Interviews
Retention through skill games w/Araz Heydariyehzadeh – Chief Commercial Officer at Scout Gaming
Check out our latest interview focusing on retention with Araz Heydariyehzadeh CCO at Scout Gaming
Do operators need to go beyond loyalty schemes and bonuses when it comes to retention? Why?
Retention in the iGaming industry is incredibly difficult to get right. Based on what we know from intenrally and from market research, it is much harder to keep players engaged with online betting brands than it is with other products in other sectors.
The most common retention tool used by operators is of course bonuses and loyalty schemes, and they do work when deployed effectively, intelligently and as part of a well planned marketing strategy. There are some big players in the iGaming industry, like Skybet, who do this very well.
If it’s not done well these incentives are really only effective for as long as the bonus lasts – once the free spins have been used up, the player is no longer motivated to remain loyal to that specific brand and can jump to offers from another provider. Loyalty schemes do keep players engaged for longer, but with most being tough to progress through, they too can have their limitations. Despite this, operators still throw big money behind bonuses and loyalty schemes in order to stand out from their rivals and keep players coming back.
It is important to consider the bigger picture, and other – potentially more effective – ways of retaining players. This means looking at the player experience being offered and identifying ways of delivering even more value and entertainment. For online sportsbooks, this could be launching skill games such as fantasy sports for the first time to give players a reason to return to their book each day, week, or month throughout the season. Operators can also run marketing campaigns and promotions around these games to take retention to the next level.
How can fantasy/social/skill games be used to drive retention rates?
These games are hard to beat when it comes to retention. The very nature of fantasy sports requires players to return to the operators site regularly. In the case of daily fantasy sports, players return to change theoir teams, set captains or make substititions, this deepends their engagement with the operators brand. Our latest data shows that the average player logs in four times a week to make changes to their team. This in part helps to drive some incredible stats for our partners. According to the indexed numbers of users in the Scout Network, there are clear indicators that fantasy sports and especially season-long games boosts retention.
Here are some highlights…
- Churn after 12 months = 30% still active
- Churn after 24 months = 20% still active
- Churn on season-long fantasy tournament players = 50%+ still active in month nine
- Acquisition = +15% more players on a yearly basis after launching fantasy sports
- Time spent on site = fantasy players spend 20%+ more time than regular sportsbook players
Sportsbooks can expect between 10% and 30% of their player base to engage with fantasy sports products which in turn can significantly move the needle in terms of turnover and GGR.
What makes these games so effective when it comes to retention?
Playing season-long fantasy sports requires the player to log in each match day at the very least and usually over an eight-month period. That is certainly the case when tournaments are hooked up to large prize pots which is something we offer via the Scout Network. Fantasy really is a great retention tool by design, but it can also be used to drive cross-sell as, over time, fantasy players become trusting of and loyal to the operator’s brand. Indeed, we have measured a 45% increase in turnover and a 20+% increase in GGR on our partner’s sportsbook users that engaged with our fantasy products compared with those that did not.
How important is the skill element here? And what challenges does it present for operators?
According to a study by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, fantasy sports games reward skill rather than luck. This conclusion was reached after analysing thousands of win/loss records of fantasy players over several years. The indexed numbers in the Scout Network confirm this conclusion. Given the skill factor in fantasy sports games, players can train their skill set and apply their advanced knowledge of sports to improve their odds of winning. But similar to other skill games, this presents a challenge for operators.
To sustain a balanced game economy, measures have to be taken to ensure that all participants have a fair chance of winning and that even those who are new to the concept have an enjoyable experience. A game economy where only a small percentage of users have a chance of winning is unhealthy and ultimately drains that all-important liquidity from tournaments. That is why we carefully analyse games and ensure a healthy economy for all. This led us to make several changes to our popular Premier League Season game such as reducing multiple entries from single users, prohibiting certain tools used by high-volume players and softening rules around saving free transfers. This ensures that more casual users can come back to play the season game, thus improving retention rates even more.
How can these games be used in wider marketing activity to keep players coming back from more?
It is important to highlight that skill games are far more social and community-driven than sports betting and casino, and season-long fantasy games in particular add an additional dimension to the sport itself. This generates more fan and player excitement, and often throughout the entire season. Players can also improve their knowledge by embracing the community, chatting in the forums and researching insights and advice.
There is a growing content creator market directly involved with various forms of Fantasy sports which really taps in to the community feel for these types of games.
This is highly desirable from an operator perspective. Giving players a single ticket to a season-long fantasy sports tournament is not only cheaper than offering free bets or loyalty schemes, but the incentive lasts for the entire season. When this is combined with the social element of fantasy and how this helps to drive engagement further, it is clear to see just how powerful fantasy sports is when it comes to retention.
In terms of how to market fantasy sports, we have recorded cases where the addition of a targeted fantasy bonus such as a free entry ticket being added to a CRM email reactivation campaign has generated impressive returns. In one instance, the click-through rate was 25x the average and in another case, 2,000 inactive customers were reactivated within 24 hours of the email campaign being sent out.
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Conferences in Europe
Strategies that Scale: Evoplay’s Alex Malchenko on Cracking the Code of Localised iGaming Success
Alex Malchenko, Head of Sales at Evoplay, joins us for an exclusive conversation ahead of HIPTHER’s European Gaming Congress 2025.
Evoplay, proud Pen & Paper Sponsor of this landmark event, continues to pave the way in iGaming with pioneering content, creative game design, and strategic market expansion.
With over a decade of B2B sales experience, Alex has played a lead role in entering regulated territories, forging new Bingo and Lottery partnerships, and launching fresh business directions – making him the ideal voice to explore insights around localising content for different markets: challenges, nuances, and successful strategies.
Alex, with your background scaling new markets and products, what challenges have you encountered with content localisation in the iGaming space?
When we enter or grow in a new market, we look at its own specifics. In some markets, the main challenge is regulation, whether it’s strict certification rules, requirements on game content and promotions, RTP levels, or even small details like how session time is displayed. That’s why we take time to understand the rules, the culture, and what local players actually want.
One good example is our instant game Penalty Shoot-Out: Street, which we created for Brazil and its strong football culture. The challenges there were both technical and regulatory, since Latin American markets often have very different rules. In some countries, just certifying the game isn’t enough — additional RGS and RNG certificates and official confirmations are also required.
On top of that, we had to make sure the gameplay matched what players expected. With Penalty Shoot-Out: Street, we achieved this by combining fast bets, quick results, a familiar theme and the thrill of every goal, and it worked.
Another case is our Hot Triple Sevens, a worldwide-popular slot, which we’ve refreshed with new mechanics like Hold & Win. Then we re-skinned the game to suit different audiences — for example, American Sevens and Fogo do Brasil 777 — to make them resonate more with local styles and tastes.
When games are built with the right themes and mechanics for a specific market, they feel more engaging and relevant to players, which can significantly boost their appeal. That’s why localisation is something we put thought into every time, learning from experience, working with partners, testing locally and improving as we go.
When it comes to Evoplay approaching localisation for a new market, what are the first strategic frameworks or priorities you put in place?
In short: regulation, communication with partners, and understanding players. When entering a new market, we carefully study all aspects, analyse the situation, and build a strategy. This includes legal, commercial, marketing and financial components, among others. Of course, for a complete picture, we also look at competitors’ experience, talk extensively with local participants, and study players — sometimes launching special campaigns independently, sometimes in collaboration with partners.
In this regard, Evoplay has made significant progress this year, reaching a new level. To support this approach, we also run campaigns that help us better understand players and their preferences. For example, the Oath of Steel campaign with SlotsCalendar, featuring a shared prize pool, invited players to take part and share their feedback, which we looked at thoughtfully. Similarly, we worked on a joint game with SlotCatalog, drawing on insights from their player preference analytics. Initiatives like this give us a better sense of what players enjoy and help us shape our games for different audiences, supporting our broader approach when entering or growing in new markets.
Could you share an example where you had to adapt a game significantly – theme, mechanics, or language – to resonate with local players? What were the specific market nuances you had to tune into?
In our business, every game must meet regulatory requirements, and it’s normal that adapting a game for a specific market requires some extra adjustments. A good example of this is the lottery vertical, which is quite different from standard iGaming. In our business, every game must meet regulatory requirements, and it’s normal that adapting a game for a specific market requires some extra adjustments. A good example of this is the lottery vertical, which is quite different from iGaming. Here, we need to follow particular rules regarding content and promotions, along with other market-specific restrictions.
Other bright examples of our games adapted to local markets include mythology-inspired hits like Temple of Thunder II Bonus Buy and Roman Rule, as well as the previously mentioned American Sevens and Penalty Shoot-Out: Street. These games work well because everything comes together — the theme clicks with players, the visuals fit the concept, and the mechanics are engaging. I’d also highlight the simplicity of the games and their user-friendly UX/UI, which players appreciate no matter the region.
Operating in regulated markets obviously adds complexity. How do you strike the balance between compliance (e.g., legal, cultural mandates) and maintaining the brand’s creative integrity during localisation?
In situations like this, branded games are a good approach. Creating them involves working closely with partners, discussing details such as logos and technical settings like RTP or bet ranges.
At the same time, we like to experiment with small creative touches to see what really clicks with players. A good example is The Easter Catch slot, an updated version of our worldwide popular The Greatest Catch, especially designed for the Easter holidays. Taking this approach keeps the game flexible, meets legal and cultural requirements, and still feels like our brand. Tailoring it for the partner and their audience also makes the game more engaging and usually leads to better performance.
You’ve been instrumental in forging Bingo and Lottery partnerships. How does localisation differ when tailoring for those verticals versus standard casino-style titles?
First of all, I want to emphasise that Bingo and Lottery are quite different from standard iGaming. These are established verticals with their own history, unique communities, and regulatory features. The lottery market is also largely monopolised and moves at a slower pace compared to the fast-moving world of iGaming.
Some online lotteries, while offering more dynamic and engaging experiences than paper versions or traditional online formats, are subject to many restrictions. For example, design themes common in slots are often prohibited, RTP requirements differ, and other regulatory rules apply.
When it comes to trends in this area, the World Lottery Association sets the pace, and other lotteries tend to follow their lead.
Evoplay entered this sector to bring a fresh, innovative perspective, showing how classic games can be reimagined for a new generation of players and enthusiasts seeking new experiences. The projects we’re currently developing here hold great promise and add a fresh spark to this traditional space.
Thank you, Alex, for walking us through Evoplay’s thoughtful approach to content localisation and the art of balancing strategy with respect for local flavor. We can’t wait to hear more from you and other industry leaders live at the European Gaming Congress 2025.
Join us at the European Gaming Congress 2025 | 30–31 October | Warsaw
The post Strategies that Scale: Evoplay’s Alex Malchenko on Cracking the Code of Localised iGaming Success appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
You’re the Founder and CTO of AmaraTech—what inspired you to start the company, and how has your journey shaped where you are today?
Our Story: Technology Innovation Born from Purpose:
AmaraTech IT Solutions, founded in 2020 in the Washington, DC metro area and expanding strategically into Africa, dedicated to transforming communities through technology. Our journey began with a profound experience in Liberia, a country riddled by 14 years of brutal civil war, witnessed the limitations on human potential and economic growth due to inadequate technology infrastructure. This experience sparked a deep commitment to making advanced technology accessible for all, enabling organizations to flourish amid challenges. We truly believe in technology’s amazing ability to empower and transform communities everywhere.
Intro Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wstteIwaSKk
What’s one big lesson you’ve learned as a founder that you wish you knew earlier?
Learning to say no as a founder is one of the most critical yet counterintuitive skills for startup success. The natural instinct is to say yes to every opportunity, partnership, feature request, and meetings, but this creates resource dilution, product confusion, and team fatigue that ultimately kills focus and progress. Startups with limited time, money, and energy must recognize that every “yes” is an implicit “no” to something else, and that niche dominance beats broad mediocrity. The cost of learning this lesson late includes providing so many products that confuse users, burning resources on low-impact initiatives, and missing opportunities in core focus areas. Successful founders develop “hell yes” criteria, create decision frameworks, practice graceful declines, and conduct regular priority audits to maintain laser focus. The paradox is powerful: saying no to more opportunities allows you to say a much bigger yes to what truly matters, creating clearer product vision, stronger team alignment, better resource utilization, and ultimately more fundable and successful business.
In your view, what makes great managed services today—and how do you bring that to life in the work you do?
At AmaraTech, we believe great managed services today go far beyond traditional IT support—they require proactive, AI-driven cybersecurity intelligence tool that prevents threats before they impact business operations. We deliver this through our integrated ecosystem approach, where cutting-edge threat detection, cloud infrastructure, and business applications work seamlessly together under 24/7 SOC monitoring. What sets AmaraTech apart is our commitment to being true strategic partners: we develop deep industry expertise to understand each client’s unique compliance requirements and operational challenges, then translate our technical capabilities into measurable business outcomes like revenue protection and competitive advantage.
Through transparent reporting, continuous innovation with leading cybersecurity vendors, and flexible engagement models that scale with growth, we don’t just manage technology—we architect security-first solutions that drive business success. When you partner with AmaraTech, you’re not getting a vendor; you’re gaining a cybersecurity-focused technology advisor dedicated to keeping your business protected, compliant, and positioned for innovation in an increasingly complex threat landscape. My passion for helping organizations embrace progressive technology drives successful business transformation and seamless technology integration, positioning our company as a leader in next-generation cybersecurity solutions.
Do you see any gaps in the tech industry that you think more companies should be addressing?
The cybersecurity industry urgently needs to develop AI-native security frameworks that can match the speed and sophistication of AI-powered attacks, which are scaling exponentially while traditional defenses remain linear. Current cybersecurity frameworks are built on reactive, signature-based models that cannot adapt fast enough to counter AI-generated attack variations, creating dangerous gaps in real-time threat response.
The industry must prioritize developing adaptive security architectures that integrate human expertise with AI-driven defense systems, democratize advanced security tools for organizations of all sizes, and establish rapid threat intelligence sharing networks that operate at machine speed. At AmaraTech, we’re addressing these framework gaps by building AI-enhanced security operations that evolve with threat patterns, making enterprise-grade adaptive defenses accessible through managed services, and creating collaborative intelligence systems that amplify human analyst capabilities rather than replacing them. The critical challenge is shifting from traditional periodic security updates to continuous, proactive AI-native frameworks that can defend against tomorrow’s threats today—because the window for reactive cybersecurity approaches is rapidly closing in an AI-accelerated threat landscape.
How do you keep up with the fast-changing tech landscape—especially when it comes to things like cybersecurity, compliance, or AI?
As cybersecurity threats evolve at unprecedented speed with AI-powered attacks and constantly shifting compliance requirements, AmaraTech maintains its competitive edge through a comprehensive intelligence ecosystem that combines strategic vendor partnerships, real-time threat monitoring through our Security Operations, and active participation in threat intelligence sharing communities. Our team maintains cutting-edge certifications while operating hands-on testing labs for emerging AI security technologies, ensuring we can rapidly assess, deploy, and scale new defensive measures across our client portfolio within hours of threat emergence. This systematic approach to continuous learning—from regulatory compliance partnerships to client-driven insights and internal knowledge sharing—positions us as a proactive cybersecurity advisor who anticipates and prepares for threats before they impact business operations. While many MSPs react to security incidents, our commitment to staying ahead of the threat landscape through multi-layered intelligence gathering and rapid adaptation capabilities ensures our clients receive protection against both current attacks and tomorrow’s emerging cyber challenges, making cybersecurity readiness a competitive advantage rather than a reactive necessity. It enables organizations to thrive in our increasingly connected, threat-aware digital landscape by fostering inclusive partnerships that bridge technology gaps and accelerate innovation adoption across diverse business sectors.
What’s coming up next for you and AmaraTech—any big plans, goals, or ideas you’re excited to roll out?
I’m currently leading the development of a groundbreaking AI-powered cybersecurity platform designed to revolutionize security management for businesses and organizations through advanced technology integration and intelligent automation. This comprehensive solution leverages custom AI models built on cutting-edge large language models to enhance user interaction and automate complex security workflows, delivering protection through a dual-module architecture. The platform combines systematic Vulnerability Management—featuring automated assessment, structured remediation workflows, and continuous monitoring capabilities—with advanced Threat Intelligence that generates operation-specific insights tailored to each organization’s unique risk profile, industry sector, and business context. By delivering actionable threat intelligence for informed risk assessment and strategic remediation planning, this innovation empowers organizations to systematically identify, prioritize, and address security risks while maintaining regulatory compliance, ultimately improving overall security posture and delivering personalized cybersecurity experiences that create measurable business value across diverse client platforms.
The post HIPTHER Community Voices: Alieu Kamara – Founder and CTO of AmaraTech appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
It’s not just black and white label
Yoni Sidi, CEO at Wiztech, says white labels are all about striking the balance between pros and cons, but for some, it’s impossible to achieve and that’s why it’s important to consider other options.
For most operators, a white label solution seems to offer the best route to market. But is that actually the case?
I’ve been working in the industry for more than two decades now, and over that time, I’ve worked on both sides of the fence – so on the white label operator side and on the white label provider side. This gives me a deep understanding of the pros and cons of white label solutions, and this understanding ultimately led me to launch Wiztech. To answer your question more directly, white labels are always about striking the balance between the pros and cons they present – for some operators, a balance can be found, but for others, it can’t. Ultimately, it comes down to knowing what you want from your platform or technology stack, and whether a white label can meet those requirements with the budget and resources you have available to you.
So, what are the pros and cons of a white label platform?
There are plenty of upsides to white labels, and that’s why they’re used by so many operators. The main advantages are speed to market and cost effectiveness – you can literally go from first discussions to your online casino being live in a matter of weeks. The upfront fees are relatively small, and, in most cases, you pay a revenue share back to the platform provider. This can tighten margins a little, but it means you don’t have to have a large capital reserve to get going. Another benefit is that you can take on as much or as little of the operation as you like – for some, they will let the platform provider take care of the operational aspect while they focus solely on marketing and customer acquisition. Other upsides include licensing, with the white label partner securing and being responsible for the licences they hold.
Drawbacks. The biggest for me is the lack of differentiation you get with a white label. The many brands that run on the platform often look very much the same, just with different logos and branding. After a few months of operating your online casino, you’ll likely notice friction points that you’ll want to address, but the rigid nature of white-label platforms means it’s incredibly difficult to smooth out even the smallest of bumps in the road. It’s also incredibly difficult to roll out unique features and functionality as the development team is usually working through a backlog of requests – most of which are for the friction bumps that need ironing out. Factor in the frequent regulatory changes that happen, and the need for the development team to respond to them, and it’s easy to see how hard it can be to improve the experience being offered to players.
How can operators strike a balance between the pros and cons of white labels?
It comes down to understanding the capabilities of the platform provider and whether they offer customisation and localisation. If they don’t, the operator needs to determine if this is a price they’re willing to pay in exchange for the speed to market and cost effectiveness that white labels provide. Of course, some white label providers do offer support and are happy to help when it comes to developing and deploying bespoke features and functionality. But in my experience, most don’t have the capacity for this, even if they say they do. For me, the balance is found by accepting the limitations of white labels and working within the (often pretty rigid framework) they provide. There are plenty of examples of operators that have done this and have gone on to run very successful brands in highly competitive markets.
Is there an alternative to white labels?
The most obvious alternative is to develop a proprietary technology stack, but this approach comes with just as many, if not more, pitfalls. Building a platform from the ground up is incredibly expensive and tremendously risky, and this is why so few operators outside of the industry power players have been able to pull it off. And even those that do often encounter issues such as ongoing maintenance, tech debt, staffing and compliance. But there is a middle ground between white label and proprietary, and it can be found with smaller platform providers whose technologies offer the agility, flexibility and adaptability required for operators to launch highly customised, almost bespoke, online casinos and sportsbooks.
How does Wiztech fit into the platform mix, and how do you support your partners in achieving their goals in often highly competitive markets?
At Wiztech, we champion modular tech and the likes of AI and automation. By embracing these, we have been able to build powerful yet highly customisable casino and sportsbook solutions that are also fully compliant in tightly regulated markets. In our experience, being able to quickly respond to regulatory changes provides a competitive advantage to our customers. In Mexico, for example, our client Winpot has been able to deliver a unique player experience while always ensuring compliance. And this is against a backdrop where regulatory changes often come with very little notice. Our technology can adapt quickly while Winpot continues to capitalise on the growing demand for entertaining online casino products and experiences.
But just as important as our technology is our approach to our partners. This sees us undertake a comprehensive onboarding process where we spend a lot of time understanding the client’s “why” before we map out the “what” and the “how”. This has proved to be incredibly effective and ensures that our clients can get the most out of the flexibility of our platform and the high levels of customisation and personalisation it provides.
The post The White Label Dilemma: Finding the Right Balance for Your iGaming Business appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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