Interviews
Thought Leadership/Q&A with Thomas Aigner head of business development at Ibex.ai discussing the future of CRM
Thomas Aigner, Head of Business Development at Ibex.ai discusses the changing landscape of CRM processes and how the development of artificial intelligence is altering the future of CRM.
How does Ibex see the future of iGaming CRM developing in relation to AI and how will this benefit operators?
What does the current landscape of iGaming CRM look like- what changes are you expecting over the next few years?
Currently, we are seeing more and more investment in AI solutions as operators and suppliers look to gain an edge in the increasingly competitive iGaming market, however, I think as an industry we have only just begun scratching the surface with significant changes to CRM forthcoming. There are some obvious, well-known CRM suppliers in the market, such as Optimove and Fasttrack as well as a lot of promising rising stars entering the space. We have already seen examples of acquisitions of these newer companies through recent deals involving Optimove acquiring Graphyte, and I’m expecting to see more of these types of partnerships moving forward.
Most of the ongoing innovation has been structured in a traditional linear way, to optimise the current CRM processes and how those teams work, essentially helping them better segment players or create rule-based systems (gamification or customer journeys). Once built, they send automated communications, but much in the same way as the term personalisation is often misused, automation is also because businesses still need someone to constantly create new target groups, campaigns and rules for new journeys. This increases overheads through the cost of labour to manage these systems whereas using an AI that offers true automation reduces these costs. The future of CRM is AI – creating full automation and developing a self-driving system is paramount, and this process is at the core of what Ibex.AI stands for.
As AI becomes increasingly integrated into the CRM process, we will see fundamental differences in how companies operate daily. CRM teams will begin moving away from segmentation and average campaigns for target groups and pivot towards 100% personalisation. We will see less human error through data analytics, and close to perfectly accurate execution.
What does the advancement in AI technology mean for jobs going forward?
There’s always a sense of fear of the unknown when it comes to innovations, especially surrounding Artificial Intelligence. The real aim here is for AI to assist companies by automating the process, reducing the amount of legwork that is currently done by humans, with these job roles adapting to focus increasingly on creativity, strategy and giving more commercial responsibility to people. It could mean that CRM and Retention Managers can grow more into the role of Brand Managers, gaining more responsibility and taking care of bigger markets. AI also creates the opportunity to help start-ups without the budget for their CRM team, as well as those brands looking to enter new markets.
How will changes to CRM affect issues surrounding bonus abuse and player retention?
Bonus abuse and player retention have been a cause for concern within the industry and AI can solve many of these issues through the use of deep learning algorithms. AI can predict the LTV of each player under many different scenarios, only executing an action if it will return a profit. As a result, those models can also identify bonus abusers and would limit or even stop bonusing these players because it has become unprofitable for the business.
Real personalisation will play an important role in player retention moving forward – albeit not in the way it is currently used – all companies say they personalise but in fact, just get more granular when setting up target groups or building more and more rule based customer journeys. This relates heavily to retention, with players receiving a far greater personalised experience from campaigns and activities that are aimed specifically towards them, as opposed to an average group of people, further connecting customers to the brand.
How does AI allow operators to affect player behaviour- does it differ from the standard CRM approach?
AI can fundamentally change the standard CRM approach and how it functions as it reduces the workload of marketing teams and the CRM process. A practice that can in many cases have six major steps to it can be shortened to one or two, those being checking on the performance of the machine and coming up with new and creative ideas that AI can then execute and optimize. This focus on new creative ideas goes on to change players’ behaviour by diversifying how operators are reaching out to players. Additionally, AI is affecting each player by analysing them as individuals and constantly improving what is best for them, a process which would take far too much time using the standard CRM approach.
Are there any specific markets you believe will get an added benefit from advancement in iGaming CRM?
Obviously, the majority of innovative ideas originate in mature markets in Europe and the US, but I think that, especially in LATAM and Africa, there is a great opportunity to grow and help operators there to make a difference and to scale more quickly while developing the overall market. This can only be a positive. If we can raise the overall betting experience for players in these markets and allow the companies to free up time and focus on other areas of business as they grow, then I think that is a great outcome.
What is the future for AI?
I believe in the future we will reflect and struggle to understand how we could have lived without the support of AI to be able to offer the best entertainment to each player. AI will be integral to the iGaming market and it is only going to continue to grow and develop as more people within the industry come to understand how machine learning is now proving an invaluable asset to retention teams. Everybody will use at least some and in some cases a greater number of AI tools and will be developing their teams to understand and work effectively alongside this innovative technology.
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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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