Latest News

Why studios need to promote their games

Published

3 years ago

October 12, 2022

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Elliott Resnick, Head of First Look Games, says that due to the highly competitive nature of the industry studios need to get their games in front of players if they are to succeed in the long term

Slot studios are fighting for operator attention in a highly competitive marketplace. There are literally hundreds of developers pushing thousands of games with endless new titles launching every month. So being heard above the noise made by rivals is a vital key to success.

Developers also face fierce competition when it comes to directing players to their games. Operator lobbies are stocked with thousands of titles, with game positioning often the difference between whether a title sinks or swims.

But what if affiliates could not only fulfil their traditional objective of new traffic to operators but also drive awareness of a studio’s content and have players specifically look for the game regardless of where they are positioned in casino lobbies?

To do this, studios must promote their games to players as well as operators, but that isn’t easy given developers take a small proportion of the revenues made on their slots. Above-the-line marketing is simply not an option for the majority of studios, so they have to look to other ways of gaining the attention of operators and players.

But due to the expensive nature of traditional game development, and the time it can take to bring a slot from concept to market (this can take anywhere from four to twelve months) studios must not leave game discovery to chance and instead proactively promote each of their most anticipated titles.

It is also important for studios to provide operators with easy access to information and assets about their games, not just for the purpose of selling their titles but also for other areas such as inclusion in the operator’s marketing and CRM. Without this, developers are missing the final but crucial step in launching their game – which is proactively letting players know about it.

This has led several studios to partner with slot streamers but while that now hangs in the balance pending Twitch’s upcoming announcement on 18 October, others are leveraging the incredible reach that traditional affiliates can provide. But striking partnerships with publishers can be labour intensive – something that already stretched teams have little time to dedicate to unless they hire someone dedicated to affiliate outreach pretty much full-time.

That is where First Look Games comes in, providing the world’s first platform that directly connects studios with all registered affiliates in the iGaming space who regularly craft detailed new game reviews designed to generate referrals to one or more online casino partner.

A publisher’s access to First Look Games is free, allowing all game studios to deploy finished/approved creative packs direct to an entire affiliate community within minutes. It puts the power in the developer’s hands, giving them control over the information and assets they share, and when they share them.

Affiliate marketing allows studios of all sizes to put their games in front of players and potentially build anticipation around future releases. For established studios that have highly sought-after content coming, affiliate marketing can drive large numbers of reviews along with significant awareness that a new game is set to land. For small studios starting out, it can make a difference between being prioritised for an operator integration or being left out. For those in the growth phase, game promotion can assist with realising greater ROI.

Studios can additionally use the feedback they receive from affiliate game reviews to guide future slot development by understanding what has and has not hit the mark with the player community. This feedback is incredibly valuable.

What’s more, affiliates are very cost-effective when compared to other forms of B2C marketing and can help studios to reverse engineer interest in their games where reviews are strong and the audience has a clear appetite for their content.

But right now, studios are not maximising the potential that affiliates provide. The studio-affiliate relationship is still relatively new which is why this marketing channel can be overlooked in terms of the value it can deliver.

First Look Games has been designed to do much of the heavy lifting on behalf of the studio, providing them with access to more than 800 approved publishers with their combined reach being more than 20 million players around the world.

Studios simply upload game information and assets to their dedicated library, and then our network of approved affiliates can access these files and use them to produce content such as game reviews or video content. The entire platform has been designed to be easy to use by any member of a studio’s team.

Despite this, we often find the studios do not know where to position us within their business – sometimes we are seen as a marketing resource, other times as a tool to support the commercial team. We can be both, but it shows just how new this area of game promotion is.

Over time this will change, especially when studios start to see the incredible success their rivals are having in the affiliate space by unlocking more of the potential in their games.

Getting any title in front of more of the right people is simply good business and in such a competitive market, that can be the difference between a studio succeeding or failing.

American gambling industry

Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – September 29-October 5

Published

59 minutes ago

October 7, 2025

Niji Narayan

gaming-americas-weekly-roundup-–-september-29-october-5

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Welcome to our weekly roundup of American gambling news again! Here, we are going through the weekly highlights of the American gambling industry which include the latest news and new partnerships. Read on and get updated.

Latest News

Jackpot Digital Inc. has announced that it has been granted a Manufacturer and Distributor License by the Mississippi Gaming Commission. This approval authorizes Jackpot Digital to supply gaming equipment to licensed casino operators throughout Mississippi. This marks the Company’s second state-level manufacturer’s license in the US. Additional licensing applications are currently pending in other jurisdictions as part of the Company’s ongoing growth strategy. Mississippi is one of the nation’s premier destination gaming markets, generating over $2.4 billion in gross gaming revenue in 2023. The state’s Gulf Coast and Biloxi regions are particularly well known for their vibrant casino tourism and established gaming brands.

iDEA (iDevelopment and Economic Association), the leading trade association representing the U.S. online gaming industry, launched the definitive online destination for all things online gambling: ideagrowth.org. The new website provides the media, and U.S. legislators and regulators, a comprehensive resource for data-driven research, policy insights, and responsible gaming resources. The new website provides the industry’s most vital statistics and research — from consumer protections to economic development — in an engaging, accessible format designed for maximum impact.

CT Interactive has further strengthened its international presence by expanding its certified game portfolio on the regulated Peruvian market with 20 new titles. This milestone underscores the company’s commitment to delivering high-quality, engaging gaming content tailored specifically to regional markets. The newly certified portfolio features titles from CT Interactive’s popular Buy Bonus product line, including fan favorites such as Duck of Luck, Fruits & Sweets, Doctor Winstein, and Nanook the White Ghost. These enhanced editions deliver dynamic gameplay with one- or three-level Buy Bonus options, giving players new tools for diverse strategies and greater control over the game’s pace and excitement. A highlight of the newly certified titles is the launch of Lucky Clover 10, the latest addition to the acclaimed Clover-themed series.

Partnerships

CT Interactive has entered a new phase of its Latin American growth by launching its complete portfolio of games on Rushbet in Mexico and Peru. This collaboration with Rush Street Interactive—one of the region’s leading online casino and sportsbook operators—marks a significant step in the company’s international expansion. Players on Rushbet now have access to proven favorites like Lucky Clover, 40 Treasures, Win Storm and Big Chilli, along with the engaging Hot Luck three-level jackpot, designed to enhance player excitement and retention. This partnership underscores CT Interactive’s commitment to long-term collaboration and delivering tailored gaming solutions across diverse Latin American markets.

Hard Rock International has announced its 26th annual PINKTOBER campaign in partnership with Sports Illustrated Swimsuit ahead of this Breast Cancer Awareness Month. As a global entertainment and hospitality brand guided by the principle “All is One,” Hard Rock is leveraging every touchpoint to support the cause throughout October, from a limited-edition retail collection to special menu items and events. A portion of proceeds from PINKTOBER sales each year are donated to the Hard Rock Heals Foundation, the charitable arm of Hard Rock, to support breast cancer awareness and research worldwide. The program has raised over $13 million for breast cancer research since its inception.

The post Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – September 29-October 5 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Emilia Kurzynska Team Lead of Responsible Gambling

SOFTSWISS Handles 16,000 Responsible Gambling Cases in 2025

Published

3 hours ago

October 7, 2025

George Miller

softswiss-handles-16,000-responsible-gambling-cases-in-2025

Reading Time: 2 minutes

SOFTSWISS, a global tech provider of iGaming software solutions, reports strong results from its Responsible Gambling team for 2025, helping operators strengthen compliance, protect players, and adapt to evolving regulatory demands.

In the first half of 2025, the SOFTSWISS Responsible Gambling team reviewed around 16,000 cases, including self-exclusion requests, proactive interventions, and behavioural checks. Beyond measurable cases, the team continued to support ongoing monitoring and compliance across multiple jurisdictions.

Key initiatives of the team’s 2025 work included:

The launch of a Responsible Gambling Video Digest, a monthly animated series explaining RG policies and updates for operators and internal teams
Bilingual training modules for First Line Support and CRM teams, improving collaboration and consistency
Active cooperation with AML, Legal, and Complaints teams to ensure a unified approach to player protection
Participation in external training programmes, with certified learning for employees across departments

The Responsible Gambling team continues to enhance its Risk Scoring Tool in collaboration with the Research and Development unit. The tool applies machine learning algorithms to detect risky behaviour more effectively, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards.

Emilia Kurzynska, Team Lead of Responsible Gambling, comments: “Our mission is to ensure that player well-being is always a priority embedded in every process. The growing number of Responsible Gambling cases shows that awareness is rising, and we meet this demand with reliable tools and timely interventions to effectively support every operator.”

SOFTSWISS places responsible gambling at the heart of its approach, enabling operators to enhance compliance, protect players, and adapt to regulatory changes. With rising awareness and increasing Responsible Gambling cases, the company provides reliable tools and timely interventions to ensure player well-being remains a top priority.

Partners and visitors are welcome to the SOFTSWISS Stand 4016 G at the SiGMA Central Europe Summit 2025 on 3–6 November to explore collaboration opportunities and share industry best practices, as well as take part in the live car assembly experience, explore innovative solutions, and discuss the key findings of the 2026 iGaming Trends Report.

About SOFTSWISS

SOFTSWISS is an international technology company with over 15 years of experience in developing innovative solutions for the iGaming industry. SOFTSWISS provides comprehensive software for managing iGaming projects. The company’s product portfolio includes the Casino Platform, the Game Aggregator with over 35,000 casino games, Affilka Affiliate Platform, the Sportsbook Platform and the Jackpot Aggregator. The expert team, based in Malta, Poland, and Georgia, counts over 2,000 employees.

The post SOFTSWISS Handles 16,000 Responsible Gambling Cases in 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

booth 5028-2

Redefine the Rules: GR8 Tech’s Heavyweight Rulebook Lands at SiGMA Central Europe 2025

Published

3 hours ago

October 7, 2025

George Miller

redefine-the-rules:-gr8-tech’s-heavyweight-rulebook-lands-at-sigma-central-europe-2025

Reading Time: 2 minutes

GR8 Tech is stepping into SiGMA Central Europe 2025 with a new playbook for iGaming leadership: The Heavyweight Rulebook. Built on the code of champions, the Rulebook defines the discipline, consistency, and relentless drive it takes to dominate the toughest arenas in iGaming. To create it, GR8 Tech gathered insights directly from iGaming’s top performers—the industry’s real heavyweights—turning their winning principles into a set of Champions’ Rules.

From November 3–6 in Rome, operators will find GR8 Tech at booth 5028-2, ready to share the rules and the technology that makes champions.

The Champion’s Rules: Heavyweight Results, Proven Standards

Attendees will see Heavyweight rules in action through demos, experiences, and conversations designed for operators who refuse to settle for average. Every Champion’s Rule translates into measurable business results with GR8 Tech.

Champions don’t wait. They launch first, and it shows: ULTIM8 Sportsbook can go live in as little as 7 days via iFrame integration.
Technology is the champion’s armor. Strong tools deliver strong results: +30% engagement uplift powered by AI-driven personalization, +50% GGR uplift with advanced sportsbook features and cross-vertical engagement tools.
Success belongs to the consistent. Resilience is built in with 99.99% uptime across global markets and the biggest world events, ensuring performance under pressure.
Partnership multiplies strength. With a revenue-share alignment model, GR8 Tech’s success is directly tied to that of its clients.

“In an industry as volatile as ours, no one wins alone. Champions don’t let one crisis consume everything—they keep moving, adapting, and performing under pressure. At GR8 Tech, we see partnership as the ultimate rule of the game: it multiplies strength, resilience, and results. That’s how real champions are made and that’s exactly what we’re bringing to SiGMA this year,” said Yevhen Krazhan, CSO at GR8 Tech.

ULTIM8 Sportsbook: Two Paths to Victory

At the center of GR8 Tech’s SiGMA Central Europe showcase is the ULTIM8 Sportsbook, a high-performance solution designed to help operators rule new markets and dominate existing ones. In Rome, attendees will see the dual power of its integration modes:

iFrame — For lightning-fast launches with customizable branding. Get to market in days without compromising speed or margin.
API — A new addition for operators who want to build their own champion’s frontend. Unlock maximum flexibility with GR8 Tech’s rock-solid trading, risk, and data systems.

No matter the path, the result is the same: precision, performance, and profitability at scale.

The next chapter of iGaming is written by champions who play by the Rulebook.

Meet GR8 Tech at booth 5028-2, SiGMA Central Europe 2025 in Rome, November 3–6. Discover how the Heavyweight Rulebook can help you scale, localize, and dominate with confidence—and add your own Champion’s mark to the hall of fame.

The post Redefine the Rules: GR8 Tech’s Heavyweight Rulebook Lands at SiGMA Central Europe 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.