Interviews
Norppa Kasino and the Nordics
As a brand that’s here to make a difference – we were excited to sit down with DoubleUp Group’s Emma L., to talk about the group’s latest moves in the Nordic market, as well as its support for the adorable Baltic saimaannorppa seal, one of the most endangered seals in the world.
Crammed with insights into the latest on Finnish regulation, Nordic player preferences and casino traditions in Scandinavia, this one’s not to be missed!
Welcome to European Gaming and many thanks for taking the time to speak with us! Can you talk us through your recent exciting casino launches that DoubleUp has helped support?
Thank you for the opportunity! We’re really delighted with these two new launches as we love working with fun and engaging brands. We’re all animal lovers at DoubleUp and that’s why we support animal themed casinos with a purpose and something that a lot of people can relate to.
At the beginning of October, Norppa Kasino launched, which draws plenty of inspiration from one of Finland’s most treasured animal friends. The name comes from saimaannorppa, which is the one of the most endangered seals in the world. This is a casino that could pledge donations to support the protection of the seal. As part of that, a fun and lovable mascot was created – Onni the Norppa, who is waiting at the door whenever a new customer walks in. Onni has many characteristics that are often used to describe people generally, he’s also a huge nature lover, just like us!
One major region that plenty of our readers have interest in is the Nordic player market – what’s been your experience in the region and what’s your take on how the Nordic casino scene is performing?
My background is the result of living across three different Nordic countries, and as well as my professional industry experience across support, content and CRM – which have given me plenty of insights into the player market. Overall, we’re seeing strong performance. New casinos spring up like mushrooms, especially across much of the Nordics! Marketing – and adhering to marketing regulations are of course key. Also, looking at Finland in particular, with Veikkaus likely to take more of a back seat, we’ll see a transition towards a much more competitive marketplace. This is especially the case with The National Coalition Party proposing a transition to the licensing system, and we have elections next spring (in current polls they’re the leading party).
If they win, we’re one step closer to seeing a properly developed environment. I believe there’s a lot that can be learned from Sweden – and the Swedish gaming license system has been interesting for the Finns to follow up. No doubt, we can use the Swedish system as a test and take the best bits to develop our own licensing system.
Also looking to wider macroeconomic trends, I believe the current uncertain situation in Europe given the energy crisis will most likely have its effect on gambling in the Nordics as well, especially next winter. So definitely something to watch.
Given your company’s vision for supporting casinos that are really here to make a difference, such as Doggo Casino for our four-legged friends, as well as supporting the endangered seal community in Finland, do you see that resonating strongly with players?
Yes, I believe so. The Nordics are a nature loving people, and animals are close to our hearts as well. We’re very proud of our beautiful nature – and as I’m sure many of your readers we’ll have seen, it’s common for all Nordic countries! Fun fact, Dogs are the most popular pet in Finland (with 700 000 dogs in total), while in Norway the cat is king (I’m sure there could have a Catto Casino in the works!).
One of the key trends we’ve seen during the pandemic has been a huge demand for adopting pets. The most common reason being to make its owners happier. Our brands represent something a lot of people can relate to. Seals are loved by the whole Finnish nation (you can even watch them on live stream in the Spring and it’s super popular!).
Looking to entertainment and providing players with a quality gaming experience, what do you believe is key for casino right now in providing a diverse format of verticals that can excite and entertain?
We’ve always seen the best success if you offer a site that has easy navigation, and a UI that isn’t too crowded (Nordic players prefer a simplistic style), as well as trustworthy looks and content, fast payments and also quick load times for games. Given that players always like something new and exciting, fresh launches will always attract curious users. Of course, competition is much harder with sportsbook, especially if players prefer to return to classic sites.
Looking to the affiliate community across the Nordic region – can you offer us any insights into how new brands eyeing the region can really make a mark with local player media?
It’s incredibly important to pay attention to the localisation of content, as well as with campaigns, support, lobbies and the like. Native speaking support, as well as proper translations on site and communications are of course also essential.
We definitely also shouldn’t treat the Nordics as one, and one should do plenty of AB testing and base decision on data. For example, I would not expect a Viking-themed casino to perform super well in Finland, as we don’t have that heritage. Of course, in Norway that could work far better! It’s also important to look into finding new, creative and cool ideas, while ensuring one doesn’t stay stuck in traditional themes. Without a doubt, I would say Nordic players are modern and open to new creative ideas.
Last but not least, with two fantastic casino brands already under your belt, what’s DoubleUp’s plans for the coming months? Any exciting new projects we can look forward to?
We’re constantly looking into improving brands and helping our partners expand their offerings – so we’re very excited about that. One example is increasing the amount of games. We’re passionate about expansion, looking into adding new providers and working on plenty of new features that will be announced soon enough. The World Cup, and of course Christmas are also coming up, which I’m sure will keep Doggo and Norppa busier than ever!
Dr. Eyal Loz Chief Product Officer at RubyPlay
Built for the branded reality – RubyPlay’s high velocity approach to the US market
With localisation, speed to market, and cross-state scalability at the heart of its strategy, RubyPlay is proving that relevance—and results—come from understanding both the player and the moment. Dr. Eyal Loz, Chief Product Officer at RubyPlay, discusses the company’s fast growing US presence and how its agile, insight-driven approach is resonating with players and operators alike. From crafting bespoke branded content to rolling out favoured mechanics with modern twists, RubyPlay is positioning itself as a key partner in the evolving iGaming landscape.
Just a few months into RubyPlay’s US journey, how has player response shaped your perception of the market? And how will these insights shape your roadmap going forward?
We see very strong player preferences to games that combine a Hold and Spin mechanic with perceived persistence. We also see that American players respond well to classic themes with a clear modern flavour. None of this was very surprising, as we are very well tuned with the preferences of players in America. The RubyPlay offering was always optimised for American players, and it’s nice to see that our roll out is working so well, as we expected it to.
We also explored a handful of innovative mechanics that are less prevalent in traditional land-based casinos, and we are happy to see that these were also well received.
Titles like Mad Hit® Diamonds and Diamond Explosions 7s® SE are a few of your early standouts. What do you think is making these games click with the US audience compared to other markets?
These two titles are solid performers in all markets, so we had high expectations to see these perform very well with American players. Both these mechanics have all the elements that make for a strong US title – Hold and Spin, perceived persistency, Buy Feature and a solid art package with a classic yet modern feel.
The US iGaming market is unique, not just in regulation, but in how players engage with content. How does your strategy for the US differ from other global regions and how do you maintain global competitiveness while staying locally relevant?
It’s important to remember that top performing mechanics tend to transcend time and space. Hold and Spin mechanics have performed well in almost all markets since they were introduced over 10 years ago. What makes a specific game more relevant to one specific region is the theme and flow of the game. For example, games featuring mahjong tiles will perform well in South East Asia but will not perform to the same level of success in the US. Similarly, games with strong Egyptian themes will not perform in Asia but have a good potential in the US.
RubyPlay’s superpower is in our velocity and adaptability. We are able to identify opportunities with operators to support their brand identity and create specialised bespoke content for them, taking into consideration elements such as the relevance of that theme to the market, and the brand of the operator. We live in a branded reality, and we consider our client’s brand a top priority.
You’ve spoken about empowering brands through strong partnerships. How do you approach collaboration in the US market to ensure both RubyPlay and its partners succeed?
Brands are a lifestyle in the USA. We have to understand this first in order to reach the audience in the way that our US partners take as second nature. By focusing on building high velocity, we are able to create relevant bespoke content for our partners that is unique to their needs.
Velocity is really important because branding opportunities don’t last very long. When a client negotiates a collaboration between their brand and a 3rd party, the deal will always close very late and will not last very long. Our ability to be in tune with the reality of such short deliveries on tight schedules, measured in weeks, not years, has given us a disproportionate advantage.
We have a stronger awareness of special events, whether sports, holidays, or cultural, and our responsiveness allow us to always stay relevant through our portfolio or bespoke content with the timings of such events in mind.
What role does localisation play in your expansion strategy?
Localisation is absolutely crucial. As I mentioned before, the combination of a robust and large variety of game mechanics, combined with the ability to minimise time to market thematically, we are able to always stay relevant to new markets we started operating in. When entering a new market, it’s hard to predict what is going to work, so building velocity, and keeping an open mind is key.
With more states opening up, how is RubyPlay preparing to scale its presence across the country? Any new or upcoming experiences or innovations players and partners can expect this year?
We are well on our way to enter Pennsylvania and West Virginia as we are well aware that US. operators are heavily focused on a cross-state strategy regarding promotions. If we can support this by having the top states, we ensure a stronger and more effective experience for players with branding in mind. After all, markets are one of the most important product features.
Other than that, we are planning to roll out our Awarded Feature with many of our direct clients. This will allow operators to award the Buy Feature for free via a back-office campaign. We saw this can be very effective in branding, retention and acquisition, and allow operators to either award players with the best part of the gaming experience, or up-sell promotions via their CRMs.
I’m very excited to see the impact the Awarded Feature will have with our partners on all areas of their business.
The post Built for the branded reality – RubyPlay’s high velocity approach to the US market appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Revolutionising Cricket Premier League: Max Sevostianov – COO at Betbazar, shares insights on how AI-Cricket and hyper-local data products are helping Operators engage, convert, and retain players year-round
With the start of the Premier League cricket season in India, what key trends are you seeing in the iGaming industry around this sport?
We’re witnessing explosive demand for faster, more immersive cricket content. Ball-by-ball gaming is really taking off, driven by players who crave real-time action and micro-engagements. This has pushed Operators to double down on mobile-first experiences — speed, accessibility, and UX are everything in this space.
Another standout trend is hyper-localisation. It’s no longer enough to offer cricket content in English — platforms are integrating regional languages, tailoring promotions based on local fandoms, and weaving in fantasy-style formats that resonate deeply with Indian audiences.
Perhaps the biggest shift we’re seeing is strategic: cricket is evolving from a seasonal event to a sustainable, year-round revenue channel. Operators aren’t just riding the IPL wave — they’re building ecosystems around domestic leagues, international fixtures, and even niche formats, ensuring engagement doesn’t drop off after the final.
Do you think the league will trigger a revenue surge for South Asian Operators? What should they focus on to make the most of this opportunity?
Absolutely — the Premier League is essentially Black Friday for cricket in India and the wider South Asian market. It’s the peak of the calendar, where user engagement and volumes skyrocket. But high traffic alone doesn’t guarantee high returns.
To truly capitalize on this opportunity, Operators need robust infrastructure. That means rock-solid uptime, especially during critical moments like the toss or final overs when activity spikes. Fast bet settlements, wide market coverage — from traditional formats to more niche or prop bets — and content that keeps users hooked, like virtuals or eCricket, are all must-haves.
This season, the winners won’t just be those with the most users — they’ll be the ones who can scale seamlessly, automate efficiently, and deliver content that’s as thrilling as the match itself.
What cricket-related products are currently making the biggest impact in the iGaming market?
Three products are really making waves right now.
First, Virtual (AI) and eCricket formats are proving to be game-changers. These always-on experiences keep players engaged even between live matches, maintaining momentum throughout the season and beyond.
Second, high-frequency data feeds are unlocking a new level of interactivity. Instant markets, player props, and ball-by-ball gaming are now the norm, providing users with a dynamic and deeply immersive experience, especially appealing to mobile users who seek fast, responsive gameplay.
Finally, localised and gamified content is crucial. We’re seeing strong traction with fantasy-style elements and UI’s designed specifically for cricket fans. When combined with regional language support and tailored promotions, this kind of personalisation boosts both engagement and long-term retention.
These innovations are driving serious volume — and, more importantly, keeping players coming back.
Betbazar recently launched a new product – AI Cricket. Can you walk us through its key features and what makes it so promising?
AI-Cricket is the latest innovation on Betbazar’s marketplace, and it’s setting a new benchmark for virtual sports. At its core, it delivers 24/7 AI-powered cricket matches with realistic gameplay that mirrors live action — from batting styles to fielding dynamics — all generated by advanced algorithms.
What truly sets AI Cricket apart is its end-to-end automation. Everything from match creation to odds generation is fully automated, allowing Operators to run with minimal overhead and maintain a consistent 8% margin, without the need for manual trading.
On the user side, it’s all about engagement. The product supports fantasy-inspired modes and even customisable avatars, offering a highly immersive experience that feels fresh every time. And because it’s always available, it gives Operators a powerful tool to drive retention, even during downtime in the real-world sports calendar.
So AI-Cricket blends innovation with profitability, making it a standout product for today’s cricket-focused iGaming market.
Сricket coverage in Betbazar’s Live Data Feed is described as unique. How broad is the coverage, and what specific advantages does it offer to operators?
Betbazar’s Live Data Feed offers one of the most comprehensive and operator-friendly cricket solutions in the market today. We’re talking about 15,000+ pre-match and over 9,000 live Cricket & Kabaddi Events, and an additional 10,000+ AI Cricket events each year — a scale that ensures operators can engage users year-round.
But what really sets it apart is the quality behind the quantity. Settlement times for top events are incredibly fast, typically within five minutes after the match, giving players confidence and keeping the gaming process flow smooth.
From a technical perspective, we’ve built it for performance, featuring low-latency updates, a high SLA for reliability, and customisable margins that allow Operators to fine-tune their offerings to suit different markets and risk profiles.
In short, it’s a powerful, high-performance data solution designed to meet the fast-paced demands of modern cricket, enabling operators to stay ahead of the game.
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 to build a digital iGaming marketplace that connects creators with operators, accelerating growth through best-in-class products.
The post Betbazar Explores Cricket in iGaming: What Operators Need to Know appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Conferences in Europe
Speaking the Player’s Language: Promatic Group’s Take on Game Localization in CEE
The Prague Gaming & TECH Summit 2025 brought together some of the brightest minds in the iGaming and tech industries – and the conversation didn’t stop when the curtains closed. As this year’s General Sponsor through its Promatic Games brand, Promatic Group made a powerful impact on-stage and behind the scenes. In a dynamic keynote presentation titled “Localizing Slot Games: Does the Central European Player Need Localized Content?”, Maciej Makuszewski, iGaming Director, and Luka Oblak, Head of Product Design, explored how cultural nuances shape player engagement and game performance across regional markets.
Now, post-event, we caught up with Maciej Makuszewski to delve deeper into the topic of localization, player behavior, and what makes content truly resonate in Central and Eastern Europe.
Maciej, your keynote at the Summit offered compelling insights into how culture and language affect game engagement. What do you believe is the biggest misconception about localization in the iGaming industry today?
It is that it is enough to hire a translator of a game to deliver localized content. This is not the end of the road – on the contrary – this is just the beginning. This may sound like saying the sun rises in the east, but I still would say there can be a lot more attention paid to giving games a local touch.
But coming back to translations, nowadays, even at this basic level, we can observe so many pitfalls and mistakes that could have been avoided if people really had the player at the core of their strategy. I guess we are past this time in history of globalization that unified products and content simply entered new markets with no tailoring whatsoever and there was demand for them, because there hadn’t been much of a choice of anything else. We’d like to see companies try harder when they enter new markets. I hope we will become one that actually gets the hyperlocalization just right.
You and Luka presented some standout cases on localized content. Could you share one example that truly surprised your team – either by outperforming expectations or revealing a cultural insight you hadn’t anticipated?
I guess that would be the transformation of a simple fruit game launched as Red Hot Jackpot in Poland, into a rich animations theme game it became in Nigeria. The nigerian version of Red Hot Jackpot is called Naija Wheels and it is the exact the same math model and game logic as Red Hot Jackpot, but what makes it appealing to the local customers of slot halls in Nigeria is its hyperlocal theme. Naija Wheels is a funny story of things you see in Lagos traffic. So instead of a Cherry symbol you have a symbol of a police officer. Instead of a plum symbol, you have an okada driver from Lagos etc.
Very different game themes, same logics, same business effects – the game is a great performing slot in Poland and a superb hit in Nigeria.
In your view, what are the non-negotiables when designing localized slot content for Central and Eastern European markets? Are there elements developers often overlook?
There are so many local markets in the CEE that it is really hard to unify this. But in a nutshell – we know in our region, highly volatile fruit themed games are very popular. Having said that, it is not a surfire way to success. You may want to localize the content even further through cultural and humor references.
The ROI of local-branded slots is often debated. Based on Promatic Group’s experience, when does it make strategic and commercial sense to invest in hyper-local content – and when is it better to focus on broader appeal?
It all depends why you do this and how you measure the ROI. If you measure a single game ROI this might be a trap. It will very much depend on the math model and features of the particular game. Apart from revenue stream, there are also costs to be considered. If we’re talking about a “game reskin” then certification will be something you can optimize and so on. There are numerous ways to tackle this issue. Sometimes you can come up with a hyper local game and just launch it somewhere else to test if it works, which will boost your revenue stream and the total ROI. All in all we are very happy with our local approach and we intend to stick to it.
Let’s talk about the future. With shifting player expectations and tech advancements like AI personalization, how do you see the localization strategy evolving over the next 2–3 years at Promatic Group?
I would expect this hyperlocalization becomes a commodity in the industry. This will also require a lot of human factor so that it is done the right way. AI will speed things up, but I believe that the human touch will be key. We already have amazing tools, but using them the right way is what will make a great difference.
The post Speaking the Player’s Language: Promatic Group’s Take on Game Localization in CEE appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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