not currently interested in traditional sports betting. In addition, the global reach of esports allows operators to expand into new markets through a growing vertical that shows no signs of slowing down. By not embracing esports, operators are failing to diversify their offering and missing the chance to engage the players of tomorrow, today.

Any final thoughts?

Esports is not just a trend. It represents a significant shift in the entertainment and betting landscape and those who recognise this and embrace it will be the ones who see substantial growth in the years ahead. At PandaScore, we are committed to being at the forefront of this revolution and we are excited to partner with forward-thinking operators who are ready to seize the opportunity at hand.