Interviews
Exclusive CEE interview with Evoplay Entertainment
With the CEE region no doubt set to be one of Europe’s biggest growth stories this year, we caught up with Evoplay Entertainment’s CBDO, Vladimir Malakchi, to talk through the region’s demographics, opportunities and hottest markets through 2021 and beyond.
The CEE region has become an increasingly important factor for growth on the continent, which markets do you see being the main drivers?
It’s all about the big-hitters that have an established framework in place, whether that be Bulgaria, Romania, Lithuania, Croatia or any of the other regulated markets. What we’ve seen in the last few years has been exponential in terms of growth, and that’s undoubtedly a good thing. Solid, concise frameworks that allow a safe and level playing field for both player and operator has created a wide berth of entry for multiple international brands across the region. Given the windfall on revenue for governments, rather than seeing GGR go offshore, will undoubtedly prove to be a good thing for local economies, and has already proven to be a significant contributor to national budgets.
In hand with that development comes a surge in the quality of gaming available – as well as a more advanced menu of entertainment experiences – whether that be table games, instant games or slots. I’m fully confident that the advantages of a safe, regulated market will continue to be felt by countries that have established a steady GGR growth rate and a favourable environment for doing business.
In general, how would you define the typical CEE player’s profile towards slots, instant and table games? What kind of entertainment are players looking for?
The typical CEE player mainly shares characteristics with those you’d find elsewhere in Europe. Having said that, the transition to online has indeed come later than in the West, so it is inevitable that we see games that have a lot in common with the land-base sector to appeal to players. We’re also seeing plenty of interest in instant games (especially when it comes to our stable of titles), which I believe to be a massive growth area. Why? The clue’s in the name – they give players a chance to enjoy instant entertainment, lighting-fast game rounds and a quickfire result.
Are there any particular territories that stand out for you as having a unique player demographic?
While we’re certainly not a brand that believes in a ‘one size fits all’ approach when it comes to global delivery, from personal experience I can say that the extent that one sees unique player demographics vary from country to country is relatively minimal. A greater factor that shapes delivery of product, and in effect defining the demographics of the players you deliver to in each market – is the infrastructure and accessibility. For example, with rural or highland areas, slower internet speeds are inevitable and therefore require more adaptable content that can either be leveraged via game engines to enhance the download speed, or alternatively through the application of light technical requirements for the game itself.
Having said that, CEE is digitising at an impressively fast pace. Heavy investment in high-speed broadband coverage can be observed throughout Europe, with 86% of the Czech Republic’s rural locations now connected to the internet, for instance, while Romania (as I’m sure any citizen there will be fast to tell you), has one of the fastest internet speeds in the world!
How should operators in the region be looking to tailor / customise their content to further drive retention and engagement?
There’s really no substitute for analysing the market in depth. That means closely studying the preferences of local players and the state-of-play for any potential competitors. Operators who get that process right can adapt their offering accordingly, thus driving revenue in the long-term.
We know that while session durations are relatively consistent across Europe, the average stake value is not. This is especially the case in the CEE region, where arguably the economic fallout from COVID-19 can be felt harder than most, which requires a gaming experience that can provide extended entertainment without draining player’s bank balances in minutes. This is especially the case for what is a hugely tech-savvy demographic – who are far more discerning than many outsiders would assume – and therefore require a solid product with the maths to back it up. Success here is all about authenticity, and players will recognise a lack of it from a mile off.
Gamification’s going to be a hot topic in the months ahead given the need for entertainment – as a market expert, what types of features do you believe will be key in 2021?
Tournaments are very strong right now – and formats that allow players to compete against each other in real time are going to be a mainstay in gaming development this year. I see this as being indicative that providing players with an additional sense of competition, such as pitting players against players through formats like multiplayer gameplay, is a whole new level of gamification in itself that can do wonders for making your products more interesting for your audience locked down at home.
I’m particularly excited about what multiplayer can offer, and we’re taking this area very seriously. They’re going to be a serious asset when it comes to providing an additional dimension of gameplay. Combine that with faster rounds with instant games (which are very hot right now), as well as the opportunity for more varied stakes – and you have a lightning-fast experience that can create a hugely exciting betting environment and really drive engagement and retention.
Ukraine of course is going to be very closely watched – how would you rate the regulation process so far and do you believe we’re on track to go live by mid-next year?
We’ve seen good progress in Ukraine since July last year when online gambling was officially made legal – and the government has been working hard to get a regulatory framework in place, with a commission already formed to monitor the issuing of licenses to casino operators.
It is also expected that the number of licences that the authorities choose to grant will be limited – this, just like we’ve recently seen in Argentina, means that we have a queue of foreign operators waiting for certification, and I predict will start seeing the results show in around six months. I look forward to contributing towards the creation of a safe and regulated gaming environment for all, as well as seeing the benefits that gaming revenue will bring to our national economy – just as it has for other regulated CEE territories. The future is certainly looking bright!
And last but not least, are there any leading figures or businesses you can recommend to our readers for 2021 inspiration?
The biggest source of inspiration to me personally continues to be the fantastic team of staff we’ve got right here at Evoplay Entertainment. The tremendous success we’ve enjoyed as a company drives me to strive for more, and I genuinely believe that when we work together as a company, there is almost nothing we can’t achieve.
Don’t be afraid to take inspiration from your own accomplishments, no matter how large or small. It’s a reminder that your greatest days lie ahead – something that’s particularly important to remember in the current circumstances!
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customer service
Cultural nuance: Localising customer service for Latin America
By Giuseppe Barbanera, Head of Commercial LATAM at Games Global
In an industry that prides itself on global reach, it is easy to assume that scale alone guarantees success. But in iGaming, “global” should never mean uniform.
The markets we serve are not interchangeable and nowhere is this clearer than in Latin America.
Too often, companies attempt to replicate European or US customer service models across every region, assuming efficiency and standardisation will translate universally.
In reality, operating across multiple regions does not necessarily mean the same model applied everywhere will succeed. In practice, success depends on how well strategies are adapted to each market.
A strategy that works effectively in Europe or the US can fall flat in Latin America if it does not consider cultural nuances and the way people prefer to communicate and build trust.
The real question for our industry is not whether we can operate globally, but whether we are willing to adapt locally. Are we prepared to meet markets on their own terms?
While iGaming is international in scope, when it comes to customer service and account management, there is no universal rule of thumb. Each region brings its own business culture and has its own expectations.
Understanding those differences is essential to building lasting partnerships. Ignore this, and you risk missing the full potential of high-growth markets. Latin America exemplifies this particularly strongly.
The region is expanding rapidly and offers significant opportunities with its own distinct dynamics and pace of development.
Different regions require different approaches, and success depends on adopting a much more hands-on and adaptable approach that reflects local market conditions.
Relationships and trust form the foundation of business, and partners value time, presence and consistency.
Account management is not just about supporting day-to-day operations; there is a heavy focus on guiding partners through regulatory change while tailoring solutions that reflect both cultural preferences and player behaviour.
Cultural nuance therefore plays a key role in building strong partnerships. Speaking the same language and recognising local customs helps create genuine connections.
These small but important touchpoints turn business conversations into personal relationships, which in turn build trust and make collaboration much easier, ensuring strategies are more relevant and effective.
After all, a business is built by people, and if you were choosing a partner, would you not favour one who has taken the time to understand your culture and values?
Flexibility and empathy are equally important. While priorities may vary by market, balancing efficiency with strong communication and collaboration is key everywhere.
In Latin America, dialogue and relationship-building play an especially important role. Operators and partners want to know their challenges are understood and that the solutions offered reflect their business needs and are tailored to the local market.
That means technical expertise is not enough. True success comes from being culturally aware and having the willingness to adapt global models to fit local needs, rather than forcing local markets to adapt to global models.
Having a presence on the ground also makes a tangible difference. Local teams and studios provide direct insight into shifting trends, regulations and player preferences.
The proximity allows companies to respond quickly, whether by launching content that resonates with global audiences, tailoring campaigns to local celebrations, or helping partners navigate evolving compliance requirements.
Combining global scale with a local presence enables support that feels both relevant and reliable.
What we see in Latin America is that customer service is never a one-size-fits-all exercise. It is shaped by people just as much as by products.
By listening to local perspectives, investing in relationships and embracing cultural nuance, customer service becomes more than problem-solving and becomes a driver of long-term growth.
That is the difference between being just another supplier and a true partner.
The region rewards those who take the time to listen, adapt and connect, and as Latin America continues to grow and mature, cultural understanding will remain a defining factor in the most successful collaborations.
The post Cultural nuance: Localising customer service for Latin America appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
ChatBet
Betting at the Speed of Chat
As legacy sportsbooks struggle with ‘search and click’ fatigue, Josh Swerdlow, Founder and CEO of ChatBet, says the next industry titan will win by owning the conversational intent layer where billions of users already live.
Why is the current sportsbook UX struggling to keep up with modern tech?
It comes down to legacy debt. Current sportsbook apps are just digital spreadsheets – grids from the 1990s that have been optimised for desktop and not mobile-first intuition. With the majority of sportsbooks, users are forced through deep menus and endless scrolling, creating a “hurdle race” for every transaction. This leads to cognitive overload – while hardcore bettors might tolerate the clutter, casual punters encounter analysis paralysis and this usually leads to betslip abandonment. As user behaviour shifts from “search and click” to “intent and fulfilment”, and against a backdrop of spiraling acquisition costs and high levels of churn, this is really putting the squeeze on operator profitability and ultimately long-term sustainability.
What do you mean when you say we are moving from “search and click” to “intent and fulfilment” and what does this mean for online sportsbooks?
In a “search and click” world, the user does the heavy lifting – navigating deep menus and grids just to find a single market. “Intent and fulfillment” flips that script. It’s the shift from a user searching for a bet to simply commanding it. If a consumer can book a five-star hotel in Rome by sending a single text, they naturally expect to back their favorite team with the same level of ease. For the operator, this means the sportsbook evolves into a high-powered back-end utility – the engine – while the messaging interface becomes the front-of-mind “steering wheel”. By moving away from the friction of standalone apps and capturing intent directly within WhatsApp or Telegram, operators stop being a destination the user has to find and start being a conversation the user is already having.
How does conversational betting actually chance user behaviour and crush the conversion funnel?
Traditional betting can take between 10 to 12 steps and up to 60 seconds – a solution like ChatBet reduces that to a single text or voice note and ten seconds or less. It also shifts the player from architect to director – instead of manually building complex parlays by scrolling through 50+ toggles, the user simply asks the AI to “Build a safe 3-leg parlay for the United game” and then confirms the wager. The result? Data from a ChatBet pilot shows an 82% drop in time-to-bet and a 28% increase in conversion rates.
From an operator’s perspective, is this a rip and replace of the current technology or is it much easier to implement than that?
Conversational betting solutions such as ChatBet are an orchestration layer, not a replacement. Our solution literally plugs into existing APIs. This also helps from a regulatory and compliance perspective, with core functions such as KYC, wallet management and responsible gambling triggers remaining securely within the operator’s existing stack. This allows for overnight modernisation – operators can update their UX for the “TikTok generation” without the multi-year cost of rebuilding their entire core tech.
Why is intent data now considered the ultimate competitive moat?
It’s about context over clicks. Traditional trackers show where the user clicked but conversational data reveals exactly what they want in their own words. Then there’s the network effect – every interaction trains the AI on local slang, fan sentiment and individual patterns and preferences. This provides operators with an insurmountable defence. A competitor can copy your odds, but they cannot easily clone a refined, high-context relationship with millions of users.
Why is this a billion-dollar venture-scale opportunity right now?
Viral distribution. Conversation betting piggybacks on billions of WhatsApp and Telegram users to allow operators to solve the skyrocketing customer acquisition cost crisis they face. There’s also the retention advantage, with messaging-native users showing a 35% higher day-30 retention rate because the interface is “always on”. What’s more, chat-based betting allows for “nudge” technology and lower-friction, smaller-stake engagement, which aligns with 2026 global regulatory shifts toward safer play.
Predictions markets are throwing the sports betting industry into chaos. How does conversational betting help traditional operators get in on the action?
Prediction markets are exploding because they tap into the “stock market of everything” but for traditional operators, these markets are often too complex to display in a standard grid and too intimidating for the average punter to navigate. Conversational betting bridges this gap by acting as a natural language translator for complex binary contracts. Instead of forcing a user to decipher order books or probability curves, a chat interface allows them to simply trade on their opinions, like the weather or political shifts, as easily as sending a text. Because chat has “unlimited shelf space”, operators can offer an infinite array of niche markets without clogging their app’s UI. Ultimately, it turns prediction markets from a niche financial product into a social, real-time experience, capturing “hot takes” in WhatsApp or Telegram and instantly converting them into priced, compliant transactions.
If this shift is as inevitable as you say, what is the one thing legacy operators need to do right now to avoid becoming the ‘Blockbuster’ of the betting industry?
They need to stop thinking about their “app” and start thinking about their “API”. The battle for the customer has moved off the home screen and into the chat thread. Right now, the opportunity is to be the first mover in the conversational space – to own the “intent layer” before it becomes the industry standard. The winners of 2026 won’t be the ones with the loudest marketing, but the ones who make placing a bet as easy as telling a friend who you think will win.
The post Betting at the Speed of Chat appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
bets
TQJ bets on entertainment and responsible gaming in Brazil’s regulated market
Backed by Grupo Silvio Santos, founded by Silvio Santos, the company aims to position itself as a platform that goes beyond traditional betting.
In an interview during BiS SiGMA South America, Fernando Justos Fischer, CEO of TQJ, detailed the company’s strategic pillars, the sector’s challenges and its long-term vision for the Brazilian market.
According to Fischer, the current moment is one of consolidation in the regulated market.
The expectation is that the sector will move toward more mature discussions, focusing on compliance, sustainability and user protection.
In this context, the event is seen as a strategic space for alignment between operators, regulators and partners, driving more structured growth.
TQJ’s strategy is based on three main pillars: strengthening brand and distribution by leveraging the group’s assets; a data-driven operation focused on efficient acquisition and sustainable retention; and responsible gaming as a core principle of the business.
All of this, according to the executive, is supported by technology and intelligence applied to the user experience.
The backing of Grupo Silvio Santos is highlighted as a key competitive advantage.
For Fischer, the combination of credibility, scale and expertise in entertainment allows TQJ to position itself as an accessible, trustworthy brand with a strong connection to the Brazilian audience.
The goal is to lead the market in trust and responsibility.
In a highly competitive environment, the company is focusing on integrating proprietary distribution, gamified experiences and the intensive use of data and artificial intelligence for personalization.
Fischer notes that competitive advantage will increasingly lie in retention, supported by advanced CRM, engagement mechanics and solid responsible gaming practices.
During the event, this positioning was also demonstrated in practice.
Bet do Milhão came to life in a live game show format, directly connecting entertainment and betting. The activation generated engagement and reinforced the company’s value proposition.
Among the main challenges in the Brazilian market, Fischer highlights the need to build a sustainable environment amid intense competition, as well as the importance of educating consumers and combating illegal operators.
He states that operators with discipline, governance and a long-term vision will have a competitive advantage.
In terms of responsible gaming, TQJ already implements tools such as deposit limits, self-exclusion, behavioral monitoring and active communication with users.
The company adopts a preventive and continuous approach that goes beyond regulatory compliance.
This monitoring is carried out through real-time behavioral analysis, enabling the identification of risk patterns and allowing for fast and precise interventions.
Fischer emphasizes that the company aims to go beyond regulatory requirements, viewing responsible gaming as both a competitive differentiator and an institutional commitment.
Artificial intelligence plays a central role in the operation. In marketing, it is used for campaign optimization, prediction and content generation.
In product, it supports the continuous evolution of the user experience. In security, it strengthens analysis and protection systems.
Additionally, AI enables deeper integration between entertainment and betting, creating more interactive and personalized experiences.
Features such as real-time personalization and gamified mechanics are already part of the company’s roadmap.
Even so, Fischer stresses that there is a clear limit when it comes to personalization: user protection. All strategies must operate within responsible parameters, without encouraging risky behavior.
In summary, the CEO defines TQJ’s role in this new phase of the market as a platform capable of connecting entertainment and betting in Brazil with responsibility, technology and trust.
The post TQJ bets on entertainment and responsible gaming in Brazil’s regulated market appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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