Industry News
The clock is ticking for land-based lottery operators
As consumer behaviour changes due to the Covid-19 pandemic, time is running out for land-based lottery operators who are yet to adapt.
The landscape of the lottery industry is set to undergo a permanent shift as more and more operators look to move online before consumer behaviours are forced to adapt to new circumstances.
Lockdown has spelled disaster for all non-essential retail businesses, leaving land-based operators without a vendor to sell their tickets. This has hit developing nations particularly hard. In Costa Rica, Lottery draws were suspended on 24 March, with estimated losses around the $8.5million to date. For now, the government has announced it will financially support around 2,000 vendors, with up to $342,000 per month available for each entity. However, this scheme will only run until June.
By then, vendors will have been closed for 68 days, and may still have to close for much longer. Many expect the lockdown to last at least six months, which could see land-based lottery operators closed for well over 150 days. But consumer behaviours, if forced to change, will adapt to new habits in 60 to 90 days. While retail vendors are closed, online third party operators remain open for business, and are already beginning to win the loyalty of land-based players that have been forced to move online.
Ade Repcenko, CEO of lottery solutions provider Spinola Gaming, confirmed there is no way for pen and paper lottery to compete under the current circumstances. He believes solely land-based operators should move their brand online as soon as possible, or risk losing customers forever.
“Our industry is undergoing a change that has been long overdue. The transition to online was bound to happen eventually in order to sustain business long-term, but it is now happening by force,” stated Repcenko. “It takes 60 to 90 days to change a habit, and after that there is no going back. This process is going to take longer than 60 to 90 days, so customers’ habits are most certainly going to change, especially when they realise that it’s a better way of doing things regardless of the current pandemic. Online will become the new normal for the majority of lottery players.”
Online businesses have indeed benefitted from the global pandemic so far, both in lottery and across most other industries. Any operator that was online before the widespread lockdowns began will have seen an upturn, with many who lost out now scrambling to put their brand online. As a market leader in lottery solutions, Spinola Gaming has seen this happen first-hand. Repcenko expects the shift to continue as there remains to be no end in sight to the current situation, urging operators who have not yet made the decision to do so before it’s too late.
“Retail and land-based lottery operators need to embrace the shift to online and be a part of this global digital movement in order to continue to thrive in the lottery sector for years to come,” he said. “We can help land-based companies intercept the player’s online journey. Our solutions allow operators to move online in a matter of days to reach existing and new players in the comfort of their homes.”
Repcenko added that Spinola Gaming’s integrated solution addresses both the short-term problem caused by Covid-19, and the long-term problem of combining online with retail once vendors reopen.
“Our holistic solution caters for both retail and online operations from one interface,” he concluded. “It gets operators online quickly in the short-term, and in the long-term, after the global pandemic finally comes to an end, it allows them to easily manage a retail and online lottery solution from one solution.”
Spinola Gaming is a leading global Lottery software provider offering complete end-to-end Lottery solutions for government and state-run lotteries, land based and online gaming operators, and online B2B platform providers. The company builds powerful custom-made solutions across all markets, at any scale.
Spinola Gaming products include global lotteries, custom and bespoke lotteries, bundle and syndicate lotteries, scratch cards, instant games and instant lotteries. The company also offers jackpot coverage and insurance for a fully managed, risk-free solution.
With the most competitive pricing model on the market, Spinola Gaming guarantee the highest jackpots at the lowest cost per entry, giving operators the highest margins and revenue streams.
Industry News
Andrew Cardno to Speak at Mid-year IGA about Safeguarding Data in AI-Enabled Tribal Casinos
Andrew Cardno, the Chief Technology Officer of Quick Custom Intelligence, a recognized expert in data analytics and gaming technology, will be a featured speaker at the upcoming Mid-Year Indian Gaming Association (IGA) conference at the Tulalip Resort Casino in Tulalip, Washington. He will deliver a presentation on the critical topic of “Safeguarding Data in AI-Enabled Tribal Casinos.”
As Artificial Intelligence (AI) continues to revolutionize the gaming industry, its integration into casino operations has opened new avenues for enhancing player experiences, optimizing business strategies, and improving overall security. In his session, Cardno will explore how AI is not just a tool for innovation but also a pivotal element in maintaining the integrity and safety of tribal casinos.
Cardno’s presentation will delve into several key areas:
- Personalized Player Experiences: Demonstrating how AI can tailor game recommendations to individual players, creating more engaging and customized gaming experiences.
- Advanced Security Measures: Highlighting AI’s capabilities in detecting and preventing fraudulent activities, ensuring a secure gaming environment.
- Optimized Pricing Strategies: Discussing how AI can help casinos adjust pricing dynamically to maximize revenue and enhance profitability.
- Enhanced Customer Service: Showcasing the use of AI-driven chatbots to provide efficient and personalized customer support, improving player satisfaction.
- Refined Marketing Approaches: Examining how AI can refine marketing strategies for more targeted outreach, ensuring the right messages reach the right audiences.
Cardno will also provide insights into how AI-driven efficiencies can significantly reduce operational costs, allowing tribal casinos to allocate resources more effectively and make data-informed decisions that boost overall profitability.
“AI is transforming the landscape of casino operations, offering unprecedented opportunities for growth and innovation,” said Cardno. “However, with these advancements comes the critical responsibility of safeguarding data. My session will focus on how tribal casinos can leverage AI to enhance their operations while ensuring that data security remains a top priority.”
Victor Rocha, Conference Chair of the Indian Gaming Association, expressed his enthusiasm for Cardno’s participation. “We are thrilled to have Andrew Cardno speak at this year’s Mid-Year IGA conference,” said Rocha. “His expertise in AI and data analytics is unparalleled, and his insights on safeguarding data in AI-enabled tribal casinos come at a crucial time for our industry. This is an important topic that impacts the future of gaming, and we are excited to offer our attendees the opportunity to learn from one of the best in the field.”
The Mid-Year IGA conference is a premier event that brings together industry leaders, tribal gaming executives, and technology experts to discuss the latest trends and challenges in the gaming sector. Andrew Cardno’s presentation, on Wednesday September 18th at 9am, is expected to be one of the highlights of the conference, providing attendees with actionable insights into the future of AI in tribal casinos.
Industry News
Clemence Dujardin, MyAffiliates Group CEO, to speak at SBC Lisbon to unveil āWhat is Next for the Gambling Industryā
MyAffiliates, a leading affiliate tracking software platform in the iGaming market, announces that their Group CEO, Clemence Dujardin, will be a key speaker at the forthcoming SBC Summit in Lisbon this month – providing insightful words on the future of the gaming industry as part of a highly coveted inspirational panel.
In 2023 Clemence Dujardin was recognised by iGB as one of the top 10 most influential women in the iGaming industry. Joining MyAffiliates in 2012, she is today their Group CEO, and highly well regarded across the industry. Her background spanned a number ofĀ industry sectors, including affiliate management and affiliate software technology companies before joining MyAffiliates, based in Malta.
Her exceptional leadership and contributions have been recognised with prestigious awards, including Maltaās Best Gaming Woman Leader of the Year in 2018 and 2019 and CEO Woman Of The Year at SiGMA in 2021. .
Her panel speaker slot at the SBC Summit, Lisbon will take place on the Super Stage – MEO Arena at 11.30-12.15pm on Thursday 26th September. It will answer āThe Big Question: What is Next for the Gambling industry?ā
Clemence will explore the future of sports betting, casinos, and affiliations as the panel will delve into the latest trends shaping the gambling industry. Experts predict significant digital integration and regulatory shifts that will redefine the landscape – and something Clemence will articulate in order to provide invaluable insights into these transformative trends.
Clemence Dujardin, Group CEO at MyAffiliates comments, āWith ever tighter regulation, combined with increasingly enhanced digital capabilities, the gambling sector continues to provide exciting opportunities across the industry for business and growth. Weāre witnessing this in affiliate marketing for the sector, and have done for some time. I’m thrilled to be joining this inspiring panel at the SBC Summit. Lisbon and look forward to a valuable discussion.ā
MyAffiliates is an established affiliate marketing software platform, empowering iGaming operators to combine all of their gaming brands and products under one umbrella affiliate system. It has been in operation since 2007. In April 2024 it was publicly named as the āmost used affiliate marketing softwareā within the gaming industry following StatsDrone research.
As well as Clemence Dujardin, she will be accompanied at SBC Summit, Lisbon throughout by Milan Vucicevic, Head of Sales and Kurt Caruana, Brand Manager, both at MyAffiliates.
Industry News
Superbet Group Announces Appointment of Sacha Dragic as Co-CEO
Superbet Group has announced key leadership appointments, approved by the Board of Directors. Sacha Dragic, the founder of Superbet, will return to the Group in an executive role. Sacha and Jimmy Maymann, current CEO, will partner to take on new roles as Co-CEOs of the Group.
Sameen Jalal, who prior to joining Superbet was previously the Director of Engineering leading applied machine learning at Wayve, and had numerous leadership roles in Facebook, has been appointed Chief Technology Officer. Andrei Dusu, who prior to joining Superbet was the co-founder and Chief Product Officer at Eversync, and had numerous leadership roles in Google, has been appointed Chief Product Officer. Albert Simsensohn who joined Superbet following leadership roles in McKinsey and Meta has been appointed Chief Operating Officer.
Hans-Holger Albrecht, Chairman of the Board of Superbet Group, said: āIn Superbet we always stretch for more, and after considering all of the opportunities we have ahead of us, it was obvious for me that we should strengthen our leadership team even further. Working closely with Sacha and Jimmy, Iāve seen that they are a powerful combination, which, alongside the rest of our leadership team, will help us to deliver our global ambitions even faster and more efficiently. Iām delighted with the appointments of Sameen, Andrei and Albert who each bring exceptional global platform experience and capability to our leadership team.ā
Jimmy Maymann, Co-CEO of Superbet Group, said: āThis has been a year of significant growth in our journey to becoming a product-led company. Our regional strategy is accelerating at pace, as market leader in Romania, number one brand in Belgium, very strong growth rates in Poland and pursuing podium position in Serbia. However, alongside the growth we see in our Brazil operation there is a more global set of opportunities that we will capture. Itās clear that Sacha will bring a game-changing impact in returning to the business to help us to move faster to the next phase of our growth. The appointments of Sameen, Andrei and Albert further strengthen our leadership team, enabling us to scale further and quicker. Iām looking forward to partnering with Sacha and the rest of the leadership team to accelerate from a strong base.ā
Sacha Dragic, Founder and Co-CEO at Superbet Group, said: āAt Superbet we have always planned many horizons ahead with ambition and Iām pleased to see the progress and speed with which the team have been growing and scaling the business to meet this ambition. The opportunities ahead of us, however, are significant and so it was the right time to return to the business and also to further strengthen our leadership team with global platform and scaling experience. Iām delighted with the appointments of Sameen, Andrei and Albert who join an exceptional leadership team, and I look forward to partnering closely with Jimmy and the leadership team in delivering our strategy and growth plans.ā
-
Asia2 days ago
Junglee Rummy Unveils the Grand Winnings Tournament Premiere Series with a 35 Crore INR Guaranteed Prize Pool
-
Compliance Updates12 hours ago
St8.io granted Isle of Man licence
-
Latest News11 hours ago
Kindred Group extend six-year Middlesbrough FC partnership and cements long-term community commitment to supporters
-
Latest News14 hours ago
Virgin Bet is Chesterās New Partner & Title Sponsor
-
EurAsia14 hours ago
Push Gaming expands in Georgia with Ambassadoribet
-
Latest News14 hours ago
ZingBrain AI adds game promotion tool and new analytics in latest update
-
Compliance Updates14 hours ago
EGBA: Finlandās New Gambling Legislation: A Step Forward, With Room For Improvement
-
Latest News12 hours ago
Everygame Casino Introduces New Paydirt! Go for the Gold and Galaxy Blast, Its First Crash Game