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“BetGames is a great acquisition tool for new players” – Exclusive interview with BetGames.TV Head of Sales

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Having proven itself as one of 2020’s standout industry performers, BetGames has not been one to rest on its laurels in the first six months of 2021, launching a host revamped games, as well as establishing its Malta hub with plans to take the company from 100 to 300 team members by the end of the year.

We caught up with BetGames’ Head of Sales, Thomas Aigner, to talk through the studio’s latest moves and plans for continued global expansion.

Looking back at the last six months for European markets, how can we assess performance and what we’ve seen as an industry? 

There’s been two main stand-outs that we’ve witnessed: the increasing player preference for low-stakes entertainment and the popularity of live gaming generally as a remedy for quarantine. As lockdowns have continued in the first half of this year, our games have retained a wealth of players since we intrinsically attract a lower spend with far more regular play – as well a fixed-odds betting format that has ensured we’re a welcome home for sportsbook customers looking to try something new.

In light of what has been effectively an ongoing recession, we’ve also learned that the key to player engagement is a low-spend proposition without the risk of big losses, combined with simplicity in gameplay and the high-frequency in sessions. Given that the majority of players the world over have been observing social isolation, this makes perfect sense – with a strong preference for pick-up-and-play products that offer live entertainment for hours without emptying their wallet. The live experience has been a well-placed antidote to the seclusion that many have experienced over the last 12 months or so.

I think one of the biggest lessons learned has been that diversification is imperative. Pre-Covid, we’d expect operators to be focusing up to 70% of their spend on promoting sports and little else. Those who continued with that approach through 2020 and indeed, the first six months of this year, given the lack of retail environments in Europe, have really felt the pinch.

Moving forward, there needs to be far more focus on alternatives such as ours, as we’ve clearly learned that sports fans are unaccustomed to the majority of casino, or indeed the playing format available, even with Live Casino. It is essential that suppliers take onboard the lessons learned from betting activity, especially when it comes to providing the low-spend, extended sessions that have proven to work so well, and adapt accordingly.

When it comes to BetGames, what regions have been key in Europe so far? Where have you been focusing your energy?

Europe is an incredibly diverse continent when it comes to playing styles, and the BetGames customer certainly varies between markets. On the whole, we attract sports bettors, which is particularly the case in Eastern Europe, where we know that 70-80% of our returning customers are sports fans – and this is one way we really differentiate ourselves as a supplier against our competitors.

For mature markets, such as Scandinavia and the UK, products such as Bet on Poker have performed particularly well, as they offer a playing format that resonates very strongly with players, delivering a winning combination of both poker, which is a continental favourite, alongside the fixed-odds betting format we are famous for.

Looking to new entrances, expansion in Greece, Sweden, Switzerland, Finland, Ukraine and Georgia are top of the agenda for us, with this summer’s sporting calendar likely to give a welcome boost for all. Having said that, we’re aware that is hard to bring in new game types that can resonate with established players – this requires significant time and resources. We’ve revamped our commercial department accordingly to handle both expansion and our existing partners, which means we have close to triple the resources from last year to have the helping hands in place to support the day-to-day.

As has been evident from many of our recently agreed partnerships, We’re set to work together on pushing and promoting our products with the operator group, dedicating a separate category for our games. This kind of approach will be particularly effective as we differ from traditional Live Dealer and Live Casino Games – which means our target demographic is different. This means that together we can focus on particular player segments that we can engage and retain.

Tell us about the launch of your Malta Hub – that’s certainly big news for BetGames – that must be big news for your recruitment plans?

To keep pace with our rapid recent growth, we realised that we had to expand our capacity and we’re planning to greatly increase our headcount. Opening the Malta office was a logical step in that roadmap, not only to cater for the extra bodies but also to position ourselves closer to the heart of the igaming industry.

Looking at the numbers, we have incredibly ambitious plans to increase our 200-strong team by more than 50%, with our Malta hub ready to provide a platform for attracting the best of the industry’s talent. It will also be a hugely convenient place to meet our clients and friends, and while we understand the way that businesses and people have evolved in the last 12 months, we recognise the need to have that base where our colleagues can be inspired and productive – offering a home, a meeting place, and a space where we can collaborate and innovate.

The long-term strategy we’re currently on course with is set to change our operations as we know them. By planting our flag in Malta, I see it as an excellent chance to transform the company to a new level of growth that will help us to increase in size and revolutionise the way we deliver service to our partners.

When looking at Europe – how would summarise the changing trends of player demand? What products do you plan to offer accordingly? 

Increased regulation in Europe is also going to have plenty of influence on shaping player demand over the year ahead. In my view, the key to success if going to be offering regulation-friendly, low-stakes, simple and easy extended entertainment that can keep players engaged without emptying their wallet.

Economic circumstances (as well as lockdowns) demand this – and players want an easily accessible experience that can be enjoyed in a low-spend format. This is especially going to be the case this summer – and our approach is to always offer complementary products that can boost engagement and sportsbook spend, rather than drain it.

BetGames is a great acquisition tool for new players – while also broadening the target group for live content because of the simplicity and availability of content, odds and betslip format, attracting sports bettors. Accordingly, our partners need content that can fit in seamlessly alongside a sports betting offering, and we’ve specifically designed our catalogue to work in this way. Sports betting margins will always be inherently higher for operators as they don’t carry the cost of using a third-party, making us one of the few suppliers globally that can truly offer a partnership that can boost both sides of the coin.

Last but not least – where are the key markets in Europe for growth our readers should be watching over the next 12 months? Where has BetGames got its eye on? 

We’ve got our eye firmly fixed on Greece at the moment, as already mentioned, but looking further afield, Sweden, Switzerland, Finland, Brazil, Ukraine and Georgia are other territories that we see plenty of potential in, as I’m sure most of our fellow European suppliers and operators see too.

In evaluating where’s best for us, there’s a host of regulated markets available and we’ve got to make sure that we’re entering the regions best suited to us and our portfolio. We’ve significantly changed our assessment criteria to make it a far more comprehensive process to apply due diligence. This means that we’ve now got our own taskforce dedicated to performing key market analysis with a criteria that encompasses both qualitative and quantitative data. This now totals 14 different key factors that we analyse to work out where our products will work best – and we’re very excited for the bringing our unique catalogue to more players than ever before!

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Cultural nuance: Localising customer service for Latin America

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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.

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Betting at the Speed of Chat

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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.

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TQJ bets on entertainment and responsible gaming in Brazil’s regulated market

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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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