Interviews
Platform power
In this round-table feature, we look at the ways in which aggregation platforms are advancing and embracing new technology to overcome pain points for studios entering unfamiliar markets, enabling them to focus on creating quality content for players. Insight is provided by Rhys Hatton, Senior Product Manager at Light & Wonder; Ivica Jovanovski, Head of Aggregation at Bragg Gaming; and Tatyana Kaminskaya, Head of SOFTSWISS Game Aggregator.
How would you define the relationship between a modern aggregation platform, an ambitious games studio, an operator and its players?
Rhys Hatton: When aggregation platforms do their job well, it’s a really powerful relationship. Ultimately, our role as a provider is to remove complexity and provide distribution at scale, into regulated markets all over the world. We do this through the delivery of premium in-house and third-party content, through our OpenGaming platform which is truly scalable and which also contains all of the promotional tools and gamification features operators need to attract and retain players.
The penny has also dropped for some operators when new regulations have been imposed in certain markets including the UK, Germany and Sweden. Our technology platform is able to pivot quickly to react to these changes at a network level, keeping operators legal and compliant without the need to drop content, or having to suddenly handle huge projects and take on fire drills.
Ivica Jovanovski: It is an advanced 360-degree ecosystem that is interconnected and highly interdependent. Each segment plays an essential role, with the biggest emphasis on the player who is the initiator and main driver for competing game studios. An aggregator acts as the link, determining how innovative products will perform among a target audience, while the operator gets the opportunity to test and trial the offering and to enhance their portfolio.
Tatyana Kaminskaya: All actors in this line depend on each other. I guess it is a lot easier when it comes to players, as their major goal is entertainment. Most vulnerable are game studios, as they need to attract literally everyone – players, operators, and game aggregation platforms. And the spheres of interest they target may be totally contradictory, so it is important to find balance.
Generally, there’s no way to leave any of these actors out – they function as an organic whole. Of course, we could imagine studios, operators, and players coping without game platforms’ involvement and without content hubs, but this trend never stays long in the market. Working with aggregators is much more beneficial both for studios and operators in terms of saving resources. Despite spotted direct contracts between studios and casinos, aggregators cannot be ousted because of their ability to handle legal, technical and account management issues. It is the economic viability that tips the scales. Aggregators deal with high volumes, build price offerings, and are a kind of security guarantor for providers.
In which markets are aggregation platforms particularly advantageous as a route to market for studios?
Ivica Jovanovski: In markets with stricter regulations, and ones with few operators where barriers to entry are high and the immediate return for direct integration is expected. Europe and North America are regions where aggregation has really been advantageous to date. However, with upcoming regulations and consolidations in South America, I expect this will change the competitive landscape on the continent and aggregators will play a bigger role.
Tatyana Kaminskaya: Advantages do not depend on markets but on the scale and maturity of a game studio or aggregation platform. The concept is roughly the same for both. At the start, when a studio is new to the industry, it should try getting maximum output at minimum input. The priority should be given to loosely regulated markets which would not involve large expenditures. The first steps in such markets do not require excessive effort to obtain licences or certificates, but help understand the process and build up capital. It gets you prepared for landing in more serious and regulated destinations, such as the UK, already fully mature and weathered to withstand challenges and bear financial costs. It is a certain degree of product maturity when you can afford to invest six to twelve months of your effort and reap the benefit, bringing much more value, later.
I believe studios should focus on choosing a game aggregator rather than a market and seek the best offering matching their current development stage. And while choosing, they start analysing access to operators, services, and technical functionality. The SOFTSWISS Game Aggregator works with over 180 game studios, which is a testament to trust in our functionality and features.
Rhys Hatton: Overall, it is more about the universality of platforms, rather than simply catering to any one market. The breadth of access is important, but at the same time we really earn our lunch when markets are regulating and have evolving requirements. North America stands out in this regard with its fragmented, complex regulatory environment, which varies a great amount from state to state. From a supplier standpoint, this necessitates undertaking major costs in gaining individual licences, given the weight of resources that need to be assigned to this lengthy process. However, a platform provider can remove these pain points at a stroke through the development of strong working relationships with regulators – even before a market has gone live for the first time.
Across the board, the support of a modern aggregation platform nurtures and drives innovation for studios worldwide. We aim to provide operators with stand-out content that occupies every gaming niche, including local, market-specific games. It is vital that the scope of content we can offer is both as broad and as market-specific as possible, taking in every potential player preference. One interesting example here is Light & Wonder LIVE DEALER by Authentic Gaming, which we have taken live in Colombia with other regulated markets set to follow. There is a real appetite for live casino entertainment across the Americas and through the power of our platform, we are perfectly positioned to satisfy the demand by rolling this content out at speed.
What is changing in terms of technology at a platform level, and to what benefit?
Tatyana Kaminskaya: There is no common pattern that would apply to all aggregation platforms. I can say that not only the SOFTSWISS Game Aggregator but also some of our competitors see the need for technology upgrades and closer communication with players. Traditionally, a content hub has been an invisible mediator allowing players to run a game. At the same time, players are unaware that this mediator exists. That is why game aggregators try to input their value and approach players – for example, to create engaging tools to bring additional value both for game providers and operators or add functionality unavailable in games.
But this is only possible if a platform has grown its basic functionality to the golden standard – an extensive game portfolio, data processing, help desk, multifunctional back office, and high-level service. And after that it is time to add icing to its cake – additional player engagement and retention tools.
Rhys Hatton: It has also been interesting to see some of our competitors now adopting solutions that we have had in our locker for a while – such as our client middleware solution. It’s inspiring to see others incorporate and build upon our ideas, as it shows the impact and relevance, they have in the industry. Going forward, we believe the future is also about continuing to build out our network services. For many years, we have offered network-wide Free Rounds, which removes the complexity of many different back offices and systems for operators, and we are busy expanding this to incorporate new features. There are smaller aggregators and single studios that have developed great products in this space and there is no question we have areas we are targeting to catch up. At the same time, achieving what we already do at global scale across the whole network is already huge for us and not something you can get easily elsewhere.
In terms of content, our acquisition of Playzido has significantly increased the scope of our capabilities. Its proprietary Remote Gaming Server (RGS) platform is one of the best in the iGaming industry for rapid custom game development and already, it is helping to accelerate the pace at which we can help both game studios and operators across the world to co-create new and exclusive content for players. With competition higher than ever for player attention, this approach drives differentiation and innovation for the benefit of all stakeholders.
Ivica Jovanovski: There are two streams, in which change is guided. First are the technological improvements, from blockchain, VR, and AI which can help build up the gamification experience. The second thing is the easier compliant adaptation to new regulated markets, enabling faster delivery, which is crucial when first-mover advantage is so important.
How important is it for these platforms to be robust at scale, to provide players with a seamless entertainment experience?
Ivica Jovanovski: Due to the large data and traffic volume processing, stability and security are exceptionally important. This serves as one of the biggest competitive advantages for operators. As technology continues to advance, the platforms will only become better, and more elements and functions will be added that will further improve the experience for players.
Rhys Hatton: We often talk about online gaming as being part of the wider entertainment ecosystem and rightly so. However, that idea goes hand in hand with the expectation of a perfect playing experience and this means platform resilience at a global level. Wherever they happen to be in the world, players demand a gaming session free of all technical bugs. If a game breaks down upon trying to open it, there’s a risk that a player will never play it again – or worse, leave the operator altogether. In emerging markets in particular, the implications on revenue of losing a casino player due to a substandard gaming experience is of major significance. That is why for major platform providers, such as Light & Wonder, reliability at scale is not only desirable, but utterly essential.
Scalability at a platform level is also about customer protection. Technical attacks across global markets will continue to become more advanced, ranging from data breaches to ransomware. Operators need to know that their chosen platform is resilient and reactive to such adversity, so that its operations continue to be efficient while running at scale.
Tatyana Kaminskaya: Since game aggregators are invisible actors in the gameplay process, the bare minimum of seamless operation is when a player starts a game without noticing its technical side. Players value good gameplay which is free of technical issues. Therefore, flawless operation is a must for game aggregators, same as the ability to process big data flows, so that no technical anomalies would interfere with exceptional player experience. And only when you have reached perfection at this stage you should approach players – with no pressure but giving space to accept or decline your offer. That’s exactly what we do with the SOFTSWISS Game Aggregator’s Tournament Tool – we analyse, and adjust to, player preferences, showcase the benefits we offer, and give a choice.
The same story is with bonus games, savings, challenges and others. They all can become valuable assets and find their niche, but are absolutely worthless without the basic functions working properly. But the more competitors offer, the faster these additional features will outgrow from pleasant additions into a must.
How do you see the future landscape developing for aggregation platforms?
Tatyana Kaminskaya: Answering this question, I will repeat my previous words: aggregators will interact more with players. Historically, only operators used to have direct access to players – they kept in touch, built communities, etc. Once a game is downloaded, the game provider also gets access to players, but it is not communication that matters at this stage, but a quality gaming experience. At this point, aggregation platforms could enter the communication process and work on retaining and engaging players through additional features and tools. It doesn’t mean that players will remember our brand – we would rather not brand ourselves in this context. But we will show operators that an aggregator can help boost player retention, increase the number of players, their LTV and potential deposits without any additional effort from a casino. Operators will want to work with us and recommend us in that case. And if we develop sought-after and popular functionality, casino players will ask for specific features available only through aggregation platforms. This will facilitate the growth of game aggregators and strengthen their impact on player experience, boosting further developments and updates to their functionality.
Ivica Jovanovski: If the pace of innovation is sustained, adeptness of modern technology is accelerated, and adaptation to new regulations is expedited, operators will value a reliable partner across multiple markets, and this bond will get even stronger. Since many parameters inevitably have to be adapted, platforms will geographically divide and develop in different directions. One thing is certain – the future is strong for aggregation platforms as they solve a number of headaches for operators and help them boost their offering and accelerate their reach in key markets.
Rhys Hatton: We believe that particularly when it comes to emerging markets, the future for aggregation platforms such as OpenGaming continues to be very bright. In addition to delivering content to operators quickly and at scale across multiple jurisdictions, with a tech stack and tools that are designed to aid this process, there is also the issue of agility at play. Again, it is about suppliers being able to utilise the resources that an aggregation platform has available: the ability to conduct adaptive planning and to continually assess and evolve whole responding to changing requirements. Regulatory change, which can often be imposed without consultation, is a fact of life in our industry. It is about how a platform provider can adapt and meet shifting requirements and expectations for the benefit of everyone, while also providing added value beyond scale and distribution.
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Match Hype has just won two industry competitions. Talk us through your product.
Match Hype brings engagement from social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram into the sportsbook. Our technology automatically turns raw sports data into short videos full of sports and betting insights. We have the capacity to create up to a million videos daily in more than 30 languages. We also provide hosting and streaming of the videos, and we track everything in the video thanks to our own player. The high level of video experience and the scale make us unique in the market, and we believe that this innovation is extremely needed in the industry—and the judges in the competitions probably agree with us.
What technologies are you leveraging to deliver such a cutting-edge tool/product?
We have more than six years’ experience in developing dynamic video solutions for clients like Microsoft, HBO, and SAP, and a decade in high-end video production for similarly well-known clients. Match Hype is the essence of this. We have developed our own robust cloud infrastructure that enables us to work on a huge scale. We can also leverage the integration of third-party solutions that help us make the video content rich and engaging. The AI boom came at the right time to help us make the experience for the viewer even better.
Who is Match Hype aimed at?
We focus mostly on sportsbook operators, where we think we can bring the biggest value. But we also have clients on the affiliate and media side. Our “competition” at the moment are creative professionals who are able to create one video at a time. To cover hundreds or thousands of events daily, you need huge manpower. With Match Hype, you don’t need that—it’s all automated. Anybody who appreciates this level of efficiency will benefit.
The end users are any sports fans who enjoy engaging videos. So basically everybody.
Has this industry been slow to embrace video content and unlock the potential it offers? If so, why?
It’s hard for us to talk about the whole industry, as we haven’t been part of it for that long. But iGaming feels like a conservative industry where only truly meaningful innovations make it. Fingers crossed for Match Hype being one of them. We are confident because of our track record in other industries, and mostly thanks to the results of our dynamic videos that are already used by significant igaming industry players.
What makes video content so effective at customer acquisition? How can Match Hype be used in this regard?
People just love video content. In the last review, TikTok said that the average user spends around 90 minutes a day on their platform. Platforms like Spotify used to be music and podcasts only; now they are full of videos. You just can’t ignore that. Video killed the radio star, and a static sportsbook is next to die.
And what about retention? How can it be used to keep players engaged and coming back for more?
Imagine that a 30-second video gives you the exact insights to help you make a betting decision without spending dozens of minutes on different resources to gather all the information. People don’t want to read anymore. This is probably an even bigger strength of Match Hype than user acquisition.
What can we expect from Match Hype in the coming months?
We will establish Match Hype as an industry standard for dynamic video content. We’ll bring many more sports like tennis, basketball horse racing and. We are preparing real-time video use cases—for example, half-time updates in football—and new distribution channels like integration directly into streams. The potential is huge. Stay tuned.
Any final thoughts?
For the last year, we have talked with literally hundreds of iGaming experts, investors, and executives. Almost every one of them sees fan engagement as a huge topic in the upcoming months and years. And video will definitely play a key part in it.
Video says more than a thousand words. Give it a go—watch one of our 30-second videos and see for yourself.
The post Exclusive Q&A w/ Radek Pšurný, CEO at Match Hype appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
For those that might not know, can you give us a brief overview of Pick’Em Player Props?
In simple terms, the new Pick’Em Player Props product from WA.Technology is almost like a hybrid between fantasy sports and sports betting. In the same vein as traditional player props products that you see in traditional sports, players can select markets on individual players – we have just taken that model and elevated it.
During the game, players can make between two and six bet selections. For example, will Erling Haaland score more or less than 2.5 shots? The number of bet selections the player makes then determines their multiplier. By allowing bettors to unleash their sporting knowledge and provide engaging games for them to play, we are helping our operator partners to not only engage with a wider player base but also to fuel long-term retention. It really is a one-of-a-kind product and one we’re incredibly excited about. It’s already proving to be a top performer in LatAm.
Why has now been the right time to unveil Pick’Em Player Props?
Over the last few years, we’ve seen significant growth in the number of player proposition products. There are several reasons for that. Sports fans have shown a growing affinity for individual players rather than a team. They follow players on social media and engage with content featuring that player.
This reflects the wider trend we’re seeing: the new generation of fans is more in love with the players than the team itself. A great example of this is both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Bettors worldwide would wager on either of those players and engage with their content regardless of which team they played for or what club they supported.
The appetite for player-driven betting is increasing dramatically, resulting in a greater demand for products specifically tailored to individual athletes.
With more traditional sportsbooks, however, we’ve found that there isn’t as much depth of product regarding player propositions – aside from goal scorer markets. We wanted to change that – we wanted to deliver a fun, engaging product that helps build a sense of community among players.
Since Pick’Em Player Props is also a hybrid of fantasy and sports, it can act as an attractive tool to facilitate new market entries, as fantasy sports are not regulated like sportsbooks or iGaming. Take the US for example. In most states, operators do not need a licence to offer a fantasy sports product. This is the case for many markets around the world, too. I believe this will be an attractive proposition for operators looking to expand their international footprint, and as a truly global provider, we’re here to make that happen.
In your view, what differentiates WA.Technology’s Pick’Em Player Props from other player props products on the market?
Currently, we are the only B2B provider to offer a player propositions product that combines sports and fantasy. A handful of companies in the US offer something similar, but they are all B2C companies – we are bringing something totally unique to the B2B space.
Fantasy Sports have always been popular in the US. But over the last 18 months, we’ve seen a meteoric rise in the demand for player proposition markets; we wanted to develop a product that caters to that growth in demand and delivers something unique for our partners.
For other player props products on the market, something that is worth noting is that the design and UX are doing little to engage Millennial/Gen Z bettors. This audience demands a streamlined UX that is easy to use. Our Pick’Em version has been specifically designed with this demographic in mind, although we have been careful not to disenfranchise other age groups. We have kept the design sleek, streamlined and easy to use to deliver that. It’s extremely well-designed compared to what you might see in a more traditional sportsbook.
The game is straightforward to understand because we have fixed multipliers. This decision differentiates us from more traditional products, where the multipliers vary depending on how many bets you place. It also makes the product much more accessible for players who might otherwise not be familiar with fantasy or player props.
Another major defining factor is that we have ensured players can add multiple bets from different markets together. On most sports betting sites out there, you cannot combine player props markets. You couldn’t, for example, have a bet slip combining Erling Haaland’s Over/Under Shots and Kevin De Bruyne’s Shots on Target. We know this is frustrating for many bettors. We wanted to eliminate that barrier and elevate sports fans’ experience.
How does the level of data granularity influence the design and effectiveness of player proposition betting products, particularly in terms of player engagement and personalised betting options?
We are very fortunate that the data feed we use for our player props markets is the best. We have a wide range of insights and data analytics available, giving us an edge over other companies within the space – this is a serious differentiator.
The enhanced data range means we can deliver many more bespoke, personalised betting options to players while also getting more granular with the markets we can offer.
Our Managed Services Team, which oversees all things trading, also closely monitors the markets that are most popular with players. For example, if we see an influx in bets on ‘shots on target’, we know how to create more promotions around this particular market. We can tailor the CMS to engage better with players and create a more personalised experience.
Players can also ‘favourite’ particular players and clubs. Any market featuring that player will automatically appear when the Pick’Em Player Props application loads up.
Are there any markets where you believe Pick’Em Player Props will prove to be particularly popular? If so, why?
In all honesty, I can’t think of a market where this won’t be popular! Regions such as LatAm present an enormous opportunity for the growth of player proposition markets. I believe we can really plug a gap in the products currently offered to bettors.
Across the continent, we’ve seen players show a real passion for player-focused markets, and we’re here to capitalise on that. In Brazil, for example, if we were to create markets on Neymar, I’d anticipate this would gain much traction!
The real selling point for Pick’Em Player Props here is that we offer an extensive range of sports and markets that cater to a broad audience – but within that, we can personalise sports and bet selections not to overwhelm the player. I’d expect that markets on football will perform exceptionally well across Africa and LatAm, while countries such as South Africa may have a stronger preference for Rugby or Cricket.
Ultimately, it’s about understanding the unique preferences of players within each jurisdiction our partners operate in and tailoring the product accordingly. With teams based in various markets worldwide, we can get to grips with the local knowledge and fully understand what resonates with bettors.
In your view, what are some of the factors behind the growth of player props products in the last 12 months?
Most definitely shows how sports media companies are incorporating more player-specific content into their roster. This already has a huge impact, and I can’t see it changing anytime soon.
Whether it’s interviews with specific players, post-match analytics on performance or even the inherent growth of social media, the balance is undoubtedly tipping more towards the player rather than the team.
Personalisation will also have a considerable knock-on effect on the growth of player propositions. Bettors want more bespoke offers, specific bet suggestions and more instant content tailored to their unique playing habits. With a product like Pick’Em Player Props, you can personalise that betting experience to your heart’s content.
It also becomes much easier for sportsbooks to align with a specific user’s interests when we deliver unmatched data analytics and levels of personalisation that are available via WA.Technology’s product suite.
In short, Pick’Em Player Props gives operators the tools they need to create wide-ranging engagement opportunities without sticking to the rigid sporting calendar, where sometimes you might have to wait several days between a game. By incorporating fantasy sports, we can deliver round-the-clock content much faster, therefore meeting the demands of players. If you want to find out more – make sure to stop by Stand 1095 at SiGMA!
Behind every stellar online slot is an equally stellar maths model. These are becoming more experimental as the industry flirts with an increasing array of innovative new mechanics. We spoke to Pablo Martinez, Math/Design Lead and Founder at maverick game studio Peter & Sons to find out more.
Do you have to be a maths genius to build a slot machine?
Nah, you don’t need to be a maths genius. It’s more about having the right mix of skills and loving what you do. You need to play a lot of games, see what’s working out there, and understand what makes them fun. Knowing maths helps, sure, but it’s more about creating something players want to keep coming back to.
Peter & Sons is known for making games that dare to be different, visually and thematically. Is the underlying math equally experimental?
Definitely! We love pushing boundaries, both in how our games look and how they play. Sure, it’s a bit of a gamble to have a bunch of games with unique mechanics, but we’re all about trying new things. Games like Peter Hunter and our upcoming Muddy Waters are great examples — they bring fresh gameplay and new experiences to the table. Each year, we try to put out at least one or two experimental titles, keeping things interesting while mixing them with more familiar styles.
Do you come up with the maths model first and then build the game around that? Take us through the process of building the game from start to finish.
We usually start with an idea for the mechanics first. We make a quick prototype to see if the concept can work with the maths. Then we bring in the art team to brainstorm themes that will fit well. Once we have a basic prototype, we go through a bunch of tweaks and changes until the art, mechanics, and maths all feel right together. It’s a back-and-forth process where we’re constantly finetuning everything to get the best balance.
Why do you think a mechanic like Megaways was so successful?
Megaways took off because it’s a fun, exciting mechanic that gave players something fresh, but smart brand marketing really helped it catch on.
Is there pressure as a slots developer to come up with the ‘next’ Megaways?
Not really. Coming up with new mechanics is always fun, but it’s not the only way to make a hit. Plenty of top games are just clever twists on classic mechanics. It’s more about creating a great experience that keeps players coming back, whether it’s something brand new or just a fresh spin on something more familiar.
Which slots are more popular, high or low volatility, and why do you think that is?
It depends on the market, but in some unregulated markets — and especially with some operators — high-volatility slots are really popular. A big reason for this is streamers. High-volatility games make for exciting content, so they get a lot of attention and hype online. That thrill factor really draws players in.
Which is your favorite Peter & Sons mechanic and why?
Right now, I’d say the fishing mechanic in our upcoming game Muddy Waters. It’s a new twist on the fishing genre that really brings something fresh to the gameplay. It’s exciting to take a familiar theme and make it feel totally different.
Tell us about the mechanics in your latest release, Barbarossa Revenge.
Barbarossa Revenge is a pirate-themed, high-volatility game with 243 ways to win. It’s a DoubleMax game, meaning the multiplier doubles with each cascade. You’ve also got Multiplier Jumps and a Cashout feature that guarantees wins. During Free Spins, the multipliers don’t reset and can keep growing unlimited. With a max win potential of 30,000x the bet, this game is a real thrill!
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