Industry News
Agile Marketing in times of COVID-19
Martina Filipovic, Senior Marketing Specialist, sharing her thoughts on importance of marketing agility in times of COVID-19
Importance of marketing agility in the gaming industry
Unlike the financial crisis of 2008 when most B2Bs have played intact and remained silent marketing-wise, nowadays marketers have chosen merely to adapt the marketing strategy to the unexpected new rules in the industry.
NSoft is predominantly digital marketing oriented and bases its marketing decisions on metrics, analytics and projections. Confronting this situation was a great challenge for the team as it was necessary to make an ad hoc budget rebalance and refocus the existing marketing strategy. NSoft’s in-house marketing team has made it all possible – the people’s expertise and long term global marketing experience have helped NSoft mitigate this turbulent period.
The main focus was to promptly react to the new industry situation and keep the brand presence serving clients in line with the Board decisions. Combining adjusted marketing activities on all of NSoft’s digital platforms resulted in an overall growth compared to the same period last year. This confirms the accuracy of the NSoft’s marketing decisions and points out that the other gaming industry’s stakeholders were eager to find a solution for this situation as well. This mutual need will be present in the future as well since the industry recovery is expected to start very soon.
Storytelling and networking during the COVID – 19 era
Increased online media consumption was inevitable – in just a few days the industry has switched completely online, proving, once again, the importance of prompt reactions in unprecedented times. The first goal for NSoft was to proactively address changes and suggest solutions as this situation was new for all gaming industry stakeholders. It was mandatory for NSoft to reach out to its clients and audience with relevant content thus showing them that we have a strong solution to their quests – more than ever it was important to keep in touch with the clients and overall industry. NSoft’s Sales and Business Development team have shared their thoughts on everything that’s been going on in the industry and have provided their insight on what the future holds for the stakeholders.
With F2F events being canceled or postponed online networking has become a necessity. The industry has recognized the importance of keeping everyone up to date with all the information and suggesting alternative options. It was only obvious that NSoft joines the rest of the industry with sharing the remedy options for this turbulent period in a webinar organized with European Gaming Media and Events. Webinar shall be covering a hot topic “How can number virtuals complement your new virtual sports offering”. On April 21 Mr Ivan Rozic, Senior Vice President for Global Sales and Business Development at NSoft and Mr Zoltán Tűndik, Head of Business at European Gaming Media and Events (part of Hipther Agency) will tackle this important issue.
The power of diversified product portfolio
As the situation in the industry changed drastically – NSoft had to adapt its communication and product offerings accordingly.
Our clients are most affected by this situation and we wanted to find a way to ease this demanding period for them as well.
We offered our entire palette of virtual games on the web: Virtual Sports Betting products and Draw-based games completely free of charge for the period from April 1 to June 1, 2020. This means no setup fees, no minimum monthly fees and no monthly revenue share invoices for 2 months.
NSoft is grateful to all of its media partners for helping us help the industry in this demanding period – our long term partnerships have once again proved their value.
Post-crisis future – the new normal
Although at the moment, the entire focus is on activities that require immediate actions, NSoft is keeping an eye on the future as the new normal is expecting us after this lock-down. At any moment it is necessary to have a strategic plan for the post-crisis actions and tools to execute those decisions in order to fully support our business and consequently the business of our partners. It’s obvious that the industry is struggling at the moment but this too shall pass. Now is the right time to revise all the actions and plans, adjust steps towards new activities and step up the game as the post-crisis will require even more strategic marketing implementation.
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In an industry that never stands still, the race for innovation is constant. GoldenRace identified a shift in player behaviour: the modern audience craves more than just a bet; they want innovation, simplicity, gamification, fun, excitement, rewards and speed.
This realisation led to the birth of a brand-new vertical designed to bridge the gap between traditional betting and casual arcade gaming: Hit&Win.
GoldenRace’s first titles in this category are Arcade Heist, which takes the concept to a whole new level by introducing the essence of gaming: a community experience; and Fortune Fighters, a combat-themed experience that brings the intensity of a tournament arena to the palm of a player’s hand.
Arcade Heist moves away from the solitary nature of traditional betting and introduces a raid mechanic. In this game, the high-stakes world of undercover robberies meets classic arcade fun, but with a revolutionary twist.
On the other hand, what sets Fortune Fighters apart is its narrative depth. Players step into the shoes of Kai, a disciplined student fighting to restore his master’s honour against the reckless and loud Brotus. By entering “The Fortune Tournament”, players participate in a quest where every strike, dodge and move is a wager. This storytelling drives long-term engagement and player loyalty, turning a standard betting session into an immersive journey.
ICE 2026 Encore webinar: Reviewing Softquo’s major highlights
Want to know more about GoldenRace and the rest of Softquo companies’ revolution?
If you couldn’t make it to ICE Barcelona 2026, or if you want a strategic replay of the biggest announcements, you won’t want to miss this exclusive webinar!
Join Martin Wachter, Softquo’s CEO and Founder, Joey Kordahi, Softquo’s Project Manager and Simone Suppa, Novusbet’s Managing Director, as they review the essential topics and news introduced by the Softquo Holding at ICE 2026.
The post GoldenRace’s new Hit&Win games, Arcade Heist & Fortune Fighters appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Bruce Smith Enterprise
The Cordish Companies, Bruce Smith Enterprise and Live! Casino Virginia Celebrate Opening of Central Virginia’s First Full-Scale Casino
The Cordish Companies and Bruce Smith Enterprise celebrated the highly-anticipated grand opening of Live! Casino Virginia, the region’s first full-scale casino. The opening of the temporary gaming facility marks an important milestone in bringing new jobs, economic development, and tourism to the region while construction advances on the permanent resort destination next door.
Located just 25 miles south of Richmond and only 45 miles north of the North Carolina border, Live! Casino Virginia is conveniently off I-95 at Exit 48B. Live! Casino Virginia delivers a full-scale gaming experience 24 hours a day, seven days a week, featuring 75,000 square feet of gaming space with more than 900 state-of-the-art slot machines and over 30 live-action table games. Guests also can enjoy a signature bar and quick-service restaurant, with more than 1000 free parking spaces for added convenience. Combined with the signature excitement and superior hospitality only Live! can provide, the casino promises an unmatched entertainment experience for locals and out-of-town guests.
“We are proud to introduce an unparalleled entertainment experience to this market – the area’s first full-scale casino, offering the pulse-pounding excitement of Vegas-style slots, dynamic table games, and the unmistakable energy that defines the Live! Brand. Live Casino Virginia is a game-changing development, positioned to be a catalyst for entertainment, hospitality, and sustained economic growth throughout the region for decades to come,” said Jon Cordish, Principal of The Cordish Companies.
The Cordish Companies and Bruce Smith Enterprise were joined by Virginia Lottery Board Chairman Ferhan Hamid; Virginia Lottery Executive Director Khalid Jones; Petersburg Mayor Samuel Parham and members of Petersburg City Council; Pro Football legend Joe Theismann; and many community and business leaders from around the region to celebrate the opening.
“For far too long, this area has been a place people passed through rather than stopped to explore; today, that changes. Live! Casino Virginia will stand as a destination in its own right, and as someone deeply committed to this region and its people, I’m proud to help create opportunities that strengthen, inspire, and invest in the community for generations ahead,” said Bruce Smith, founder of Bruce Smith Enterprise.
“The influence Live! Casino Virginia is already having on Petersburg cannot be overstated. From the temporary casino to the future permanent resort, this project is poised to redefine the Tri-Cities and help shape the long-term trajectory of our region. This moment marks the beginning of a powerful new era,” said Mayor Samuel Parham, City of Petersburg, VA.
During the grand opening celebration, $15,050,000 was presented to the City of Petersburg and local charities in support of city initiatives, community programs and nonprofit organizations. The $15 million donation to the City is part of a broader commitment by The Cordish Companies and Bruce Smith Enterprise, which includes additional scheduled contributions. Through the establishment of a Community Advisory Board, a portion of these funds will be designated to support city initiatives including services for the elderly, childcare, affordable housing, parks and recreation facilities, support for education, healthcare, and housing and workforce development for disadvantaged populations, ensuring a meaningful and lasting impact on the community. On January 20, the property’s Charity Test Day generated $50,000 in proceeds, which were split evenly between two local organizations – Feed More and the John Randolph Foundation – providing $25,000 to each.
Additionally, the Virginia State University Foundation is the recipient of the inaugural “Live! Change Maker” program, a charitable initiative that allows guests to donate remaining change from their winnings to a local nonprofit through its cash-out kiosks. Funds collected through the program through March 31, 2026, will directly support the Virginia State University Foundation’s mission to advance educational opportunities, student success, and institutional excellence at Virginia State University. Live! Casino Virginia’s program is part of the casino’s ongoing community engagement and corporate social responsibility efforts, designed to make giving back simple and impactful for guests. Last year, Live! Casinos across the country distributed millions of dollars to local charities through the initiative. Each quarter, a new local nonprofit will be selected as a recipient of the program.
The post The Cordish Companies, Bruce Smith Enterprise and Live! Casino Virginia Celebrate Opening of Central Virginia’s First Full-Scale Casino appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Online casino engagement is breaking down faster than operators anticipated, according to new research by CasinoRank. The analysis tracked player behaviour across 847 slot, crash and live dealer titles over 18 months and shows that while players are logging into casinos more frequently, their willingness to stay and engage is declining. Session frequency rose 23% year over year, while median session duration fell 18%, pointing to a shift towards shorter, faster interactions rather than sustained play.
The research draws on aggregated session data from 40 operators across Europe, Latin America and Asia between Q2 2024 and December 2025. Across markets, a consistent pattern emerged: platforms that introduced additional layers between app open and first gameplay experienced higher early-session abandonment, even when traffic increased. Personalisation layers, lobby restructuring, promotional overlays and navigation changes that delayed the first meaningful interaction were repeatedly linked to players exiting before placing a bet.
Key patterns:
• Players opening casino apps more often but exiting earlier
• Higher abandonment when friction appears before first gameplay
• Steeper retention declines as response times reach double-digit seconds
• A growing share of session losses occurring before gameplay begins.
The findings suggest the window to earn engagement has collapsed to seconds. Mobile-first behaviour has reduced tolerance for slow loading, unclear navigation or delayed gameplay. Retention declines steadily as response times increase, with the sharpest drop once delays extend into double-digit seconds.
Game performance data reflects the same shift. Titles built around immediately understandable mechanics consistently maintain top-ranking visibility longer than feature-heavy games with layered bonus structures or complex progression systems. As engagement windows shorten, complexity is increasingly perceived as friction rather than innovation.
Dylan Thomas, credibility lead at CasinoRank, said the findings point to a structural change rather than a temporary fluctuation. “Engagement is not falling. It is fracturing. Players are returning more often, but committing less time per visit,” Thomas said.
“Platforms now have seconds, not minutes, to earn the first meaningful action.”
The post CasinoRank Data Reveals an Attention Crisis in Online Casino Gaming appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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