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HIPTHER, organizer of the Prague Gaming & TECH Summit 2025, is excited to welcome Cloudfresh as the Networking Break Sponsor, a company empowering businesses with top-tier cloud services. As a Zendesk Premier Partner, Cloudfresh specializes in integrating, optimizing, and scaling the best in-class cloud solutions, acting as a vital link between companies and cloud technologies. In this exclusive interview, we speak with Vita Usatiuk, Sales Executive at Cloudfresh, to explore how AI, omnichannel support, and personalized player interactions are reshaping customer service in gaming.

Player support is becoming a crucial factor in gaming retention. How can integrated customer service solutions enhance player satisfaction and engagement while keeping gamers in the game?

Integrated customer service solutions are essential for enhancing player satisfaction and engagement, ultimately driving player retention. By providing support across various channels like chat, messaging, phone, and email, gaming companies can meet players where they are, offering seamless and convenient assistance. This omnichannel approach ensures that players can easily reach out for help before, during, or after a game. Furthermore, AI-powered tools can provide instant help and personalized interactions, addressing player needs proactively and efficiently. A robust support system contributes significantly to a positive gaming experience, fostering loyalty and encouraging players to stay engaged with the game.

The gaming industry faces unique challenges in customer support, from omnichannel demands to peak traffic surges. How does Cloudfresh leverage Zendesk to help gaming companies streamline support operations and optimize agent workload?

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The gaming industry presents unique customer support challenges, including omnichannel demands and peak traffic surges, especially during new release windows. We in Cloudfresh implement Zendesk solution for the customer support to help gaming companies streamline their support operations and optimize agent workload. Zendesk offers a unified platform that integrates various support channels, enabling agents to manage interactions from a single workspace. AI-powered automation can handle routine inquiries, allowing agents to focus on complex issues. Zendesk also provides tools for intelligent ticket routing, workforce management, and performance monitoring, which helps optimize agent efficiency and ensure timely issue resolution.

Personalization is key to delivering a top player experience. How can gaming brands use AI-driven customer support to provide more tailored interactions and proactively address player needs?

Personalization in gaming support is no longer a luxury, it’s a necessity. AI-driven solutions are empowering gaming companies to meet this demand in innovative ways. Here are some practical examples:

1. AI Agents for 24/7 Support and Instant Answers: Players expect support around the clock. Zendesk’s AI Agents can provide instant, accurate answers to common questions, drawing from your knowledge base. This ensures players get the help they need immediately, any time of day.
2. Intelligent Triage and Routing: AI can analyze incoming support tickets and route them to the right agent or team based on the player’s issue, game, or platform. This ensures that players are connected with specialists who can address their specific needs efficiently.
3. Proactive Support and Personalized Recommendations: By analyzing player data and behavior, AI can help anticipate common issues and proactively offer solutions or tips. This could include in-game notifications, personalized FAQs, or tailored support articles. For example, Kaizen Gaming, a European eGaming company, delivers 95% resolution at first contact with live chat and 360° views of customers. This level of insight allows for highly personalized and proactive support.  
4. Automation for Scalability: Gaming companies often experience peak support volumes around game releases or updates. Zendesk’s automation capabilities, enhanced by AI, can handle surging ticket volumes and reduce wait times. Play Games24x7, an Indian online gaming company, reduced their resolution time by 68% by leveraging Zendesk automation and analytics. This demonstrates the power of AI in scaling support operations efficiently.  

By leveraging Zendesk’s AI-driven features, gaming companies can provide more tailored, efficient, and proactive support experiences, ultimately driving player satisfaction and loyalty.

Cloudfresh has extensive expertise in implementing and optimizing Zendesk solutions for gaming businesses. Can you share a recent success story where your solutions significantly improved customer experience?

Yes, we have many success stories, and one recent example is our work with Bloober Team, a renowned game development studio specializing in psychological horror games. Bloober Team faced challenges in providing efficient player support, especially during peak times around game releases.  They needed a solution that could scale, provide comprehensive data from players, and streamline their support workflow.  

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We implemented Zendesk’s Enterprise Suite for Bloober Team, including add-on apps and a custom ticket form to gather essential information from players.  We also integrated DeepL for translation to assist with their diverse player base.   

The results were transformative.  Bloober Team now has a robust system to manage player support, allowing them to react quickly to issues and provide timely solutions.  This has significantly improved their ability to maintain contact with players, address concerns, and ultimately enhance the player experience.  This case demonstrates our ability to tailor Zendesk solutions to the specific needs of gaming companies, helping them to overcome support challenges and foster stronger player relationships.

At the Prague Gaming & TECH Summit 2025, AI and automation in gaming support will be major discussion points. How do you see AI-driven support evolving in the next few years, and what should gaming operators focus on to stay ahead?

It’s clear that AI is no longer a future possibility in gaming support – it’s the present and the driving force of its evolution. We’re seeing a distinct separation between companies that are embracing AI and those that aren’t. Those “CX Trendsetters” are pulling ahead, and gaming operators need to be in that category. It’s not just about replacing human agents either; it’s about ‘human-centric AI.’ We’re talking about augmenting agents, giving them superpowers to handle complex issues while AI handles the routine.

Looking ahead, expect AI to get even smarter – predictive, hyper-personalized, with more natural conversations. And it’s not just chatbots anymore; AI-powered automation will touch every support channel, creating those seamless omnichannel experiences players demand. Crucially, AI will provide a wealth of data and insights, allowing for data-driven optimization of support strategies.

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So, for gaming operators who want to stay ahead, it boils down to this: invest strategically in AI, empower your agents to work alongside it, focus on leveraging those AI-driven insights, build systems that can scale and adapt, and, of course, prioritize data security. That’s from my point of view the roadmap for success in the AI-driven future of gaming support.

With Cloudfresh at the Prague Gaming & TECH Summit 2025, this year’s event will showcase the latest innovations in AI-driven player support and customer service strategies. Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with industry leaders, gain exclusive insights, and explore the future of gaming support technology!

The post Elevating Player Experience: Cloudfresh’s Vision for AI-Driven Gaming Support appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Having long been a leader in digital transformation within the iGaming industry, we caught up with Betbazar CEO, Alex Iaroshenko, to discuss how the company’s dynamic, scalable marketplace can fast-track innovation and growth while supporting both product creators and operators alike.

How does Betbazar’s digital marketplace contribute to the transformation of the iGaming industry?

We contribute a lot. We were the ones who provided cutting-edge technology during a period in iGaming history where there were no events due to COVID and we’ve continued to build on this innovative and accessible approach ever since. We consistently search for the best market options in terms of platform providers, sportsbook software, sports & esports content, live casino, KYC, and more. And I think the fact that all of our partners offer something genuinely unique has really helped Betbazar stand out and allowed us to change the way the iGaming industry does business.

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Over the years, we’ve effectively re-shaped the way products are discovered, integrated and scaled across global markets. Where operators previously had to source their games, content, custom solutions and other services manually, Betbazar simplifies the process by providing a centralised, digital-first platform that seamlessly connects them with top-tier iGaming products from around the world. This way, they can overcome the hurdles of fragmented ecosystems and lengthy integration processes and remain both competitive and agile in what is a rapidly evolving market.

For creators, meanwhile, we provide a global platform on which they can showcase their products and expand their reach, helping eliminate barriers to entry, reduce operational friction and accelerate time-to-market for new products. Moreover, our entire marketplace is built on fostering collaboration between operators and suppliers, so we provide the former with insights into current market trends that can help them find the ideal partner to integrate into their offering.

What are some of the biggest challenges facing digital B2B marketplaces today, and how is Betbazar addressing them?

I would say one of the specific challenges that any digital marketplace must overcome is ensuring that prospective clients understand exactly what it is you do and why they should buy from you as opposed to going direct to the supplier. At Betbazar, we generally like to tackle this hurdle through action and constant presentation of what we do. We’re very clear about the additional services and guarantees a partner receives when they work with us, and we make sure the wider industry knows all about it by continually attending exhibitions and talking with the right people.

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Another more general challenge – though one I believe to be particularly important for marketplaces like Betbazar – is diversification. It’s hard to move on from products that have been successful and delivered a lot of value and instead focus on up-and-coming providers that are still in the development phase, but this has been our priority for the past year. As difficult as it’s been, this is always a necessary step if you truly want to offer a diverse and innovative line-up of products that’s capable of keeping up with the ever-changing demands of the iGaming industry.

Finally, I think market fragmentation and localisation both remain an ongoing challenge that all iGaming businesses must deal with. There are so many different regulatory requirements, languages and player preferences across the various regions that you must be ready to adapt – and at Betbazar we address this issue by offering localised solutions that are tailored to specific markets and fully compliant in a range of jurisdictions. Of course, this challenge also applies to Betbazar directly in terms of how we market ourselves in other countries, and in that respect, we always try to find people with local knowledge who can represent us the best way for each market.

How does Betbazar ensure that both creators and operators experience sustainable value and growth within its platform?

The Betbazar marketplace is designed to create a win-win scenario for both product creators and operators, as this is the only way to ensure all parties experience sustainable growth and value over the long term. For creators we provide a global stage on which they can showcase their products, helping them to expand their reach far beyond their home markets. In addition to this exposure, we help them understand the needs of operators in different regions and guide them through the process of tailoring their products to meet local demands. We also assist them with the technical aspects of integration and ensure their products comply with all local requirements.

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For operators, we provide access to high-quality, curated products that can help them stay competitive and differentiate themselves in a crowded market. We understand that most operators are looking for more than just a product – they need reliable, long-term partnerships that can support their growth. By providing them with insights into market trends, consumer preferences and product performance analytics, we help operators make more informed decisions that lead to greater user engagement, retention and – ultimately – ongoing profitability.

To guarantee sustainable value, we also offer continued support to both creators and operators. Whether it’s post-integration optimisation or adjusting offerings based on performance data, we remain actively involved throughout the lifecycle of the products that we help bring to market. Betbazar’s focus on long-term relationships – rather than one-off transactions – helps to foster an environment where product creators and operators can scale together and continue to thrive.

What advancements in technology do you believe will shape the future of iGaming marketplaces in the next five years?

Blockchain and smart contracts instantly spring to mind, as over time this technology has the potential to revolutionise the iGaming industry by providing a more transparent, efficient and secure way of managing transactions and data. Looking specifically at Betbazar’s marketplace, we’re already exploring blockchain-based solutions that could streamline compliance and reduce transaction fees, and the use of smart contracts could automate many aspects of what we do from payment settlements to licensing agreements, creating a more seamless experience.

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AI and machine learning will also undoubtedly have a role to play in personalising the player experience, optimising product recommendations and improving customer service. I see this technology being particularly effective in mature verticals like sports betting, as there the statistics are so complete that operators will be able to ask questions to AI and receive very full answers about what’s happening on the field, helping them learn faster and predict more accurately. In the marketplace context, this technology can also be used to help operators identify products that are likely to perform well in specific markets or with certain demographics.

Additionally, VR and AR technologies have the potential to steer the iGaming industry towards providing more engaging, experiential content and cloud gaming will pave the way for high-quality gaming experiences without the need for powerful hardware. Betbazar is already looking ahead to identify products that will appeal to operators looking to innovate in both of these spaces and by actively investing in such technologies, we’ll be able to ensure that our marketplace remains relevant while also matching the shifting needs of operators and product creators in the future.

About Betbazar

Betbazar is a B2B worldwide iGaming marketplace which has set a new sales standard, sourcing specialist iGaming products and advising on their role within existing strategies to deliver growth to our partners. The company’s ambition is building a digital iGaming marketplace that connects creators with operators to accelerate growth powered by best-in-class products.

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How has the live dealer landscape progressed over recent years?

Live dealer has become a core vertical in online gaming, now making up about a third of casino revenue. What’s interesting is that it’s driven by a relatively small number of studios. It’s a capital-intensive business with no guarantees, but if you get it right, the player loyalty is worth the investment.

The industry has evolved in key areas:

• Streaming and quality: HD is standard, but now latency, mobile optimization, and stability are the focus
• Game Variety: the core games – Blackjack, Roulette, and Baccarat – still dominate, but regional favorites like Teen Patti and Andar Bahar are gaining ground
• Gamification and engagement: jackpots, tournaments, and cash drops are making live dealer more interactive
• Customization: greenscreen technology has been a game-changer, allowing operators to brand and tailor their tables like never before
• Hybrid formats: live dealer is no longer just about table games; game shows, wheels, and interactive experiences are expanding the category

At its core, live dealer is about creating an immersive and social experience. That’s why innovation in engagement and customization continues to be a major growth driver.

 

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With live casino being relatively new to some markets, such as the US, how do players interact with the vertical? How do player preferences differ across geos?

For players new to live dealer, the reaction is almost always ‘feels like a real casino!’ The human interaction and transparency make a big impact.

In the US, live dealer is being embraced quickly, especially in social and sweepstakes casinos. Players there are used to land-based casinos, so high-quality live games feel familiar. Blackjack is the dominant game by a wide margin.

Other parts of the world have different preferences. In Asia, there’s a strong preference for Teen Patti, Dragon Tiger, and Baccarat. Baccarat is also the top choice in Italy and much of Southeast Asia. In Turkey, Roulette is by far the most popular game, though we also see strong affinity toward Blackjack. In Europe, Blackjack leads, but Roulette is consistently strong, particularly in markets like India.

Across all markets, the common thread is that live dealer isn’t just about the game – it’s about the experience. Players want interaction, immersion, and trust in the gameplay.

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What technologies resonate well with players, and conversely, what is lacking engagement?

Reliable streaming is the baseline expectation. It needs to work flawlessly, especially on mobile. From an operator’s perspective, greenscreen technology has been a game-changer. It allows for branded and localized environments without physical set builds, giving operators full control over their branding and user experience.

Gamification and promotional tools, such as cash drops, leaderboards, and jackpots, also drive engagement, particularly in social and sweepstakes gaming.

And what doesn’t work? Laggy or low-quality streams are killers. If the experience isn’t seamless, players leave instantly. And fake ‘live’ games, such as pre-recorded tables and AI dealers, miss the point of live casino. Players want real human interaction.

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What is the most unexpected or disruptive trend you’ve seen in live casino development that you didn’t anticipate, and how has it shaped your approach?

One of the biggest surprises has been the rise of live dealer in social casinos and sweepstakes gaming. For a long time, social casinos were all about slots, but now we’re seeing massive demand for live dealer in that space. Players want the real casino atmosphere, even when they’re playing with virtual currency.

We’ve adapted to this by optimizing our live dealer games for sweepstakes casinos – adjusting the UI, adding engagement tools, and better game pacing to better fit the model. This shift has forced a change in the way we think about live gaming – not just as a real-money product, but as an entertainment experience that works across different models.

 

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In which markets is live casino experiencing the most growth, and why?

Our core markets of Europe, CIS, and the Middle East continue to show strong, stable growth, with high retention rates among existing players. We’re also expanding into high-growth regions like Italy and Asia where Baccarat is driving adoption. In Africa and LatAm, growth is fueled by higher gambling activity and better internet access. And in Africa specifically, our adaptive streaming technology optimizes for lower bandwidth, making live dealer more accessible in this huge and emerging market.

And it’s not just about where live dealer is growing, it’s also about how it’s expanding into new verticals like social and hybrid models. For us it’s about being ready, agile, adaptive.

 

How do you expect the live dealer landscape to develop? Are there any emerging technologies that you believe will become game changers in this space?

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AI gets a lot of attention, and while I don’t see it replacing human dealers, I do see it as a powerful tool for personalization.

We can expect to see AI-driven table recommendations which may suggest games based on player behavior data, as well as personalised and dynamic challenges and offers that adapt in real-time.

Beyond AI, greenscreen technology will continue to redefine the industry. It makes localization and branding far more cost-effective by allowing digitally generated studio environments. It unlocks innovation and imagination, and empowers operators to create unique and exclusive gaming experiences.

Live dealer is also starting to merge with other formats, so expect to see more game-show-style mechanics, interactive social elements, and even potential crossover with streaming platforms.

 

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Final Thoughts?

Live dealer is no longer a niche product; it’s a dominant vertical in online gaming. The challenge now is differentiation.

At LuckyStreak, we’re focused on making live dealer more customizable, engaging, and adaptable. Whether it’s through branded tables, gamification, or expanding into new markets, the goal is to give operators more flexibility and players a better experience.

 

 

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About LuckyStreak

LuckyStreak has been producing and streaming world-class live dealer online games since 2014. Launched and led by veterans of the land-based and online casino industry, they have a deep passion for entertainment, innovation and quality service, providing players with an unforgettable, unique and thrilling gaming experience, and impeccably delivered with an unwavering commitment to the highest levels of production, video streaming and reliability.

LuckyConnect was launched in 2017 and is the proprietary integration API for operators, connecting them to a library of over 4000 live dealer and third-party games from leading providers like Pragmatic Play, Yggdrasil, Ruby Play, PG Soft and Red Rake Gaming via seamless wallet API, and one-stop shop of critical services including invoicing, player management, reporting and billing, support centre and content management, with one fast and easy integration.

LuckyStreak products and services are built on a highly secure robust technical infrastructure: utilizing a microservices architecture developed using a cloud-native approach enabling high availability (99.9% uptime), security and flexibility; whilst our critical API technology is protected by symmetric encryption and secure server-to-server connections. Ensuring an optimal playing experience without compromising our service to our customers.

The post The Evolving Live Dealer Landscape w/Ady Totah, CEO and co-founder of LuckyStreak appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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