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Wazdan appeals to the traditional slot audience with retro-inspired slots

Published

3 years ago

September 22, 2022

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Andrzej Hyla, CCO at Wazdan writes about how the company has gone back to basics in terms of the appearance of its slots in the Hot Slot™ series, applying a self-reflective approach to game design to get closer to what a ‘traditional’ slot is in a number of its products.

Slots have been around for over a hundred years, and for decades the 3×3 layout that featured cherries, lemons, and other fruity symbols was the standard for the space. Naturally, the genre has evolved to facilitate modern player preferences and their craving for new themes and a greater sense of interactivity. However, a small group of loyal followers still seek out retro games that evoke a sense of nostalgia and deliver a charm that, in their opinion, modern releases fail to.

While many believe that it is only a matter of time before traditional experiences are pushed to the peripheries of iGaming, at Wazdan, we believe there will always be a place at the table for throwback titles that utilise easy-to-understand mechanics and a classic aesthetic. As the industry continues to push forwards in terms of innovation and customisation, it also produces a steady stream of players that start to feel sentimental and reminisce about old-school gameplay, creating consistent demand for classic products.

The appeal of retro experiences

The main appeal of vintage products is the sense of nostalgia they deliver, paired with the simplicity of their mechanics. Research shows that the majority of land-based and online casino customers are casual gamers that consider slots an entertainment-based pastime.

These players see traditional experiences as something that can bring face-value excitement into their lives. Therefore, do not want to waste time learning about the complicated rules and seemingly endless combinations that modern titles provide. They seek simple, yet engaging games that provide them with many winning opportunities.

As a business that prides itself on the quality of games it produces, with an offering that spans classics and popular table games to innovative video slots, we have a responsibility to cater to all types of players. Our top-performing Hot Slot™ series, including Hot Slot™: 777 Crown, Hot Slot™: Magic Bombs, and Hot Slot™: Magic Pearls, do this by taking things back to how they used to be, employing modern features that complement the classic designs on display, rather than overpower them.

As a result, our games get recognition for the balance that they strike between traditional and contemporary, generating fantastic results for our partners.

Innovations that target modern demographics

As things stand, slots with sophisticated bonus features dominate the iGaming space as more and more players yearn for a greater sense of interaction and entertainment.

With the advent of new technologies and leaps in graphic and audio design, the slot looks different now than it did ten years ago, as do mechanics, outcomes, and even bonus rounds.

However, we believe easy-to-understand features that increase the chances of winning are the most engaging for players. Our Hot Slot™ games collection is a perfect example of how effective simple features can be in terms of driving revenue growth for operators.

Our top-performing Hot Slot™: 777 Crown proves that many players still seek simple fruit machines with basic mechanics. Although the game offers Scatters as the only special feature, it became one of the most popular slots in our portfolio.

Hot Slot™: Magic Bombs is a brand-new slot that offers our engagement-boosting Collect to Infinity™ mechanic proven to generate better results for operators. The game also introduces our brand-new Sticky to Infinity™ feature, designed to keep players immersed for longer. When combined with player-favourite Free Spins, these two innovative features guarantee increased engagement. Players immediately understand how these mechanics work and can focus on the thrilling action taking place on the reels.

The upcoming Hot Slot™: Magic Pearls slot combines classic aesthetics with our popular Hold the Jackpot bonus round, allowing players to win the Grand Jackpot of 2500x their bet in a simple re-spin-based bonus game.

What is more, our games offer customisable features, allowing players to adjust the game to their needs. For example, with our Volatility Levels™, each game can appeal to all types of players, from recreational to VIPs.

Finding the perfect balance

Providers in the iGaming space are required to be flexible and change with the times to remain relevant, serving modern players with slots that are a feast for all senses, but those that take it upon themselves to develop games for retro slot fanatics get to reap the benefits of catering to a loyal community of mature gamers.

The key to our success has been developing slots that target modern players without alienating the fans of classic slot experiences, and we have no plans to stray from this strategy.

ClearStake

Star Sports adopts ClearStake’s bank-based solution for player verification

Published

21 minutes ago

February 26, 2026

Wladimir P.

star-sports-adopts-clearstake’s-bank-based-solution-for-player-verification

Independent bookmaker Star Sports has partnered with ClearStake to enhance its player verification and compliance procedures using secure bank-driven verification technology.

The collaboration will enable Star Sports to incorporate ClearStake’s newly-introduced ID by Bank solution.

The product enables users to confirm their identity in seconds through their banking app, eliminating the requirement for document submissions and manual assessments. It results in a notable rise in the success rate of verification processes, which consequently boosts the number of depositing players while decreasing fraud and operational costs.

Star Sports will utilize ClearStake’s current affordability and source of funds technology.

Flynn Goward, Managing Director of Star Sports, said: “We’re always looking for ways to make the player journey smoother without compromising on compliance. ClearStake’s technology gives us exactly that balance. It’s been simple to integrate and we’re already seeing faster verification and fewer hurdles for genuine customers.”

Martin Burt, CEO of ClearStake, added: “Star Sports is one of the most recognised and trusted betting brands in the UK, so we’re thrilled to be helping them enhance their verification processes. By adopting ID by Bank alongside our affordability and source of funds tools, they’re setting the benchmark for what modern player verification should look like.”

ID by Bank has been implemented by several other major UK operators in recent weeks and is transforming the way operators authenticate players online, resulting in significantly improved pass rates, lowered operational costs and fraud, as well as enhanced FTD conversion rates.

The post Star Sports adopts ClearStake’s bank-based solution for player verification appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

iGaming

Menace sets new retention benchmark

Published

21 minutes ago

February 26, 2026

Wladimir P.

Just three months after its launch, disruptive new iGaming brand Menace is reporting performance data showing player loyalty well above established market benchmarks.

Menace’s flagship crash game has delivered an average day 1 retention rate of 26%, exceeding the top end of market benchmarks of around 20–22% for comparable titles.

Player loyalty extends beyond initial engagement. During peak months in December and January, Menace recorded day 7 retention of 24–25%, placing it at the very top of industry performance ranges.

The success is partly attributed to Menace’s integrated games studio, Ebaka Games. Around 80% of Menace users played an Ebaka title during a three-month period of exclusivity.

Menace founder Dmitry Belianin said:

“From day one, our goal was not just to launch another operator but to build an ecosystem where content and platform are engineered together for long-term engagement. The early retention data shows that when a studio and an operator act as one product organisation, you can achieve loyalty levels that traditional integration models struggle to reach.”

Ebaka Games content was first launched exclusively with Menace alongside a major brand awareness campaign. Following its proven performance, the content is now available to third-party operators.

These metrics place Menace among the sector’s stickiest operators, with players returning at unusually high rates for a newly-launched brand.

The post Menace sets new retention benchmark appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

AI

BetConstruct AI Charts a New Course for Brazil’s iGaming Market at SBC Summit Rio 2026

Published

21 minutes ago

February 26, 2026

Wladimir P.

betconstruct-ai-charts-a-new-course-for-brazil’s-igaming-market-at-sbc-summit-rio-2026

BetConstruct AI is thrilled to share its involvement in the SBC Summit Rio 2026, taking place from March 4-5 at the Riocentro in Rio de Janeiro. As Brazil enters its second year of complete regulation, BetConstruct AI emerges at this critical market moment to present a vision of technological empowerment and strategic independence.

At Stand A230, attendees will find an extensive range of AI-powered solutions tailored to satisfy the expectations of the Brazilian crowd. The exhibition highlights the top-tier Sportsbook and Casino Platforms, designed to expand quickly while ensuring peak performance levels.

Apart from the main platforms, BetConstruct AI supplies the necessary framework for a leading online brand. This encompasses CMS Pro, a tailored content management system that enables operators to oversee their complete business from one unified platform, and SpringBuilder X, our mobile-centric, SEO-focused drag-and-drop website creator that removes the necessity for technical expertise. Advancing customization, BetChain AI provides an innovative method to design and develop iGaming sites more efficiently and intelligently, granting partners complete creative authority. These essential tools are crafted to operate in complete synergy with our advanced intelligence layer, establishing a smooth connection between an impressive user interface and intricate back-end automation.

At the heart of the exhibition lies the BetConstruct AI Suite, an advanced set of tools designed to streamline and enhance the operator’s experience.
This encompasses:

●CRM AI: Delivering deep behavioral insights to enhance player retention.
●Umbrella AI: Providing real-time risk management and automated player protection.
●AI Game Recommendation System: Ensuring personalized content delivery to maximize engagement.
●Betting Mate: An intuitive AI companion that elevates the player experience with real-time stats and insights.

Demonstrating its dedication to the long-term success of the Brazilian market, BetConstruct AI will emphasize its unique “The Choice to Grow” initiative. This performance-driven program aims to incentivize partners that reach a 16.67% growth in GGR each quarter. Achieving these goals across a wide array of products – such as Sportsbook, Virtual Sports, and partner brands like PopOK Gaming and CreedRoomz – enables operators to receive a 51% invoice discount every third month, plus exclusive service advantages and tournament participation.

BetConstruct AI encourages all industry stakeholders, operators, and media representatives to stop by Stand A230 at Riocentro. The team will be present during the summit to showcase how a connected, AI-driven ecosystem enables partners to select the route of innovation, efficiency, and market leadership in the Brazilian market.

The post BetConstruct AI Charts a New Course for Brazil’s iGaming Market at SBC Summit Rio 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.