“Movers and Shakers” is a dynamic monthly column dedicated to exploring the latest trends, developments, and influential voices in the iGaming industry. Powered by GameOn and supported by HIPTHER, this op-ed series delves into the key players, emerging technologies, and regulatory changes shaping the future of online gaming. Each month, industry experts offer their insights and perspectives, providing readers with in-depth analysis and thought-provoking commentary on what’s driving the iGaming world forward. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or new to the scene, “Movers and Shakers” is your go-to source for staying ahead in the rapidly evolving iGaming landscape.

With the Live Casino landscape continuing to evolve in new and technologically exciting ways, Avanti Studios’ Jonas Delin explains how the use of digital clones is helping a traditionally costly vertical remove its adoption barriers and supply a much more scalable experience for operators

As a multi-billion dollar industry, Live Casino has long been one of the most prized product categories in online gambling. Built on a simple proposition of delivering the trust and spectacle of authentic, dealer-dealt games through the small screen, it’s one of the few verticals that can recreate the thrill of a bricks-and-mortar casino experience in an online environment – but until now, offering such engaging entertainment to players has come at a high price point for operators.

With recent advances in AI and MetaHuman technologies, however, this is starting to change. The movement to replicate real dealers using sophisticated digital clones or replace them entirely with real-time avatars and large language models is gathering pace; and while there are certainly arguments to be made for the benefits of both approaches, Avanti sits firmly in the former camp. In this article, I’ll look to explain why and outline the benefits that our unique approach can bring.

The Suspension Of Disbelief

For Avanti, choosing to work with clones rather than avatars was an easy decision. In our opinion, the moment a player perceives something to be artificial or uncanny, the trust relationship that makes Live Casino so valuable in the first place begins to erode. As such, in order for them to become fully invested in your product, all dealers need to be ultra realistic and completely human-looking. AI-built dealers aren’t quite there yet, but, by their very nature, digital clones are.

In our sophisticated motion capture studio, we record the performance and mannerisms of professionally-trained dealers and use this as the basis for our clones. Brought to life using Unreal Engine and the MetaHuman toolset, they’re then streamed directly into games, providing an experience that’s virtually indistinguishable from the real thing. Cards are also dealt in real time rather than being simulated, with every outcome being shared and dictated by provably fair RNG.

This second point is particularly key to the structural integrity of the live format itself. Real-time dealing – where multiple players make independent decisions against a shared dealer hand – is something that’s not easily replicated by a pre-rendered character, and this constraint currently puts a meaningful ceiling on what pure AI can deliver. At Avanti, there are no such concerns about our approach, helping us provide an authentic experience that all players can truly participate in.

Lower Costs, More Flexibility

Among those in the pro-AI camp, I’ve seen it posited that one of the biggest advantages of using this technology is that it substantially reduces traditional Live Casino costs for operators. While it’s certainly true having generated dealers eliminates set-up fees, removes the need for fixed-term contracts and reduces ongoing overheads, I’d argue Avanti’s approach is equally capable of delivering these competitive benefits without having to compromise on realism or visual fidelity.

Just like AI providers, we also offer a revenue share-only model; and the fact that we use a motion capture studio to create our clones doesn’t have any bearing on the that price operators pay. As opening one table costs just the same as opening 100, we provide an infinite level of scalability that comes with no studio rental, no staffing and no risk of sick days – and the fact that dealer language can be localised at the flick of a switch makes it easy for operators to enter new markets.

In a country like Brazil where Portuguese localisation will be legally mandated, this obviously provides a significant competitive advantage. Rather than scrambling to recruit Portuguese-speaking dealers at pace, we can simply change both the language and appearance of our existing clones to suit local requirements. We can also give operators the scope to open tables at any limits they require, creating a flexible product that can easily adapt to any market conditions.

With Avanti’s games providing the same benefits as their AI-generated counterparts in terms of software economics and scalability, there’s no doubt in my mind that the use of digital clones will have a big role to play in shaping the future of Live Casino. By removing the adoption barriers for operators and giving players a reliable and authentic experience they can trust, our unique approach offers the best of both worlds, helping make the vertical more accessible for everyone.

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“Movers and Shakers” is a dynamic monthly column dedicated to exploring the latest trends, developments, and influential voices in the iGaming industry. Powered by GameOn and supported by HIPTHER, this op-ed series delves into the key players, emerging technologies, and regulatory changes shaping the future of online gaming. Each month, industry experts offer their insights and perspectives, providing readers with in-depth analysis and thought-provoking commentary on what’s driving the iGaming world forward. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or new to the scene, “Movers and Shakers” is your go-to source for staying ahead in the rapidly evolving iGaming landscape.

When the UK’s new tax regime came into force on 1 April 2026, with Remote Gaming Duty rising from 21% to 40%, it was always going to force a reset. The scale of the increase meant this was never going to be treated as a marginal adjustment or another background cost for the industry to absorb quietly. It changed the economics of the market overnight, and with that, it changed the tone of the conversation too.

A month on, that pressure is real. Operators are having to look closely at where value sits, how promotional models hold up, which products justify their place, and where risk is now harder to carry. But if this first month has told us anything, it is that tougher conditions do not make the UK any less important. They simply make the market more revealing.

The UK remains one of the most significant regulated markets in our industry. It is mature, highly visible and intensely competitive, but it is also a market where product quality, commercial discipline and long-term thinking matter. That was true before the tax hike, and it is even more true now. For studios and suppliers, this is not the kind of market to retreat from just because the pressure has increased. It is the kind of market that shows who is serious.

At Gaming Corps, that is very much how we see it. The tax rise has clearly changed the environment operators are working in, but it has not changed our belief in the value of the UK market or in the importance of supporting it properly. If anything, it has sharpened that focus.

Backing the UK today is not just about continuing to supply content into the market as before. It is about understanding what operators now need from their partners. That means recognising that product decisions are under greater scrutiny. It means appreciating that flexibility matters more. And it means accepting that suppliers have a role to play in helping operators build a stronger and more resilient mix.

That support can take different forms. Sometimes it means continuing to invest in slot content that is proven, distinctive and capable of standing out on established casino floors. Sometimes it means bringing forward mechanics, themes and gameplay structures that give operators something genuinely different. And sometimes it means widening the conversation beyond the formats that have dominated for years.

That is one of the reasons why we are excited about Instant Blitz.

Instant Blitz is the first release in a new scratchcard-style series for Gaming Corps, and it reflects the kind of thinking that feels especially relevant in the current UK climate. It is designed as a fast, accessible format that blurs the lines between scratchcard and slot, while also giving operators a low-entry addition to their instant win range. With bets starting from as little as 5p, it offers operators greater flexibility at a time when product balance, player behaviour, and in particular bonus abuse, are under closer scrutiny.

That does not mean one format suddenly solves every challenge created by higher tax. But it does highlight a broader shift. In a tougher environment, innovation needs to be practical. New content has to offer operators real flexibility, not just novelty.

That is how we see Instant Blitz. It is not a departure from our wider portfolio, but part of a broader approach to helping operators build a more varied and adaptable mix. Strong slots still matter, as do distinctive mechanics and recognisable content, but there is also value in formats that widen the offer and support different play patterns.

It also reflects how we see our own future in the UK. We are continuing to invest in operator relationships and expand our portfolio in ways that match the market’s changing needs. The Instant Blitz series will grow from here, with future titles drawing on some of the familiar worlds and characters from across the wider Gaming Corps portfolio.

The first month of the tax hike has undoubtedly added pressure. But pressure also clarifies. It shows which products still make sense, which partnerships matter, and which markets remain worth backing, and the UK is still one of those markets.

By Graham Greensmith, CCO at Gaming Corps

The post Movers and Shakers – Why the UK tax rise has changed the conversation, not the opportunity appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

“Movers and Shakers” is a dynamic monthly column dedicated to exploring the latest trends, developments, and influential voices in the iGaming industry. Powered by GameOn and supported by HIPTHER, this op-ed series delves into the key players, emerging technologies, and regulatory changes shaping the future of online gaming. Each month, industry experts offer their insights and perspectives, providing readers with in-depth analysis and thought-provoking commentary on what’s driving the iGaming world forward. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or new to the scene, “Movers and Shakers” is your go-to source for staying ahead in the rapidly evolving iGaming landscape. 

Gray Wagner, CEO at The Fortune Engine, says that as the boredom threshold of modern players hits an all-time high, Burst Games are emerging as the essential tool for operators to capture attention and keep it.

Traditional slot games, while still a vital component to any online casino lobby, are facing a demographic “cliff”. Why? Because younger, mobile-first audiences have a lower tolerance for long animations and “dead spins”.

The “boredom threshold” of modern igaming has led to a shift from a “session” economy to a “moment” economy where players demand an instant feedback loop from the games they play. Retention is no longer about how long a player stays, but how many action points they hit per minute.

While Burst Games maximise these action points, some operators I speak to are unsure what we actually mean by Burst Games, let alone how they can turbo charge acquisition and retention in the new “action” economy they find themselves competing in.

Defining the Category: What are Burst Games?

Burst Games are more than just mini-games – they are a distinct, high-performance vertical in their own right. Designed to be snackable, they provide short, snappy rounds (often under 10 seconds) that fit into the “interstitial moments” of a player’s day.

They are physics-based and lean heavily on arcade mechanics. Unlike the abstract math of a slot, Burst Games often use familiar “real world” physics making them intuitive and fair in the eyes of the player.

For example, Drop the Boss uses a drop mechanic where the main character tumbles down the gameboard, collecting Prizes and Multipliers along the way, before hitting a “Landing Zone” to determine the final round Multiplier.

This makes them incredibly intuitive and easy to learn – with no complex paytable to study and decipher, the barrier to bet is virtually zero.

Why Your Casino Lobby Needs Burst Games:

Burst Games are all about driving acquisition and retention. This is how their core game feature boost ROI and operational KPIs:

Attract the Non-Gambler – Burst Games bridge the gap between social gaming and iGaming. They attract the video game generation who find 5×3 reel slots repetitive and more “hardcore” casino games like roulette a little too intimidating.

The Sticky Loop – Because rounds are fast, the “just one more” factor is significantly higher than in traditional verticals. This creates a nice, sticky loop of longer session times and repeat play.

Fresh Experience for Veterans – Burst Games are the perfect “palate cleansers” between high-volatility slot sessions to reduce player fatigue and “churn out”. Veteran players are also often looking for new, easy to learn game formats.

Overcoming the “Volume” Objection:

Some of the operators we speak to already understand the Burst format and how it can help them acquire and retain players, especially those lucrative but hard to reach Millennial and Gen Z demographics. But they do show concern that there aren’t enough of these games yet.

At The Fortune Engine, we are working hard to build out a portfolio of titles from a small selection of studios, including Mirror Image Gaming, but this current lack of volume should not stand in the way of operators embracing the format.

In an era of 5,000+ slot titles, volume has actually become noise. Operators don’t necessarily need “more” games, they need higher-performing ones that actually stand out and can be heard by players.

Then there’s the halo effect. One standout Burst Game like Royal Drop can act as a lighthouse, pulling players into the platform who then explore the rest of the ecosystem. There really is a first-mover advantage to be had here but it’s closing fast.

Forward-thinking operators and brands like Stake already offer a small number of Burst Games to their players and are fast becoming known as the go-to destinations for these titles.

It also goes without saying that The Fortune Engine is committed to building out the Burst Game category at a pace that ensures a steady flow of titles for our operator partners.

Future Proofing Without Heavy Technical Lifting:

When considering any new game category, operators rightfully want reassurance as to the ease at which they can integrate said content. This is why The Fortune Engine has made it easy for operators to plug and play Burst Games without overhauling their UI.

Come July 2026, Operators can take a suite of Burst Games from The Fortune Engine ready to fill the new content category. This suite includes a series of proven burst game mechanics including, ‘Drop’ and ‘Vertical’ games, where characters collect prizes and interact with entire worlds with hidden mini games. Content like never before seen in igaming ready for audiences globally.

While volume is relatively low today, the velocity of development in this category is high. And this makes being “Burst ready” a competitive advantage.

The First-Mover Advantage is Now:

The iGaming landscape of 2026 isn’t defined by who has the largest library, but by who has the most relevant one. As player attention spans continue to compress, the “volume objection” rapidly fades in the face of superior engagement metrics.

At The Fortune Engine, we aren’t just adding titles to a list, we are engineering a new vertical designed for the high-velocity player. By integrating Burst Games now, operators aren’t just filling a gap in their portfolio, they’re future-proofing their platform against the demographic shift already underway.

The “action economy” is here. The question is no longer whether you have enough games, but whether you have the right ones to capture the next generation of play. It’s time to stop counting titles and start measuring momentum.

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