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MARE BALTICUM Gaming & TECH Summit 2024

Interviews

European Gaming Streamers Roundtable

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Reading Time: 11 minutes

 

Participants

Michael Pedersen, CCO at Livespins

Will Barnes, Owner at Hideous Slots

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Bryan Upton, Founder at Lucksome

David Mann, Chief Commercial Officer at Swintt

 

There is no question that online slot streaming is enjoying a meteoric rise in popularity? What are you doing to leverage the potential it provides? 

Michael Pedersen, CCO at Livespins

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We have launched an entire company with the sole purpose of leveraging the meteoric rise of online slot streaming, Livespins. For a long time, people have been asking if online casino can be social, but you only have to look to Twitch to see that it absolutely can be. To date, there have been more than 280 million hours of streaming footage consumed in the slots category and the chat is on fire. With the hypothesis well and truly proved, we launched Livespins to take this a step further by allowing players to get in on the action by betting behind the streamer and to also offer operators and developers a reputable, compliant platform via which they too can capitalise on the popularity of streaming. We really are going all-in on this as, ultimately, we believe that it is the future of online casino.

Will Barnes, Owner at Hideous Slots

Hideous Slots was always meant to be about community, and the live streams themselves are really at the core of audience engagement. I consider that streaming and video promotion has already overtaken traditional methods of content discovery amongst key demographics. For me, this means using online streaming to achieve the things that would previously have been achieved elsewhere – for example, remembering to lead viewers to your website through streams, comments and Live Chat has now become just as important as traditional SEO. Working with game providers is becoming more common for streamers – as you’ve said, online slot streaming is massively on the rise, and streamers are now proving to be one of the most direct tools in marketing. But we still need to maintain our integrity and the trust of the audience – so commentary on specific products must always fair and balanced.

Bryan Upton, Founder at Lucksome

Not enough would be the honest answer.  We are a small and new studio going through a normal start-up process of improvement, scaling and hitting our rhythm.  I would say that we are building Slots that the streaming community would have an affinity for.  Voodoo Temple, our latest slot has a lot of punch and enough big wins behind it in the first week of launch to have proven that. This is a starting point at least.  Now, for us it’s about getting our games and brand in front of the streamers around the world and letting them do what they do best – play and entertain.  We are just starting to push in this direction and learning how this part of the industry is working.  With this meteoric rise, has come a premium for streamers’ time, and that is something smaller studios like Lucksome would need to understand in terms of return before taking that cost on.  Is there some solid data on this to prove the business case?  It would be great to be able to have those discussions, and how to help the younger, innovative studios into the limelight.

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David Mann, Chief Commercial Officer at Swintt

I agree that the popularity of slot streaming is increasing every month. And for us, as a slot supplier, it is very important that the streaming community knows about our game releases so they can share our latest titles with their followers. A good relationship with the streamers that share the same culture and beliefs as the studio is key as this ensures they are aware of new games coming to the market. However, it is also important to release games that are liked by the community that follows the streamers, because ultimately big wins are what are people interested in. So high volatility games with high max wins should definitely be a part of the portfolio of anyone who wants to succeed in gaining visibility for their games among streamers and their audiences.

We are seeing some studios build out their own teams of streamers. What are the pros and cons of doing this? 

Michael Pedersen, CCO at Livespins

I am a great believer in knowing what you are good at and making that your focus. Game studios are great at developing engaging and entertaining slots and that is where they should deploy their resources. They can then partner with streamers or platforms such as Livespins and get in on the action that way. Of course, this means that streamers and streaming platforms need to be driving progress.

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The way I see it, live streaming consists of two parts – the technical and the human. Over time, everyone will nail the technology but because there is such a reliance on the human element this is where the real difference will be made. That is why at Livespins we provide our streamers with access to coaches, props, themes, etc and this is something that studios will struggle to do while also ensuring their games continue to top the charts.

Will Barnes, Owner at Hideous Slots

I think the biggest advantage of building your own team is that you’re going to have complete control over the content. Ultimately the engagement will always be with the individuals on screen and I think this might be difficult to manage if things become successful. The danger will always be that people are tuning in for the influencer and not the brand itself. An associated issue is that social media success often involves interaction across platforms and this can be a 24/7 job. Motivating a team to make personalised social media posts, and to be passionate about your product would be a challenge – especially when competing against streamers who are offering this with ease. To really enjoy success, you need to find someone who is not just passionate about entertaining, but also passionate about engaging with the audience, and passionate about the gambling!

Bryan Upton, Founder at Lucksome

The pros are pretty obvious, if you set up something well, you gain influence and the exposure of your games, which all studios, big and small need and want.  It would also create a stream of solid and direct feedback on a segment of the market to allow you to hone your product even more.  The cons, personally I think the truly GREAT streamers are not just the ones that are fun to watch but are also authentic and independent.  Meaning they play everyone’s games, they play the games they love, the games their audience love.  Asking them to play a game they don’t like falls flat on the stream and the watchers feel it.  If you have your own streamer set up, you need to make sure what you’re producing in terms of content is spot on for the community you are serving and your streamers really need play other competitor games as well – otherwise you’ll lose the audience.  I guess another con is scale.  You’ll need a lot of people to tackle those important local markets, Italy, German speaking, Spanish etc etc.  In the same way as a provide you try to push your games all over the world, you would want your reach and influence to match.  I would say that is out of reach for smaller studios and a different business to that of running a game studio.  I think it would be great to see some stronger relationships between streamers and suppliers to produce some great original content and experiences – so there is something to be had there.

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David Mann, Chief Commercial Officer at Swintt

I believe studios that build a team of their own streamers lose the legitimacy and trust of the viewers because it is very probable that in-house streamers will not criticise the studios’ games even if they are not up to standard. However, by having your own team of streamers, you a studio can ensure that all of their games are played and see the light of the streaming community. So, there are pros and cons to both, but if studios want to engage and entertain players in an authentic way it is important for streamers to remain independent.

Just how difficult is it to launch streaming channels and build sizable audiences? What are the key challenges faced and how can they be overcome? 

Michael Pedersen, CCO at Livespins

Livespins is a very different beast. We are not an affiliate streamer and we do not depend on building large audiences and a loyal community of fans. This is because we integrate directly with an online casino operator and engage with their existing player base. For affiliate streamers, it is insanely difficult to launch a channel and build a sizeable following, and then also convert that following into paying players at partner online casino brands. That is why Livespins is so innovative – it allows operators to capitalise on the popularity of streaming by offering it to their players and by also letting them bet behind the action taking place across the reels.

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Will Barnes, Owner at Hideous Slots

Launching a channel comes with a number of challenges, and the most significant challenge is building an audience. Often, finding those first 20-30 viewers comes quite easily – friends, friends of friends, or those who enjoy the high level of engagement that a smaller stream can provide. Again, once you surpass 150-200 viewers, growth is more consistent, as your content is pushed out by YouTube and Twitch organically. But between 30-150 viewers is a real struggle, and I think the quickest way to overcome this hurdle is to try and offer something a bit different, and to keep trying. Keep showing up, keep offering somewhere for people to join together, and hope that eventually these numbers continue to grow. There’s no shortcut to building huge numbers – it’s about being authentic, and if you have something interesting or unique enough, eventually it will pay off. 

Bryan Upton, Founder at Lucksome

We are seeing this continued trend in European markets of high volatility game play – but we have hit the ceiling in terms of how much we can push this, factors from high exposure to the Operators and squeezing of margins with very harsh, high risk math profiles are, in my opinion, creating the beginnings of player fatigue and burnout and reticence from the industry.  I feel player tastes are settling into a happy medium between the extremes that our industry tends to have an affinity with, with is a good thing.  From our side, we continuously have to avoided falling into the noise of all the other game releases, and having something to talk about directly to players and through influencers I think is key.  We pride ourselves on being more transparent on the games we’re producing and how they work, as we think it is key to attracting the right players to your games.  We keep an eye on new trends in and outside our industry and how we can utilise or jump on them to make better gaming experiences, which is our life blood, as is as adjusting our design processes looking at the new generation of players out there.

David Mann, Chief Commercial Officer at Swintt

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This is definitely not the easiest task. You need to be trustworthy, entertaining and stream on a regular basis to gain a sizable audience. But trust is really key here. Viewers follow streamers to see their reactions so during a stream they need to interact with the audience and react to the important moments when they play. Streamers are also trying to help to change the perception of gaming, so it is important to set the key goals when launching a streaming channel. I see it being of huge importance to be a legit streamer and to stay away from adopting the practices of so-called fake streamers.

What tactics are you using to drive growth? Are audience demands changing? If so, how? And what impact is this having on streams? 

Michael Pedersen, CCO at Livespins

Because we are coming at live streaming from a B2B perspective, we are driving growth by integrating with more operators and partnering with more slot providers. Audience demands are changing – no longer are players happy sitting at home just spinning the reels. They want to engage and interact with streamers and other players, and they also want to be involved in a more direct way and that is why we offer the option to bet behind.

The quality of streams is going to have to improve, and that is why we offer our streamers coaching and the tools they need to create entertaining environments. I think we will also see players demand more transparency from streamers and ultimately concerns about responsible marketing and safe gambling will probably lead to regulatory oversight. Of course, this is something that has already been built into the Livespins platform.

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Will Barnes, Owner at Hideous Slots

As I’ve said previously, I always try to put a unique spin on any content I produce, which in itself can be difficult when working within a niche category. I recognise that a commonality amongst successful influencers is to share as much as possibly – and so I endeavour to put myself out there, engaging with social media at every opportunity. Over time, the audience changes. You bring in new viewers, and you begin to notice some of the older ones drop off – this is natural, but as a result of a changing audience, sometimes we have to move along with content too. Some months our viewers primarily want to see bonus buys, and at another time there may be a demand in the chat for an exciting new release. What endures is the desire to have a say in the content – taking requests from the chat, so we keep this at all times. There’s no denying this has a huge impact on streams – our bonus hunt streams receive the most engagement, especially in terms of live viewers when we open the bonuses we have saved. Often it’s about weighing up what gets the most viewers against the cost of producing the content, and keeping the majority of viewers happy with the decisions made.

David Mann, Chief Commercial Officer at Swintt

To have your game streamed by popular streamers introduces the game to a much wider audience and can bring potential players, therefore we like to team up with the streamers and run promotions together to reward the players for trying out our games. We believe that by doing this it’s fun for the players, streamers, and ourselves as well. The audience loves to see huge wins but at the same time, it is important to keep bets within a realistic range so the streamer can show their followers that they can hit nice multipliers with affordable bets.

Where is slot streaming ultimately headed? And what role will you/your organisation play in pushing the sector towards its ultimate destination?

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Michael Pedersen, CCO at Livespins

I touched on it in the last question, but I believe that affiliate slot streamers are heading into troubled waters. It is only a matter of time before regulators, operators and providers in regulated markets and even Twitch distance themselves from some of the more unsustainable practices that we are unfortunately seeing many affiliates adopt today.

For example, many have their gameplay sponsored in some way, but do not always disclose this to their viewers, essentially misleading their community into thinking their often-lavish lifestyle can be afforded due to gambling winnings, which is not the case.

As affiliate streamers have their income strongly correlated with the size of their community, unfortunately, we often see practices like view botting, very large bet amounts and extreme studio behaviour, often engineered to create virality and subsequently, increase their following.

Again, this is where Livespins comes in. We really do not like what we are seeing right now with affiliate streamers on Twitch, and we do not think that it is a sustainable platform or practice in the long term. Of course, the appetite for streaming content is only going to intensify. Livespins is an alternative to this; it is regulated, and all of the streaming and betting is taking place inside a licensed entity. We are also leaving unsustainably large bet amounts behind.

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Ultimately, the experience that we offer means that we don’t need to wager irresponsibly to create viral videos that engage audiences and allow us to monetise.

Will Barnes, Owner at Hideous Slots

As time goes on and streaming continues to build in popularity, I think we will only see growth and diversification within video promotion. Even outside of slot streaming, influencers are leading the charge in marketing. Long gone are the days of radio or television advertising driving the majority of sales – nowadays, the endorsement by a trustworthy influencer, can make a real difference. What’s most interesting about this is that for a person to earn that position of trust, they just have to be well known, even if no one is quite sure why they’re well known. I believe slot streaming will go in the same direction. 

I think we all play a part in this by continuing to build the streaming community, but on a personal level I’d like to play a role in showing viewers that yes, I advertise a product, and yes I am an ‘influencer’, but I take that position of trust seriously. I want my viewers to know that whether they’ve watched me for a week or for three years, I stand by the things that I say, the content I produce, and the products that I advertise, and I think it’s important that anyone involved in the streaming community shares this goal. Streaming will continue to drive marketing, and it’s up to those of us currently involved to decide how we are viewed in this time.

Bryan Upton, Founder at Lucksome

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It’s headed to a more interactive experience with the audience becoming more involved with the stream.  New platforms will emerge that will add tools to allow this form of gambling interaction and socialisation.  We are a fast-growing industry that is mainstreaming, and now, therefore, I believe can support this level of community that perhaps before would not have been impossible.  We hope to be a content partner in this, supplying a core part of the experience, but also meaning that we are aware will may need to look at how to adapt our games design in this direction in the future.  Until then we will watch, learn and see where we can add value in what we do best, games.

David Mann, Chief Commercial Officer at Swintt

In my opinion, streaming is undoubtably a very important part of the gaming industry and its future and it will only grow over the coming months and years. I hope that we will see an increase in legit and trustworthy streamers who will help to improve the perception of slots and gaming. Our plan is to release more games that will be liked by the streaming community and to cooperate with the streamers who we believe run their business in the right way.

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Holly Fairweather Head of Account Management at House of Brands provider White Hat Studios

Women in iGaming Interview: White Hat Studios’ Holly Fairweather

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Holly Fairweather, Head of Account Management at House of Brands provider White Hat Studios, sits down with Gaming Americas to discuss the growing influence of women in the iGaming industry, and highlights how more can be done to improve the overall gender imbalance

 

Gaming Americas: Since joining the industry in 2018, have you noticed a change in how women are represented within iGaming companies, as well as general attitudes?

Holly Fairweather (HF): When I reflect on the past six years, it feels great to say I have seen a lot of positive changes in our industry and more importantly, an ever-increasing drive to address gender diversity. There is still work to do, and I am reminded of this attending our industry events, where it’s very evident we still lack female presence in C-level roles and on expert panels. It’s also not hard to see walking around conferences the overall gender imbalance that exists. With that being said, I do feel it’s moving in the right direction and I am regularly inspired by women around me being promoted to senior management roles, providing great mentors and role models. Awareness of gender diversity and celebrating success is continually being pushed via various channels, and for me plays a big part in why we are seeing more women have the confidence to progress in their careers and more women enter the industry. It’s also important to say, and why I think change is happening more, that the want of women to succeed and to increase female presence in our industry, is indeed backed by a strong support network of women supporting women, but also of the men in our industry.

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Gaming Americas: How important are groups like Global Gaming Women? What kind of initiatives have they offered to help your own career development?

HF: I’ll be honest, I’m still learning about all that Global Gaming Women offers. Working in the US market I see GGW as a substantial network which offers reams of support from training courses, lean in circles and mentorship and networking events just to name a few. I have taken part in a few of the industry wide networking events, and really enjoyed them, connecting with some amazing people, learning more about the industry. One of my objectives this year is to participate in more events, adding value where I can whether that’s within the GGW network or through other avenues.

 

Gaming Americas: What more can the industry do to make it more appealing to women and ensure they are better represented within organizations?

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HF: It’s got to start within each individual company taking responsibility for equal representation. This is not a tick box exercise to achieve a target on a gender split % by x date but must be about promotions and roles being rewarded to the best candidate for the role, regardless of gender, ethnic background, or sexual orientation. We need to shout about the success stories of DEI within the industry, creating an inclusive work environment will attract not just more women but more candidates overall, increasing the talent pool.

There is also a piece around exposure and shining the light on the fantastic women we have leading the way. Sharing their career paths, the good, and the challenges, to provide relatable examples of success. To make women in gaming not about the stats or portray the headline as a negative but more around showcasing the women that are successful and why, helping more women relate and pursue a similar path if this is what they wish to do.

 

Gaming Americas: What advice would you give to the next generation of women that are looking to make a breakthrough in the industry?

HF: This is a good one! First and foremost, you lead your own progression. Be proactive in building your network, push yourself out of your comfort zone to attend networking events. Reach out to other women in the industry for support and mentorship. That is on you to drive.

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Immerse yourself in a team with values that align with yours, a team that welcomes and promotes diversity of all types and supports and rewards on merit are key.

Build your knowledge, for me knowledge is confidence. Quickly realise it is ok not to know everything, ask the questions and find out. Be solution-oriented, supporting your superiors will get you noticed for going over and above and adding value to your team and company.

I was told ‘people do business with people,’ which I stand by and could not be truer in the igaming industry. Always treat everyone with respect, be kind, be yourself, but don’t forget to back yourself! Relationship building is so key in this industry and has helped me progress to where I am today.

Lastly, take risks. And by this, I mean sometimes you must step out your comfort zone and push yourself to try something different to progress to the next stage. So far, the most pivotable moment in my career and biggest risk I have taken, and I’m sure Andy Whitworth (CEO) and the White Hat Studios (WHS) team won’t mind me saying, was accepting the job at WHS. A brand-new supplier to the US, no content live alongside the fact I had never worked in the US market, so of course there was an element of risk. It was, however, a calculated risk as I was joining a team of experts, senior level management I had worked for previously, in an ever-growing US market. A no brainer now when I look back.

 

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Gaming Americas: From a White Hat Studios perspective, what DEI initiatives does the company put in place?

HF: DEI of all types is something I believe increases the performance of a team, and is something we are extremely passionate about at WHS. As we grow and expand, maintaining a strong culture has never been more important. We recently held a WHS workshop in Prague, with one section of our day spent holistically agreeing and locking down our values as a team, ‘Who we are, what we stand for ‘and ‘treating everyone equally’ is now embedded in our company culture as one of our five core values.

I have been lucky in the fact I have never felt that my gender has held me back in my current role and previous igaming companies. Although I understand this has not been everyone’s experience, I truly believe the more we celebrate success, drive awareness, embed inclusion within our companies, and work together across DEI as a whole, we will continue to see women progress and take on careers in igaming.

 

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Compliable

Reputation matters – the importance of supplier licensing

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More and more jurisdictions are introducing licensing for B2B providers in an attempt to boost regulatory oversight and restrict black market activity with Sweden and Denmark recent examples. In this piece, we talk to Greg Ponesse, Chief Revenue Officer at Compliable, about how the increased compliance burden can favour suppliers’ standing in the iGaming ecosystem.

 

Have you seen a shift in attitudes from suppliers to only provide products in regulated markets?

We have seen that suppliers that have traditionally taken a .com approach are starting to move towards being licensed to secure additional revenue and more customers but also to improve their overall reputation and standing. The perception of brand integrity plays a big part of the decision-making process because some operator partners might be reluctant to work with suppliers if they have a mainly grey-market approach.

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In the US, supplier licensing has always been the norm, so where we are seeing attitudes changing is primarily with European suppliers. Although most suppliers might have a few licenses that they need to manage in key markets, they are now better understanding the importance of being seen as fully compliant across the board as regulation changes and operators are looking for trusted partners.

Some of these brands are massive enterprises who are now trying to get a handle on how to manage all their licenses across multiple regions, and we have seen an increased interest in our software to support that.

 

What has been the driving force for this – regulator pressure or business strategy?

It’s a little bit of both. Regulator pressure is definitely a big one as gambling becomes more ubiquitous and mainstream. It’s the responsibility of the government to provide structure and regulation to ensure safety for consumers and many are starting to realize that suppliers play an equally important role in that as operators. We have recently seen examples of locally licensed suppliers being fined by regulators for offering their products to unlicensed operators, so providers need to be on the ball to ensure their reputation stays intact.

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That said, the grey market suppliers up to this point have stayed in grey markets because that’s what was available to them. Now you’re seeing new markets opening up like North America, which has been huge, where all states require suppliers to be licensed. These grey market players that have previously focused on Europe now see that there’s revenue over there to be gained, so they need to pull up their socks and play the game.

As a business strategy, suppliers can only remain in black markets for so long, avoiding paying taxes and declaring revenue. In a competitive marketplace, suppliers can definitely benefit from being more established and having numerous licenses. Operators might be wary to work with companies that don’t take compliance seriously so being able to show that you have X number of licenses and that you have infrastructure in place shows that you’re serious, and that you know what you’re doing. It kind of sets the table for you to have a soft landing and to be able to begin those discussions with potential partners.

 

A sole focus on regulated markets would suggest a negative impact on profits so what benefits do suppliers see from being licensed?

If the train is only going in one direction, you eventually have to hop on it. Moving away from grey markets will inevitably have a negative impact on profits but you then have to look at where you can find additional revenue. If you are a licensed supplier, it does allow you to work with the big local operators. You have to decide on whether you can make more money as a grey-market supplier or by going into markets being licensed and making the most of what that offers.

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Do you expect more jurisdictions will introduce B2B licensing going forward?

Yes, for sure. Gambling is ubiquitous now and governments recognise that it’s a great revenue generator for them and it also helps with ensuring responsible gambling. With licensing, you provide a framework, infrastructure, and environment that is safe, and it ensures that everyone is on a level playing field. That needs to include all different sides of the industry such as operators, suppliers, affiliates etc. If everyone in the ecosystem follows the rules, it will be a better place for all.

 

What are the big challenges that suppliers face when it comes to licensing in 2024 and beyond?

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Your licensing strategy, so basically, where you are going to go get licensed. This process takes time and resources, and you want to make sure you are prepared before you start talking with operators. They will want to know, just like as with any other vendor, if you are licensed as a supplier.

If we use the US as an example, there is no shortage of suppliers that want to partner with the available operators, so you need to know who you want to work with and where, and then you have to make sure you sort those applications properly. That is all about getting the right advice or using software because if you fail the process, you will end up at the back of the queue and your go-to market strategy will be delayed.

 

What, if any, are the key differences between licensing in the US and regulated markets in Europe and other regions around the world?

For starters, every state in the US acts as if it is its own country and the licensing process is very complex and rigorous. In Europe, it was initially somewhat more relaxed. You got your Malta licence, and that was then good for all countries in Europe. We’re now seeing a bit of backtracking, with more and more countries getting tougher on rules and regulation.

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Increased supervision, with regulators having more oversight, means there is no hiding and I think that is what we’re moving towards on a global scale.

I do believe that most suppliers and operators prefer a regulated market because it separates proper companies from the bad ones. If I was a large operator or supplier that invested time and money into licensing and establishing a compliance team, I would feel good about that because there are so many companies that can’t do it. There’s this element of pay to play, so to speak, in order to really maximize your profits in a region.

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Interviews

Changing the game for content aggregation

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We sit down with Dee Maher, CEO of La Royale Gaming Investments, to learn more about her recent appointment as CEO and how the company is set to challenge the gaming industry’s conventions.

La Royale Gaming Investments has bold plans to become a true power player and redefine industry standards. Through acquisitions and mergers, it intends to build an “ecosystem” of online and offline companies, covering both B2B and B2C. Its first play is Quanta, a unique content aggregation platform designed to leverage a high volume with a focus on delivering unparalleled value at a fair price, aiming to introduce innovative solutions for both operators and suppliers. To learn more about La Royale and its goals for the coming 12 months, we spoke with recently appointed CEO, Dee Maher.

 

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Tell us more about your journey to being appointed as CEO of La Royale Gaming Investments.

I’ve been working in the global online gambling industry for many years now in roles covering legal and compliance leadership. Over the past 15 years, I have had the privilege to work for some of the biggest organisations in the business including the likes of Genesis Global, Betclic, Vera&John and Evolution Gaming. When I was approached about joining La Royale Gaming Investments as CEO, it was an offer that I couldn’t turn down. Recognising the company’s ambition to forge a transformative path in the gaming sector, I was compelled by the vision to lead change and drive innovation. My decision to accept was driven by a profound commitment to spearhead our mission, leveraging the remarkable talents of our team to redefine industry standards and make a lasting impact.

 

What are your main responsibilities and where are you looking to progress most?

I have been tasked with supervising the expansion of our investment portfolio by recognising opportunities that are aligned with our online and offline strategies. I am also overseeing the day-to-day running of Quanta, our inaugural venture, which stands out in the crowded marketplace as a game aggregation platform like no other. In terms of where we are looking to make the most progress, we plan to curate a unique ecosystem of innovative offline and online gaming companies through strategic mergers and acquisitions which combined will make La Royale Gaming Investments a real tour-de-force in the sector and one of the top tier companies with interests across both B2B and B2C.

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How is La Royale Gaming Investments going to disrupt the industry? Is it taking a different approach?

La Royale Gaming Investments is poised to redefine the gaming industry with a strategy rooted in bold vision and innovation. We have built out the best team to deploy these ambitious plans and achieve our strategic goals. We are well-capitalised and have lined up our first run of acquisitions, starting with Quanta. Our approach focuses on identifying USPs within each business we engage, introducing ground-breaking offerings to the market. With Quanta, that is being the first mass-market game aggregation platform, creating value for both operators and suppliers. This is an industry where many follow the same blueprint, but we know that to pull distance from our competitors, we need to do things a little differently.

I think our biggest point of difference is that we are curating an ecosystem of innovative businesses across all areas of gambling and gaming. This includes both online and offline, and both B2B and B2C. There are not many organisations in the industry that are this broad and diverse so again this is an area where we can really stand out.

 

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You mentioned that Quanta is the first mass-market game aggregation platform. What does it offer operators and suppliers and how is it different to other solutions in the market?

Quanta has been developed so that it can handle the largest possible volume of games from a diverse array of providers and seamlessly integrate with a vast network of operators. Due to this volume, we can offer the best commercial deals to both parties. Our scale, in collaboration with leading studios and casinos, positions us as a frontrunner in content distribution. Furthermore, we are committed to achieving certifications across all significant regulated markets. For operators, this means they can quickly and easily add games to their lobbies and for studios, it means access to the widest distribution network and thanks to our minimum reseller fee structure, we make this access available to all providers from the established titans to the rising stars.

But just to be clear, Quanta transcends the ordinary, offering not just a cost-effective solution but a sophisticated high-performance platform. The platform is state of the art, allowing for seamless integrations for both operators and suppliers while ensuring the highest standards of resilience and performance. The concept is simple – high volume, low cost – but the advanced technology and strategic foresight required to realise this vision set us apart from conventional solutions in the market.

 

Content provision is highly competitive so what makes you confident that Quanta will be heard above the noise being made by other providers and aggregators?

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Our mass market approach is unique and is already helping us to stand out and generate significant interest from both studios and operators. In the current challenging economic landscape, efficiency and cost-effectiveness are paramount for all stakeholders. But our advantageous commission structure is not the only way we are helping here. At present, operators often have many integrations with various aggregators and directly with game providers. This is inefficient and expensive. With Quanta, operators can plug into a single platform and access all the content they need for each market they target allowing them to save significant resources or to deploy these resources elsewhere.

 

On the subject of the current economic climate. Is now a good time to be building a business based around M&A?

That depends on how you are approaching your M&A activity and whether an organisation is taking on debt. Timing can be crucial here – you just have to look at the likes of 888 to see how a change in the direction of the wind can have a brutal impact on the wider organisation. That said, there are always plenty of opportunities to acquire great businesses, technologies, solutions and so on, and part of my remit as CEO is to spot these and if they align with our wider approach, make a move. I think the 12 months ahead will be incredibly exciting when it comes to M&A, with some truly transformational deals taking place – something that La Royale Gaming Investments intends to be a part of.

The post Changing the game for content aggregation appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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