Interviews
Non-traditional content roundtable
With younger generations of players now the target audience for operators and suppliers we are seeing an increase in non-traditional content hitting the market, including multiplayer and crash games. European Gaming spoke to a number of providers on the importance of innovating and evolving the casino offering to better suit player preferences.
Nikolay Illiustrov, Head of Games at Playson (NI)
Thomas Smallwood, Marketing Manager at ESA Games (TS)
Ivan Kravchuk, Chief Executive Officer at Evoplay (IK)
Arcangelo Lonoce, Head of Business Development at Habanero (AL)
What makes non-traditional content exciting in a market space where ‘slots are king’ and does this new genre make way for more innovation in iGaming?
NI: We believe that the fact that many younger customers arriving in online casinos are doing so without any prior knowledge of slots, be them online or land based. Whilst this is a challenge, it is also an opportunity for innovation.
Younger generations have grown up not just with different cultural influences but different forms of entertainment, such as mobile games and entertainment apps. Online slots are often a new experience, and it is not clear to them how games like this function. A game’s maths, features and even basic functionality are often alien to them.
To win them over and create longer playing sessions, developers need to provide context that is familiar to this audience. For example, we see lots of attempts to create “mobile-style” slots that relate to mobile games such as Scatter slots or Cluster Pays slots.
TS: I think it is natural that most operators want to appeal to a broader base with the content they offer. We all “consume” content on our mobiles differently than we did a few years ago, so from an acquisition perspective, as well as cross-selling from one vertical to another, non-traditional content gives more opportunities to engage with a different audience and retain those whose tastes are changing.
Non-traditional content gives more opportunity to innovate, but we certainly feel that this innovation is driven by what we see happening within certain demographics or sectors, rather than innovation for innovation’s sake. So, with purpose, non-traditional games like our sports-themed Goal Mine and Basketball Mine which have exciting goal or free-throw rounds, can genuinely attract new players. The same is true of our crash-style games, the format of which allows us to think outside of egaming norms.
IK: Evoplay has established itself as a leader in delivering innovation to the online casino space in many forms. With an aim of reforming the iGaming industry, we lead the way with unparalleled slots and instant games, featuring pioneering concepts that have never been seen on the market before.
Our flagship title, Star Guardians has become the perfect solution for millennial gamers, who now comprise 23% of the wider population. This generation has grown up surrounded by video games and new technologies, and naturally are in search of iGaming experiences that mimic the same excitement as modern products, while providing gambling elements to the play.
Another great example is our recently launched crash game, Goblin Run, with a runner mechanic and competitive spirit making the most of the industry’s obsession with crash-style experiences in recent months. We took a classic framework and introduced aspects of gamification, adding skins, ranks, and chat functions to enhance the social aspect and competitiveness of the experience. These titles alone demonstrate just how far we have come in terms of forcing our way into non-traditional content, and where we are heading on this impressive trajectory.
AL: Looking at the evidence, you can see that non-traditional content has been quite successful in our marketplace. Just look at crash games for example – they appeal to sports punters a lot more than slots do and have seen a meteoric rise this past year, simply due to the fact that they present a fresh idea of interaction and function at a fast pace, with multiple results being delivered in a limited amount of time. This makes them very appealing to players who might not like to spin reels and wait for wins.
I think most of the industry has come to the consensus that we need more non-traditional content, as currently it’s appealing to certain types of players. With that being said, we know that not all non-traditional content has proven successful with slot players. So, whether or not non-traditional content can be used to cross-sell slots, operators would be wise to target segmented demographics – such as those from different verticals.
What are the challenges when creating non-traditional content to ensure it appeals to the target audience?
NI: First and foremost, game design needs a lot of consideration. You need to rip up the rule book and consider options that will appeal to those who are not familiar with classic slots. This takes time, effort and investment and there is no guarantee that you will get it right every time, so it requires patience too. Given that niche solutions can be difficult to scale, you have to accept that there is a strong element of risk involved.
Lastly, and more importantly, you have to consider regulations. When entering a market with new mechanics you can’t be confident from day one about compliance, or how long the new game type will take to obtain all necessary licenses. There are very few overnight successes.
TS: Our lightweight mobile games do appeal to a large audience, therefore perhaps the biggest challenge is a lack of belief in non-traditional content. For example, although we can see in the figures the extent to which our EasySwipe™ games generate new revenue – and even help to increase turnover on sports – it requires the vision on the side of the operator to embrace this.
The flip side is that early adopters will also be able to learn more from the non-traditional content we, and other providers, develop. This intelligence will feed into bespoke content and of course greater power in acquiring a new generation of customers.
IK: If we’re talking about our 3D games, the main complexity lies in the implementation of various innovations in a cross-technology environment. To pull this off, it requires a thorough and fundamental development of every single component of a product. We often meet the challenge of implementing a concept’s design in the backend, while the adaption of our games to mobile platforms also requires a high level of attention to detail, especially in terms of the user interface and experience.
Thanks to our game engine Spinential, we can easily modify our products depending on market peculiarities and regulatory requirements. In addition to this, the engine allows us to add gamification elements to our titles, such as Bonus Buy and Jackpot features, making them even more attractive to audiences and operators.
AL: I can only speak for the non-traditional content we create ourselves, for example the content we produce wouldn’t necessarily appeal to those that want the crash games experience. But they will be presented in a different way from our traditional products. Take our Orbs of Atlantis title for example, the video slot doesn’t feature reels but is a game based on physics – where up to 80 different symbols fall and crash against each other, with adjacent symbols creating wins. This shows you can provide a mathematical model which is quite slot-based but deliver it in a way which appears to be different to slots. It’s important to cater to different demographics that might be more interested in a slightly different experience to the one you find in slots. As far as we are concerned, we ensure that our production follows a strong mathematical model that you generally find in slots.
Creating content that’s less traditional will naturally come with some challenges depending on who you’re targeting. If you want to attract those that like quick results, virtuals or live sports then you must ensure that your non-traditional content speaks to them on a cultural level. It all depends on your demographics and what you have in mind when you created the product. At Habanero, the non-traditional content we create is primarily aimed at slot players, as we have a strong understanding of the experience they’re after.
How do you expect this genre to develop in the near future with player preferences forever evolving?
NI: This genre has already shown promise when it comes to development and meeting player preferences with the advent of crash and multiplayer games. The former cater for players who feel quite comfortable betting but demand a quick and simple format.
Meanwhile, multiplayer games represent a great opportunity of attracting emerging demographics, bringing a social element into games creates an illusion of playing together with millions of other players. This feeling of being part of a community and share a gambling experience has great potential.
Tournaments could be also an example of a multiplayer approach, but not traditional tournament mechanics with a leaderboard and single winner. Instead, they provide a competition between teams where players can communicate with each other and create a more social and engaging experience.
TS: We will continue to produce our sports-themed Mine series, with Tennis Mine being released later in the year and new crash-style games to follow. At the same time, we will look to learn from the end user to see how we can do things better. Our ethos is about being simple, fast and mobile, so providing we do not waver from this we are happy to continue evolving the content we produce.
From a wider viewpoint we are discussing with operators how we can tailor our games to suit their specific markets, so there will be more bespoke content in the future, and bespoke in this sense will mean more than just adding a logo. We feel a degree of localisation is a potential game-changer for non-traditional content.
IK: I am confident that non-traditional content will continue developing and involve more providers as they become inspired by the positive experiences of other industry representatives. While there will always be demand for traditional slot content, the demand for ground-breaking products will only increase as the industry grows, giving developers a huge scope to deliver creativity and innovation.
The main obstacle for other providers is the risk associated with emerging technologies that are still new to them. We have seen this with the HTML5 revolution, and we are seeing it now with innovations like the metaverse. Having spent several years experimenting with solutions and developing our leading game engine, we already know what to expect and how to make the most of this innovation, while others need to start afresh.
AL: It’s hard to say, but the evidence shows that these games are here to stay because they tap into the culture and psychology of key demographics. It won’t take anything away from traditional content, but you can see everyone experimenting with designs that communicate fresh themes and experiences to an audience, whilst working out of a mathematical model that the audience is more familiar with.
Some companies have proven to be very successful and have grown very quickly in this space; this doesn’t seem to be a fad and appears to be something that taps into player culture. If you look at the way the market is evolving, then you will notice that there’s a type of restlessness from stakeholders to deliver different experiences to players.
Look at fishing games in Asia: they have proven tremendously successful in that region but they’re something which might not work elsewhere for a number of reasons. With non-traditional content you always have to consider player experiences which happen outside the realm of gambling and seamlessly combine this with suitable mathematical model – you’ll always need to maintain that gambling core that appeal to the demographics you are speaking to.
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Powering the Next Generation of Online Casinos: Inside DSTGAMING’s Scalable iGaming Ecosystem
Interview with John Tan, Digital Marketing Analyst at DSTGAMING
Ahead of HIPTHER Prague Summit 2026, we speak with John Tan, Digital Marketing Analyst at DSTGAMING, to explore how their white label, turnkey, crypto-ready platforms, and powerful game aggregation solutions empower operators – from rapid launch and unified game integration to risk management, payments, and next-generation crypto deployment.
From your perspective, what are the biggest operational barriers new casino operators face today – and how does DSTGAMING address them through technology and infrastructure?
New casino operators often underestimate the complexity of launching and sustaining an iGaming operation. Beyond platform development, they face challenges related to licensing alignment, payment integrations, risk management, game provider negotiations, fraud prevention, and ongoing technical maintenance. Each of these components requires expertise, time, and significant capital investment.
DSTGAMING addresses these barriers by delivering a structured, technology-driven ecosystem that consolidates critical operational components into a single, unified infrastructure. Instead of managing multiple vendors and fragmented systems, operators gain access to a centralized platform that integrates game aggregation, payment gateways, compliance-ready frameworks, and backend management tools. This significantly reduces operational friction and allows operators to focus on market growth, branding, and player acquisition rather than technical troubleshooting.
DSTGAMING provides White Label solutions enabling casinos to go live in as little as a few weeks. What operational processes and technical frameworks make such rapid deployment possible?
Rapid deployment is made possible through a pre-configured yet flexible platform architecture. DSTGAMING’s White Label solution is built on a modular infrastructure where essential systems — player management, payment integrations, risk control, reporting dashboards, and game aggregation — are already technically optimized and tested.
Instead of building from scratch, operators plug into an established framework that supports domain setup, branding customization, provider configuration, and payment integration within a structured onboarding workflow. Automated compliance tools, ready-made back-office dashboards, and scalable cloud infrastructure further streamline the process. This approach minimizes development cycles while maintaining operational stability and performance.
The Turnkey solution focuses on full branding flexibility, user-friendly management, and extensive game libraries. How does this differ strategically from White Label in terms of operator control and long-term scalability?
Strategically, the White Label model is ideal for operators seeking speed-to-market with lower upfront investment and reduced technical responsibility. It provides a comprehensive operational framework where much of the infrastructure and maintenance is centrally managed.
The Turnkey solution, however, is designed for operators who require greater autonomy and long-term strategic control. It offers full branding flexibility, deeper system customization, independent licensing alignment, and enhanced scalability options. From a business standpoint, Turnkey allows operators to build their own technology identity while retaining access to DSTGAMING’s infrastructure backbone. This structure supports expansion into multiple jurisdictions, diversified payment ecosystems, and tailored player engagement strategies over time.
DSTGAMING’s Casino Game Aggregator provides access to more than 10,000 games from 100+ providers – how do you approach game content management, performance consistency, and provider diversity to ensure long-term player engagement?
Managing a large-scale aggregation portfolio requires structured curation rather than simple volume expansion. DSTGAMING focuses on performance analytics, regional player preferences, and technical optimization when onboarding providers.
Game content is continuously monitored for performance indicators such as session duration, retention rates, and conversion metrics. Low-performing titles can be rotated, while trending categories — whether slots, live casino, or crash games — are strategically highlighted. Provider diversity is carefully balanced to include established industry brands alongside emerging studios offering innovative mechanics.
From a technical standpoint, standardized API integration protocols and server optimization ensure latency consistency and stable gameplay across regions. This combination of analytics-driven curation and infrastructure reliability supports sustained player engagement rather than short-term spikes.
DSTGAMING also offers crypto-focused casino deployment. How is cryptocurrency reshaping payment flows, compliance considerations, and global player acquisition strategies?
Cryptocurrency is fundamentally reshaping cross-border transaction efficiency and player accessibility. Traditional payment systems often involve processing delays, regional banking restrictions, and high transaction fees. Crypto payments reduce these friction points by enabling faster settlement, lower costs, and broader global reach.
However, crypto integration also requires structured compliance frameworks. Responsible implementation includes wallet verification systems, AML alignment, transaction monitoring, and jurisdictional risk assessment. DSTGAMING integrates crypto-ready infrastructure within a controlled environment to balance operational efficiency with regulatory awareness.
From a growth perspective, crypto expands access to digitally native audiences and markets where conventional banking infrastructure may limit participation. Operators can position themselves competitively by offering both fiat and digital asset payment options within a secure and scalable ecosystem.
What key iGaming technology or business trends should operators watch most closely heading into 2026?
Heading into 2026, operators should closely monitor three primary areas: infrastructure scalability, payment diversification, and data-driven personalization.
First, scalable cloud-based architectures will become increasingly important as competition intensifies and multi-market expansion accelerates. Second, payment ecosystems will continue diversifying, including alternative payment methods, regional wallets, and cryptocurrency adoption. Third, advanced data analytics and AI-driven personalization will play a central role in player retention, segmentation, and responsible gaming monitoring.
Additionally, regulatory adaptability will remain critical. Operators must design systems that allow compliance updates without disrupting operational continuity.
DSTGAMING is joining the HIPTHER Prague Summit 2026 as the Lanyard Sponsor. What would you like operators and partners to take away from engaging with your team there?
DSTGAMING’s participation at the HIPTHER Prague Summit 2026 as Lanyard Sponsor reflects its long-term commitment to industry collaboration and technological advancement.
At the summit, the objective is not simply to present solutions, but to engage in strategic discussions with operators and partners about sustainable growth models, market expansion strategies, and infrastructure optimization. Visitors should walk away with a clear understanding that DSTGAMING provides more than a platform — it delivers a structured ecosystem designed to support rapid launch, scalable expansion, diversified payments, and long-term operational stability.
The focus remains on building partnerships grounded in technology reliability, strategic flexibility, and measurable business outcomes as the industry moves into its next phase of evolution.
The post Powering the Next Generation of Online Casinos: Inside DSTGAMING’s Scalable iGaming Ecosystem appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
In an industry where margins are thin and player loyalty is fleeting, customer experience has become a key differentiator for operators. As AI becomes a core operational requirement, leadership teams face a clear choice: build proprietary technology in house, or partner with purpose built AI CX providers.
Alex Gould, CTO at Conduet, explains why more operators are choosing the latter.
What industry-specific CX challenges can an exterior solution address ‘out of the box’ compared to a generic build?
Generic AI struggles in sports betting and iGaming because player inquiries are shaped by complex, domain-specific rules and edge cases. Questions about settlements, promotions, withdrawals, or cash outs are rarely straightforward. They depend on wager structure, timing, eligibility criteria, and operator-specific logic.
Over 80% of player inquiries require pulling live, account-specific information from the PAM and applying it correctly within that broader rule set. Without purpose-built logic to interpret both the data and the edge cases around it, responses quickly become incomplete or incorrect.
This limitation is reflected more broadly in enterprise AI adoption. Research from MIT found that 95% of enterprise AI initiatives fail to deliver measurable business impact, often because broadly trained models are pushed into live environments without the domain context needed to handle real-world variability. What appears to work in controlled testing breaks down once exposed to operational complexity.
Purpose-built platforms are designed around this reality. By training on gaming-specific data, workflows, and failure modes, they can interpret live PAM data in context and handle both common and complex inquiries accurately from day one, without relying on extensive rules, manual escalation, or post-deployment patchwork.
How would you characterise the current skills gap within operator teams regarding AI implementation?
Operator CX teams are closest to the customer and understand where friction exists. The challenge is not identifying opportunities, but delivering AI that performs reliably in production. Turning insight into production-ready capability requires technical depth, dedicated ownership, and sustained iteration that sit outside the remit of most CX organisations.
Deploying AI in gaming requires expertise across model evaluation, conversation design, failure handling, and real-time interaction with PAMs and ticketing systems. It also requires ongoing investment to monitor performance, manage edge cases, and improve outcomes as volumes and player behaviour change. CX teams are structured to run day-to-day operations, which makes sustaining this work in parallel difficult.
As a result, many internal AI CX efforts stall or remain narrow in scope, not because the opportunity is unclear, but because the execution burden is too high.
What is the average time to market using a specialist platform, versus a full in-house build?
In-house AI efforts typically take 18 to 36 months to reach enterprise-ready scale. The delay is driven by the need to coordinate across CX, product, data, and engineering while establishing new ownership and operating models inside live CX environments.
A specialist platform compresses this timeline materially. With gameLM, operators can move from concept to live inbound CX in six to 12 weeks. Operators achieve 60%+ resolution within 90 days, scaling toward 80%+ shortly thereafter.
Why does a purpose built partnership model matter in iGaming & OSB CX?
In iGaming and online sports betting, the challenge is not adopting AI, but making it work reliably at scale. Generic platforms often shift the burden onto operators after deployment, requiring significant time and internal effort to adapt the technology to gaming-specific realities. That effort compounds as complexity grows.
A purpose built partnership model changes that dynamic. Instead of operators spending months closing gaps, AI is deployed using operating patterns already proven in live gaming CX. Common failure modes, escalation paths, and performance tradeoffs are understood upfront, reducing the need for downstream rework and ongoing firefighting.
Conduet applies this approach through gameLM, informed by operating a 500+ agent gaming CX organisation. That operating knowledge functions as an embedded R&D capability, shaping how the platform is tuned, prioritised, and extended alongside each operator’s environment. Inbound CX performance today directly informs the development of additional, gaming-specific capabilities such as reactivation, payments optimisation, and fraud prevention.
The result is a partnership model that delivers strong outcomes without transferring the hidden cost of adaptation and maintenance back to the operator, allowing CX capability to keep pace as the industry evolves.
Alex Gould is the CTO at Conduet, where he leverages his technical and strategic background to guide technology strategy and innovation. He is also the Founder and CTO of Everyday AI and previously founded computer vision company ViewX. Alex’s earlier experience includes roles at Primary Venture Partners and Bain & Company, and he holds an MBA from Columbia Business School and a Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) from the University of Canterbury.
The post Why operators are choosing to buy in their AI strategy appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
As the only iGaming awards originating from Norway, the Kongebonus Awards are decided entirely by open player voting, offering a rare, unfiltered view into what truly resonates with a dedicated gaming community. Kongebonus Editor-in-Chief, David Nilsen, explains how this year’s results reflect shifting player expectations, highlight both emerging and established studios, and contribute to wider industry conversations around quality, innovation and long-term engagement.
The Kongebonus Awards are now in their fourth year. How have you seen them evolve since the first edition?
Since the first edition, the Kongebonus Awards have grown both in reach and in significance. What started as a way to highlight standout games for our Norwegian audience has developed into a recognised annual moment where player sentiment is clearly reflected back to the industry. Each year we see greater engagement from the community and more awareness among studios and suppliers about what the awards represent. The structure has also matured, with categories that better capture the diversity of modern game development. Most importantly, the awards have become a consistent reference point for which games and providers have truly connected with players over the past year, giving the results increasing weight within the wider iGaming conversation.
This year’s awards were presented in connection with ICE Barcelona. How important is it to connect a Norwegian, player-driven initiative with the wider international industry?
Connecting the awards to an international event like ICE Barcelona helps bring local player insight into the global industry spotlight. While the voting comes from Norwegian players, the studios and games involved operate across many markets. Presenting the results in that setting underlines that player preferences in Norway are part of wider trends in iGaming. It also allows international stakeholders to see how a Nordic audience responds to different styles of games, mechanics and themes. That perspective can be valuable for product planning and market strategy.
This year’s winners were decided through open public voting. Why is it important that the results reflect the voice of players so directly?
Having the winners decided through open public voting ensures the results are grounded in real player experience. The recognition comes directly from the people who have spent time with the games, formed opinions and chosen their favourites. That gives the awards a strong sense of authenticity. It moves the focus away from internal industry perspectives and places it firmly with the end users. For studios, this kind of recognition signals that their work has genuinely resonated with players, not just performed well commercially. Player-led results offer a clear and transparent indicator of which games and providers have built lasting appeal, and that makes the outcomes especially meaningful within the industry.
The awards focus not only on commercial performance, but also on quality, innovation and player experience. From this year’s winners, what stood out most to you?
What stood out most was the balance between creativity and accessibility. Players clearly reward innovation, but only when it is paired with strong execution and an enjoyable overall experience. Many of the recognised titles combine distinctive mechanics with clear game identity and smooth gameplay. There is also evidence that consistency matters. Studios that repeatedly deliver engaging, reliable experiences tend to build strong followings, and that loyalty is reflected in the voting.
How do categories such as Rising Star Game Developer and the Readers’ Hall of Fame help ensure the awards spotlight both emerging studios and more established names?
These categories make sure the awards reflect the full spectrum of achievement in the industry. The Rising Star category gives visibility to newer studios that are already making a strong impression with players through innovation and creativity, even if they do not yet have the scale of the largest providers. In contrast, the Readers’ Hall of Fame recognises games that have achieved lasting popularity and become long-term favourites. Including both perspectives shows that excellence is not limited to one stage of growth. It highlights that players value both fresh ideas and proven experiences.
Looking ahead, how do you expect the awards to continue growing, and what role do you see Kongebonus playing in shaping player-led conversations in the industry?
As player expectations continue to change, the awards will develop alongside them. The aim remains to document and highlight the studios and games that genuinely stand out from a player perspective. Over time, this may mean refining categories or exploring new ways to reflect emerging trends, while keeping open voting at the core. Kongebonus will continue to act as a bridge between players and the industry, translating community sentiment into insights that studios and suppliers can learn from. By keeping the focus on player experience and feedback, the awards can play a growing role in encouraging the industry to prioritise quality, innovation and long-term player engagement.
To find out more about this year’s Kongebonus Awards and see the full list of winners, visit: https://www.kongebonus.com/nyheter/vinnere-av-kongebonus-awards-2025/
The post Inside the Kongebonus Awards: What Norway’s Players Are Telling the iGaming Industry appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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