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Exclusive Q&A with Vera Motto, Business Development Executive at Habanero
Having signed a raft of new deals and partnerships in recent months across Latin America, we caught up with Habanero’s business development executive for the region, Vera Motto, to get the lowdown on the supplier’s latest market movements.
Habanero’s certainly signed a lot of deals recently! Can you take us through your recent LatAm successes?
We’re delighted to be live on some of LatAm’s biggest brands, including BetJuego, Ganabet and Big Bola. We will also go live shortly with DoradoBet, expanding our reach in Peru, where we are already live with a number of key players, including Apuesta Total.
These latest deals cap a string of comprehensive agreements with major regional operators such as Salsa, LatamWin and Codere, with plenty of plans for entering new territories together on the table. It’s fantastic to see how far we’ve come in our short time on the continent and we’ll keep that momentum going forward with a range of exciting deals and market entries on the horizon.
Has the regulation of Colombia’s iGaming market set an example for other countries in the region to follow?
Without a doubt. Coljuegos has done a brilliant job of regulating a complex market, creating a safe and open environment with a competitive tax rate. The pro-active approach taken by the regulator has paved the way for a productive dialogue between operators, suppliers and the authorities.
In fact, even in the middle of the pandemic, Coljuegos managed to create entirely new online regulatory frameworks for live casino, scratchcards and bingo – which I’m sure no others can claim to have done! For us certainly, this demonstrated a willingness to go above and beyond in ensuring that operators are equipped with a diverse set of revenue streams, preserving a lucrative market for the local economy amid testing circumstances. We’re thrilled to see such commitment.
Apart from Colombia, which LatAm markets are the ones to watch in 2020?
The city of Buenos Aires and Panama are the two most likely to enter the online domain next; both with sports betting and casino. Puerto Rico’s regulator has also recently appointed Gaming Laboratories International as an advisor, with the jurisdiction likely to finalise the process in the coming months.
Elsewhere, plenty of jurisdictions have pending regulation, with Brazil certainly looking the most promising. Although, even more exciting for us at the moment is Mexico. The market holds a wealth of opportunity, and we’ve only started to make our mark across such a rich and diverse country – and we look forward to solidifying our presence there over the coming months with major local providers.
Do you anticipate entering any of those markets, or launching further LatAm-oriented products?
Absolutely. We expect to enter Argentina and Panama as soon as regulation allows, with Brazil also on Habanero’s long-term radar. When it comes to games, it has been our experience that what works globally also works best in LatAm. A successful game performs well anywhere, and that’s exactly what we’ve observed with international hits such as Egyptian Dreams Deluxe and Hot Hot Fruit.
That’s not to say that localised content isn’t effective too. Our Mexican-themed title, 5 Mariachis, has performed fantastically on the continent, as have games with Asian themes, most likely due to the historic linkages between the two cultures.
Has LatAm’s gaming industry been affected by COVID-19 in broadly the same way as other territories? Or have you observed differing impacts?
Geographically speaking, the impact of COVID-19 on our industry has been consistent across the board. An increase in online gaming traffic has been an internationally observed trend, due in large part to the near universal closure of land-based and retail outlets.
One potential difference I may expect in the future is a varied retention rate, mostly due to a larger part of the population being unfamiliar with online gaming before the lockdown compared to Europe or other areas. As part of this, we’re very excited to be stepping up to the challenge of converting a whole demographic of land-based players – and we stand ready to equip our operator partners with everything they need to boost player engagement.
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The award-winning game studio will deliver titles to players in the UK, Canada and Latin America
Playson, the accomplished digital entertainment supplier, has forged a major global content deal with Light & Wonder to significantly enhance the reach of its extensive games portfolio.
This landmark agreement will enable Light & Wonder’s expansive operator network across the UK, Canada, and Latin America to gain access to Playson’s engaging offering.
UK-based operator Dazzletag Entertainment Ltd was the first to go live with the studio’s creative releases last month, with SUPERCHARGED CLOVERS: HOLD AND WIN and 3 POTS RICHES: HOLD AND WIN launched across its online casino brands.
Light & Wonder’s content marketplace is utilised by some of the biggest operator brands from across the globe, providing them with access to more than 3,500 games from a host of third-party studios to allow them to build personalised, mobile-ready player experiences and stay ahead of regulatory changes.
The partnership signifies the strength of Playson’s reputation as a respected and highly sought-after provider to operators globally, as the rising demand for its games looks set to take the studio to new heights for 2025.
Blanka Homor, Sales Director at Playson, said: “Our deal with Light & Wonder is a major milestone in our strategic roadmap, as we embark on the next chapter of our global growth. This agreement expands our reach and allows us to deliver our appealing titles to new operators and players.
“The launch of our titles across Dazzletag’s two brands is a great start, and we are confident this relationship will further elevate our presence in the ever-evolving online casino space.”
Steve Mayes, Senior Director of Partnerships at Light & Wonder, said: “We are delighted to be working with such a highly respected digital entertainment provider and deliver their portfolio to our network. This strengthens our commitment to offering operators the best game releases available.
“We look forward to other successful launches in 2025, as we continue to support our operators with diverse content.”
The post Playson signs agreement with Light & Wonder in global distribution deal appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
NorthStar Gaming Holdings Inc. announced that the company has, subject to final approval of the TSX Venture Exchange, entered into a credit agreement (the “Credit Agreement”) in respect of a senior secured first lien term loan facility providing for loans in an aggregate principal amount of up to $43.4 million CAD (being the approximate equivalent of $30,000,000 USD) (the “Credit Facility”) to be made available by Beach Point Capital Management LP (“Beach Point”). Playtech plc (“Playtech”) and certain Playtech subsidiaries have agreed to provide credit support for certain obligations under the Credit Facility. The Credit Facility represents a significant milestone for NorthStar, strengthening its balance sheet and enabling the Company to continue to accelerate its growth initiatives.
“This is a pivotal moment for NorthStar, marking the largest financing in our history. This Credit Facility strengthens our balance sheet and directly supports our ability to scale operations and drive the business towards profitability with a single-minded focus. We are grateful to Beach Point Capital Management for their trust in our strategy and vision. We are also thankful for Playtech’s steadfast partnership which was instrumental in securing this funding, reinforcing their value both strategically and as a technology provider,” said Michael Moskowitz, Chair and CEO of NorthStar.
“Beach Point has deep experience investing across the gaming sector and is excited to partner with NorthStar to support their strategic initiatives. The online gaming sector has been growing rapidly, and this investment reflects our confidence in the Company’s leadership, market potential, and ability to deliver long-term sustainable growth. Likewise, we value the partnership with Playtech, who are contributing their leading technology, global reach, and strategic vision towards NorthStar’s continued success,” said Gabriel Fineberg, Managing Director at Beach Point.
The purpose of the Credit Facility is to support NorthStar’s continued growth by significantly strengthening the Company’s balance sheet. The Company will use the proceeds of loans made pursuant to the Credit Facility: (i) to repay the aggregate $9.5 million CAD principal amount (plus accrued interest) loaned to the Company by Playtech pursuant to unsecured, interest-bearing promissory notes dated April 25, 2024, September 13, 2024 and December 16, 2024; (ii) to fund an interest reserve account in respect of the Credit Facility in an amount equal to $7,000,000 CAD; (iii) for working capital and general corporate purposes; and (iv) to pay transaction costs in connection with the Credit Facility.
The post NorthStar Gaming Announces $43.4 Million Long-Term Debt Financing appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Blanka Homor Sales Director at Playson
Playson strengthens Canadian footprint with Titanplay partnership
Playson, the established digital entertainment supplier, has secured its latest partnership in Canada after launching its games portfolio with rising iGaming operator Titanplay.
After obtaining its Ontario licence and going live in June earlier last year, Titanplay has made impressive strides in a short space of time with its online casino offering resonating with players across the province.
The agreement sees Playson support Titanplay’s ongoing expansion across Ontario with the supplier’s industry-renowned Hold and Win portfolio now available on the operator’s website, integrated via Relax Gaming’s aggregation platform.
Titles including Coin Strike: Hold and Win, Diamonds Power: Hold and Win and Pink Joker: Hold and Win will enable players to enjoy a feature-led, captivating gameplay experience and expand Titanplay’s rapidly expanding portfolio.
Playson’s latest tie-up underlines its intent of further establishing its brand within Ontario after successfully entering the Canadian province back in 2022. The provider’s industry-renowned portfolio continues to drive long-term value for operators worldwide.
Blanka Homor, Sales Director at Playson, said: “We are proud of the footprint we have established in Ontario with local players truly appreciating the Playson experience. Partnering with an exciting name in the region like Titanplay allows us to accelerate our progress and bring our premium offering to an increased pool of players.
“We look forward to gauging the response from Titanplay enthusiasts and watching this partnership grow from strength to strength.”
Titanplay management commented: “At Titanplay, we pride ourselves with working with industry-renowned names and partnering with Playson seamlessly fits into our plans of becoming a household name in Ontario and across Canada.
“Our portfolio will undoubtedly be elevated by Playson’s Hold and Win collection, offering players a dynamic offering of feature-filled, graphically advanced titles.”
The post Playson strengthens Canadian footprint with Titanplay partnership appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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