Connect with us

Interviews

“The industry needs a matchmaker that can identify each company’s potential”: Exclusive interview with Betbazar CEO

Published

on

Reading Time: 5 minutes

 

Alexandr Iaroshenko, CEO of the industry’s matchmaker, Betbazar, discusses the importance of choosing the right partner, as well as the key trends shaping supply and demand in the industry right now. Hint – Esports is set to do particularly well!  

To introduce Betbazar to our readers, can you tell us a bit about yourself and what you do?

The idea for Betbazar came to me after working with BetGenius for eight years, I gained a great deal of insight into the needs of the modern sports betting company.

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

Quite often, the real challenge for suppliers is to understand feedback from the operator and it was our vision to be a company that can solve those issues by connecting the right operators and the right suppliers together. The industry needs a matchmaker that can identify each company’s potential and connect them to their mutual benefit. Our aim is to be a go-to expert on what suppliers are on the market, what products are available and what can be found beyond the face value.

Our supplier partners have everything operators need to hand. We span engagement, odds feeds, KYC processes and platforms with a view to expanding on this, all with unmatched efficiency from our vast understanding of the sector. The potential for synergy with this business model is limitless.

How does Betbazar fit into the overall gaming ecosystem? What can you bring to the table for suppliers and operators as a ‘matchmaker’?

We dig deep into what a company offers and identify its pain points. We figure out where it could be stronger and present a solution that is actually relevant for them. When a business has been working with the same product for a number of years it can be easy to get complacent and not try different approaches that could work better. There is so much noise in the industry with everyone offering solutions, but more often than not these aren’t the right fit for your company and its challenges. We cut through the noise and hand over the correct partner for a specific solution. You can never underestimate the power of having an outside consultant’s view on how to improve your processes.

When we first got started, it actually surprised us to learn that this isn’t just a problem for small companies, but for big ones too. It is easy for a business of any size to fall into this kind of rut. Our success, especially in the last year has inspired a strong sense of trust from our partners. This has been essential for growing our business and has allowed us to forge reliable long-lasting business relationships between operators and suppliers.

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

Take us through the Betbazar process – how does the process work and how can you help generate true operational success for your partners?

Our process has a two-pronged approach, with the first being situational. If we take last year as an example, when COVID hit there was a definite need for an eagle eye of the industry and we were prepared to offer this. We helped companies to adapt and scale quickly and get back to innovating rather than being stagnant during that period. What became clear was that amid so much uncertainty, there was a great deal of opportunity given the quality of the research and data that we had to hand. As a result, Betbazar grew 400% during this period.

The second approach is geographical. We analyse regions and locations based on what’s needed in those specific locations. We have had a lot of success in CIS and Europe, but we’ve also identified markets that are of strong interest including LatAm and the US. As well as that, we’re keeping an eye on Asia and looking forward to seeing more regulation there.

We then assemble a portfolio of products that work for each region and liaise with our international network of experts who help identify challenges and advise on rollout. All the while, we are in constant contact with our clients to finetune the offering so we’re able to propose a real silver bullet solution.

Given the last 12 month’s events – how essential do you see it to have companies like yours that can truly match interested parties together?

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

When the pandemic started, operators needed solutions fast. We had our understanding and perception of how sports punters would react to the lack of sport. With this in mind, we immediately identified products that could work and solve those issues, including Esports.

We knew Esports would be a great performer with high-velocity action that could keep the excitement going and filling the sports gap. Many clients were toying around with the idea of Esports for years but not really getting anywhere. We saw the Esports phenomenon coming and when our clients decided that was the route they wanted to go down, we were able to set them up with Esports solutions immediately. We made sure that revenue kept coming in and this challenging time became a very lucrative one for our clients.

While I obviously can’t say too much about exact operations, it is fair to say that we were key to the rise in Esports over last year. So much so, it’s one of the reasons we enjoyed a record-breaking 400% annual growth and why so many of our clients see us as a true guiding light now.

What are you seeing in terms of trends and demand for products? With the industry evolving so rapidly at this time, what’s key for supply and adoption?

Well, given what we have seen in the last year, I think that Esports is here to stay. In fact, I think it will be key in many corners of the industry. There is plenty of room for development and growth.

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

As we are committed to diversifying our products, Esports will certainly play a big role in that development as we branch out. We are also assembling a new armoury of products that power engagement and retention – and which I believe will offer a serious boost to any operator looking to capitalise on this summer’s action.

Looking to the future – our vision is to cover the full sports betting ecosystem, applying different platforms to our offering and payments, in particular, will be integral to that expansion. Start-ups and industry disruptors are one area we find especially interesting. Helping these businesses to scale their product and taking their vision to the market is an exciting prospect for us.

How much is the changing regulatory environment across Europe going to affect how operators procure and integrate third-party products?

Esports is still in its infancy so we’re expecting to see enhanced regulations around that area and looking out for ways that we can upgrade. Regulators are still only starting to understand how it works from a betting perspective. There is yet to be a great deal of evolution in this market and our products will help our partners navigate restrictions will engaging players.

Ukraine is a good example of how Esports has already evolved, as it was recognised as an official sport. This development with federated teams allows us to approach whole new areas where we can offer solutions – and I’m very excited by the scope that can be achieved.

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

Another challenge we are investing plenty of energy into at the moment is that live-betting is being restricted in France and Spain with punters being unable to bet on the next 15 minutes of live-action. We’re working hard to put together a list of engaging products that circumvent that given how profitable high-velocity and instantaneous betting are becoming – while also ensuring we stay regulation-friendly.

Last but not least, what products do you see being in hot demand this summer and beyond by your operator partners? What should our readers be keeping an eye on?

From what I can see, the market has passed the COVID challenge. We’re now past the reaction stage and now it’s time to find new ways to engage and excite customers this summer.

My advice would be to look for suppliers that can make you agile, more engaging and faster. Our supplier Betegy is a good example of this. They’re able to deploy AI to completely automate global marketing campaigns, which saves the likes of Parimatch days in operational time. Such actions can truly revolutionise a company’s operations and make them a market leader.

KYC is another area that is important to invest in. No customer wants to wait days before they get their winnings. The end customer will only ever be satisfied with instant payment in this case so we’re working hard to ensure payments can be processed in 15 mins at the latest. This will always help companies to prosper.

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

 

 

 

Powered by WPeMatico

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)
Continue Reading
Advertisement

Interviews

The UX Revolution: Why Gaming Corps’ Website Redesign Reflects the Industry’s Digital Shift

Published

on

the-ux-revolution:-why-gaming-corps’-website-redesign-reflects-the-industry’s-digital-shift
Reading Time: 3 minutes

How Gaming Corps’ Website Redesign Mirrors the Industry’s Shift Toward Seamless Digital Journey

The online gaming industry is a whirlwind of constant change, and to stay ahead, companies must evolve their digital presence. Juha Kauppinen, CEO of Gaming Corps, explains why the company’s recent website redesign was more than a simple visual update. It was a strategic move to better reflect the company’s growth, showcase its expanded portfolio, and create a seamless digital experience for partners and stakeholders.

 

 

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

What prompted the decision to redesign the website?

We had clearly come to a natural point in Gaming Corps’ growth, so the need for a redesign just naturally became obvious.

We’ve had many new game releases, record-breaking quarters, and the launch of our Remote Gaming Server, so it became clear to the team that we needed a website which better reflected who we are today.

It wasn’t just about a fresh look, it was about making it easier for partners to explore what we offer and connect with us in a more intuitive, seamless way.

 

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

How does the new site better reflect who you are as a business today compared to a year or two ago?

A year or two ago, we were still finding our footing and growing our portfolio.

But today, we’re a more established, ambitious company with a clear identity and vision. The new site reflects that shift – it’s more polished, more dynamic, and built to showcase not just our games, but our capabilities as a partner and platform provider.

 

What were the most important improvements you wanted to make during the redesign — and why were they important for your users or partners?

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

We wanted to ensure the website reflected how we present ourselves as a modern, innovative studio.

So, we now have a more modern, user-friendly design and a UX that’s more intuitive. What this means is that the site is easier to use, whether you’re a client, partner or stakeholder.

Speaking of partners, it’s now easier for them to understand what we do and explore our games.

We’re very proud of the Gaming Corps portfolio, so now we can showcase it much better, with clearer vertical distinctions between our Mine, Smash4Cash and Plinko games, etc.

When it comes to us as a company, we can now highlight our careers section to support our drive for talent acquisition and to keep growing our fantastic team.

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

Finally, the new site also gives more prominence to our investor relations, reflecting our position as a listed company and offering clarity on that.

 

Were there any common pain points, feedback, or gaps in the old site that influenced your approach to the new one?

The main product offering wasn’t clear to partners or visitors. The site design felt outdated and more suited to an early-stage company, and those days are long behind us now.

Our investor relations content wasn’t visible or prioritised enough, considering that we’re a PLC, and existing partners weren’t highlighted.

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

The old site just didn’t reflect who we are, what we do and what we can do. The new one does all of those things.

 

How important is your website today in terms of attracting or informing potential partners, clients, or stakeholders? Has that role changed in recent years?

Our website has become a much more important touchpoint for us, especially as we’ve grown internationally and have expanded what we offer to our B2B clients.

Our site is often the first chance we get to make an impression on potential partners or stakeholders, so it needs to communicate who we are, what we offer, and where we’re going.

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

The role of our website has evolved – it’s no longer just a digital brochure; it’s a core part of how we connect and do business.

 

What would you say to other companies in the B2B iGaming space thinking about refreshing their digital presence?

Don’t underestimate the impact of a strong digital presence, because it’s more than just visuals.

It’s about clarity, usability, and showing your value at a glance.

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

Also, involve your people from across the company early on, as this helps create something that truly reflects your brand and speaks to your audience.

The post The UX Revolution: Why Gaming Corps’ Website Redesign Reflects the Industry’s Digital Shift appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Continue Reading

Interviews

Scale isn’t everything: Why agility is the new advantage in live casino

Published

on

scale-isn’t-everything:-why-agility-is-the-new-advantage-in-live-casino
Reading Time: 3 minutes

Live casino’s rise has been meteoric, but the recent slowdown at the top end of the market suggests the next phase of growth won’t come from scale alone. As the sector matures, Ady Totah, CEO at LuckyStreak, explains why agility, hands-on management and a sharper product focus are fast becoming the new competitive edge.

 

There is a perception that the biggest live casino providers are the most capable. Is bigger always better?

It’s easy to assume that the biggest brands automatically deliver the best service, but with scale comes complexity. For larger organisations, adding new features or reacting to a regulatory update can take weeks or even months, especially when decisions span multiple time zones or teams have long approval chains.

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

At LuckyStreak, while we’re an established business with a large, dedicated workforce at our live dealer studio in Riga, our management team remains intentionally small and hands-on. In many ways, we operate more like a start-up, with fast, focused leadership at the core.

Myself and my co-founder Erez Cywier are closely involved in the day-to-day operations. This proximity shortens decision making processes, speeds up product assessments and empowers us to act quickly. We’re not tied down by long-winded protocols or bureaucracy.

A perfect example of this agility came when we saw an opportunity in the growing sweepstakes market. We already had the foundations but needed to adapt quickly. In just one quarter, we delivered compliant user interfaces, multi-coin virtual currency systems and configured both our own live games and third-party content to meet the unique needs of the sweepstakes audience. This is the kind of rapid pivot that is only possible when your decision-makers are hands-on.

 

How do boutique providers keep product planning sharp and strategic?

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

Knowing what matters and prioritising ruthlessly is what allows smaller providers to remain competitive in the market, when faced with more established, Tier 1 names. Speed, however, does not mean shortcuts.

We are sharpening our performance across the board and ensuring our roadmap gives us the flexibility to act when new opportunities arise. Effective product planning is all about focus. That means tuning out the industry noise, resisting trends for the sake of trends, and asking: what delivers real impact for our partners?

While some companies struggle under the weight of large and inflexible roadmaps, we have the luxury of being selective in what we build, and that makes our product roadmap  more actionable, more tailored and therefore more valuable to our partners.

 

How can providers keep up with rising regulatory pressures?

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

Operating across multiple jurisdictions means navigating a complicated patchwork of compliance frameworks, licensing rules and technical standards quickly.

Compliance is not a support function, but a core part of the business. For larger businesses, these regulatory changes may present disruptions, but our size and structure allow us to react quickly and stay ahead of the curve, without compromising on quality.

To maintain both speed and quality, we moved from traditional Agile sprints to a continuous integration and deployment (CI/CD) model. Instead of bundling releases every two weeks, we push updates multiple times a week. This means we can react quickly to feedback, ship improvements faster, and keep our platform evolving without unnecessary delays.

 

Why is a more focused approach the future of live casino?

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

The criteria for what operators need from their live casino provider is changing. Reliability, flexibility, speed and compliance support are becoming just as, if not more, important than table count. We design everything with these qualities in mind, and we back that up with a strong culture of ownership and continuous delivery. This mindset allows us to innovate quickly, without sacrificing the robustness our partners expect.

In this new landscape, being lean, focused and responsive isn’t a limitation. In live casino, a genre requiring significant on-going operational investment, the providers that thrive are not always the biggest, but the smartest and the ones who can adapt fastest.

The post Scale isn’t everything: Why agility is the new advantage in live casino appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Continue Reading

CRM for online casinos

Getting to Know Incline Gaming Marketing with Chief Commercial Officer Jo Dennis

Published

on

getting-to-know-incline-gaming-marketing-with-chief-commercial-officer-jo-dennis

Incline Gaming Marketing is redefining how gambling brands scale and succeed worldwide. Founded by industry veteran Peter Laverick, the agency delivers end-to-end digital marketing services across user acquisition, CRM, and creative. In this interview, CCO Jo Dennis explains how Incline acts as an extension of operators’ in-house teams, helping them acquire players, boost retention, and compete globally.

 

Incline Gaming Marketing. Tells us what we need to know about the business.

Incline Gaming Marketing (Incline) is a full-service digital marketing partner dedicated exclusively to the regulated gambling industry. We’re not just a supplier of campaigns or assets, we run marketing operations end-to-end for our partners, functioning as an extension of their in-house team.

Our expertise spans user acquisition, CRM, and creative, delivered by specialists who’ve worked inside top operators and suppliers. With offices in San Francisco, Philadelphia, and London, we provide market-specific strategies and execution for brands in North America, Europe, Africa, Australia, and beyond.

Founded by industry veteran Peter Laverick in 2020, Incline is part of The Conexus Group alongside Pentasia (recruitment) and Partis (strategy and M&A). Our partners range from household-name operators to ambitious new entrants, all looking for a team that can step in, own the process, and deliver measurable results from day one.

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

 

Who are the main players running the business day to day?

Peter Laverick, our CEO and founder, has led marketing at some of the industry’s biggest names, including BetVictor, Aristocrat, and PlayStudios. Chief Commercial Officer Jo Dennis joined through our acquisition of Random Colour Animal in 2024 (RCA was originally founded in 2018) and brings more than 25 years in brand and marketing strategy.

Chief Marketing Officer Oren Langburt has over 15 years’ experience in real-money gaming, including leading marketing at FanDuel. VP Partner Success Haig Sakouyan is a 20+ year industry veteran, ensuring our partnerships deliver beyond marketing.

 

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

Talk us through Incline Gaming Marketing’s core service offering.

We operate in three connected disciplines that together form a complete managed marketing service:

  • User Acquisition (UA): We plan, execute, and optimise campaigns across Meta, Google, TikTok, Snapchat, Apple, and programmatic networks, managing multi-million-dollar budgets. As an approved Facebook Business Partner, we’ve been rated the most effective media buyer in North America’s online gaming sector, achieving a 99.9% efficiency score.
  • Customer Relationship Marketing (CRM): Our CRM specialists handle the full player lifecycle — from onboarding and first-time deposit conversion to long-term retention and reactivation. We combine data-led segmentation with targeted offers and creative to grow lifetime value while controlling bonus spend.
  • Creative: We produce more than 1,000 assets per month, from brand identities and websites to broadcast-quality TV spots, slot game creatives, supplier content packs, and conference materials. All creative is performance-driven and integrated into UA and CRM campaigns for maximum impact.

When combined, these services allow us to act as a partner’s complete marketing department – – strategy, execution, and optimisation under one roof.

 

Which markets are you focused on? Are you pushing into any new regions?

We built our reputation in North America, where we work with leading land-based and online operators across casino, sportsbook, lottery, social gaming, and daily fantasy sports. We now deliver integrated managed services in Canada, the UK, continental Europe, Africa, and Australia, tailoring each approach to local regulations, player behaviours, and market dynamics.

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

For many partners, this means we handle all marketing in new markets from day one – avoiding the time and cost of building a local team – and then continue as their long-term, embedded marketing function.

 

Why are your services particularly valuable to operators in the current industry climate?

Player acquisition costs are rising, retention is harder than ever, and regulatory pressure is mounting. Building and managing an in-house team with the full range of skills required – from media buying to lifecycle marketing to creative production – is expensive and slow.

Incline solves that. We provide an instant, proven marketing department with deep gambling expertise, multi-channel capabilities, and global reach. Our managed services model means we don’t just advise, we execute, optimise, and deliver results. Whether launching in a new jurisdiction or scaling in a mature one, we know the levers to pull for sustainable growth.

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

 

What can we expect from Incline in the second half of the year?

We’re deepening our presence in Europe, Africa, and Canada while cementing our leadership in North America. Several major launches and brand refresh projects are underway, alongside scaled acquisition and retention campaigns for our long-term partners.

Our focus remains the same — provide operators and suppliers with a high-performing, fully managed marketing function that delivers measurable results faster, and with more certainty, than building it in-house.

 

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

The post Getting to Know Incline Gaming Marketing with Chief Commercial Officer Jo Dennis appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

Continue Reading

Trending

Get it on Google Play

Fresh slot games releases by the top brands of the industry. We provide you with the latest news straight from the entertainment industries.

The platform also hosts industry-relevant webinars, and provides detailed reports, making it a one-stop resource for anyone seeking information about operators, suppliers, regulators, and professional services in the European gaming market. The portal's primary goal is to keep its extensive reader base updated on the latest happenings, trends, and developments within the gaming and gambling sector, with an emphasis on the European market while also covering pertinent global news. It's an indispensable resource for gaming professionals, operators, and enthusiasts alike.

Contact us: [email protected]

Editorial / PR Submissions: [email protected]

Copyright © 2015 - 2024 - Recent Slot Releases is part of HIPTHER Agency. Registered in Romania under Proshirt SRL, Company number: 2134306, EU VAT ID: RO21343605. Office address: Blvd. 1 Decembrie 1918 nr.5, Targu Mures, Romania