Unless you have been hiding under a rock for the last few years, it should come as no surprise that Latin American expansion is a major talking point for many gambling companies. 

With new markets opening up, and countries such as Brazil on the cusp of regulating, Latin America arguably has the potential to become the next global powerhouse for betting. Evoplay is one such company that is eyeing up new opportunities for global expansion, and as you might have guessed, Latin America is high on the agenda. 

CEO Ivan Kravchuk discussed the reasons why Evoplay’s football-themed titles have proved so popular in Latin America before sharing which market he believes holds the greatest potential for growth.

CB: Evoplay’s had plenty of success in LatAm with its football-themed games. Can you talk us through what you see as key to making sports-themed RNG titles so popular?

IK: Thank you! We’re delighted with how popular we’re proving to be over here. LatAm’s audience is well-known for being especially enthusiastic about football, so it’s an area we really wanted to excel in. To make that happen, we have researched and analysed it from every angle possible as we know that sports betting is hugely popular there, and we’ve made it our mission to bring the best sports-themed RNG games into the market for players to enjoy. 

As a result, our Football Pack, consisting of three games – Penalty Shoot-out, Football Bet, and Penalty Series, performed exceptionally well in the region throughout 2022, and has proven to be a truly unique proposition. The numbers speak for themselves, and it made a considerable contribution to our general Bet Sum growth in LatAm by 560 per cent last year in comparison to 2021. 

In many ways, that isn’t too much of a surprise for us as we literally provide football fans with the opportunity to experience the excitement of sports wagering on their smartphones – all without being limited by the events schedule, as we’ve got a casino version of the real thing. 

CB: Looking at current market opportunities – which LatAm jurisdictions hold the most potential right now? Is Colombia still the biggest growth market?

IK: LatAm, as a whole, holds incredibly strong potential – it shows impressive growth dynamics, with online GGR expected to reach $4.4bn by 2026. Of course, as all of us know – Brazil, Mexico and Colombia are always going to be the jewels in the crown for the next decade given both population / audience size and in Colombia’s case, an excellent regulatory environment. 

Looking at demographics, Brazil remains the market leader, and I expect that to continue given it’s almost a continent in its own right. However, I’d like to highlight how great regulation done correctly can be conducive to growth, with Coljuegos’ proactive approach ensuring a real surge in popularity, with our latest data recording a 66 per cent expansion of online in 2022. 

Mexico can also be a market of great promise and it will definitely be one we’ll be exploring more as we continue to expand. Of course, we’re also aiming to enter even more local markets, and I believe it’s important to keep an eye on all jurisdictions and their dynamics, with the likes of Argentina, Chile and Peru all having unique characteristics and their own reasons to get involved. We are, after all, about entertaining as many players as possible with our next-gen games! 

CB: Onto mobile and Evoplay’s Spinential casino engine, which gives players the chance to enjoy HD games at only 10% of the data. How essential are bespoke tech solutions to having an edge in LatAm?

IK: We have been developing our proprietary casino engine Spinential with the word ‘optimisation’ in mind to overcome this exact obstacle. It is designed to make igaming accessible across all regulated markets worldwide, regardless of the internet speed and device type, in effect, truly bringing high-tech gaming to all. 

With the game engine accelerating loading speed by x10 and saving digital storage space, it is a seamless solution for LatAm where the internet penetration is steadily increasing but has a large room for improvement – especially when it comes to data allocation. 

Providing players throughout the globe with high-quality cutting-edge entertainment, available in all circumstances, is what we’re about at Evoplay, and our mission is to bring the future of igaming to players, today. 

CB: Looking to 2023 – what’s Evoplay’s plans for LatAm this year and what can operators look forward to? Do you expect igaming popularity to take off even more as smartphone adoption increases?

IK: We’re just getting started! We’ve had fantastic success with our sports-themed RNG catalogue and it’s going to be a key part of our expansion strategy in 2023 – especially when it comes to delivering with mobile in mind. Given the success of our Football Pack in 2022 and the audience’s heightened interest in such games, we’ve got many requests from our current LatAm partners to continue supplying them with even more football-themed titles, all developed with mobile in mind. 

It’s a project we’re really enjoying working on at Evoplay – and we think the market is going to love what we have to offer. In addition, we’re also seeing how much players are resonating with games connected with local themes, and that’s also going to be a big part of our focus, as some may have seen with our Samba-themed Hot Rio Nights. 

The numbers we’re seeing for adoption are really exciting. Mobile gaming is growing especially fast – as LatAm has, in effect, skipped the entire desktop phase in the tech adoption cycle. With over 70 per cent of the market already mobile-focused, we certainly expect that to continue. 

CB: Last but not least, what are your predictions for Brazil as it moves towards regulation and what is Evoplay’s take on the market? 

IK: As we’ve already covered – we certainly feel it has excellent potential. No doubt, once it becomes regulated, I’m very confident that it will become one of the largest regulated igaming markets globally – especially given the rapid wave of digitalisation that is happening now. Looking at the numbers, it’s easy to see why. 

The country’s estimated GGR in 2022 is $2.1bn – and with regulation hopefully taking place in the coming years, I have no doubt that it will continue to grow. 

I am sure the majority of the industry participants will be keeping their eyes on developments. There are some really excellent surveys out there that showcase these dynamics. For example, 63 per cent of Brazilians recently surveyed via an industry research project confirmed that they like playing slots, which is of course the result of such a strong land-based gaming heritage. 

I have no doubt that this combination of digitalisation and passion for arcade and casino-based gaming will mean that Brazil has every reason to become a true global titan for igaming. 

The post Ivan Kravchuk: Latin America could soon become a true global titan for igaming appeared first on CasinoBeats.

Ahead of SBC Summit Barcelona, where slots will be a central focus across an array of expert discussion points, we assess what life is left in those familiar themes that are heavily used, the potential risk of cult classics, and if classic titles are important for easing players into the vertical.

In part one of a two-part special, participation comes from Amit Samji, Principle Game Producer at Push Gaming, Ivan Kravchuk, Evoplay CEO, and Rob Lee, Commercial Director at Realistic Games.

CasinoBeats: Is there still life in certain slot themes that have featured heavily in the last decade, such as Egyptian, Western and Irish games, or should slot studios be thinking outside the box when it comes to creativity?  

Rob Lee: There’s a reason for the heavy use of these themes and that’s because they’re popular. The historical/mythological, Irish and more recently fishing games are themes that people resonate with and again, that’s largely derived from a successful first game.

I’m sure there was probably one before it, but the Egyptian title that springs to mind is Cleopatra from IGT, Rainbow Riches for Irish games, Fishing Frenzy with the fishing theme and studios catch on to what’s working. Is an Egyptian-themed game working because it’s Egyptian or is it because it’s got a great maths model and is a great game? It just happens to be wrapped up in an Egyptian style.

It’s very easy to go down that route to try and enhance your game’s chance of success and again if you look in the market now, there’s a glut of fishing games because they’re seeing the success of Fishing Frenzy and Big Bass Bonanza and studios want a part of that.

Is the magic in a popular game the theme or not? It’s difficult to say – of course, there will be maths graphics and features involved but ultimately they’re all fishing-themed games, so it must play a part at some point.

Amit Samji: There will always be life in the classics – these are themes that are player favourites. It all comes down to individual preference.

For example, you could have a game reskinned from an Egyptian theme to a western theme, and regardless of being reskinned there are players who prefer one or the other only because of its theme. Thinking outside the box will always highlight the creativity from the supplier but to have a mix of both makes for a great catalogue.

Ivan Kravchuk: The above-mentioned game themes are all based around one plot, treasure hunting. It is one of the most sought-after themes due to its highly adventurous nature. These games are enthralling and allow players to immerse themselves into the title’s narrative and imagine themselves as the story’s main hero, which fuels the delight of the gaming process.

The out-of-the-box solution is to segregate the core treasure hunt theme and offer it with a wide variety of settings. We like to experiment with such plots, packing them with innovative features and gamification techniques that result in a highly captivating experience which elevates engagement and retention.

CB: Classic slots have proven key in helping develop new igaming markets such as the United States and Canada, where players are instinctively drawn to games they’ve seen played in brick-and-mortar casinos. Are classic slots important for easing players into the vertical, or is North America an anomaly?

AS: Classic slots are generally the comfort zones for players but they also have the potential to gradually grow into new, innovative slot games.

There are always players who are looking for something new to play and it sometimes only takes a handful of games to change that perspective. But in order to cater for the widest range of demographics possible, there needs to be those ‘comfortable’ games that classic slots bring to casinos.

I believe with the popularity of new innovations that we have been seeing in the European markets and the pace that it has been growing for many years, will definitely attract North American players.

IK: The US is still a ‘young’ market, with more and more states slowly legalising online gambling – which has a huge appetite. Its audience, having a Las Vegas gambling background, is highly interested in the digital opportunities the industry can offer. They crave a land-based gaming experience on their mobile phones or in the comfort of their own homes.

In comparison to other countries where igaming isn’t a new thing, players with the brick-and-mortar casino heritage are hungry for consuming classic products but in a new format.

RL: Classic slots are perfect for pretty much all young markets so I would say that Canada and the United States are not an anomaly. If you look at some of the games that we’ve spoken about already, like Cleopatra, that didn’t start online, that started in land-based casinos in Las Vegas.

Once igaming came around, IGT had the foresight to take its most popular title and put it online and it suddenly became a smash hit overnight. Rainbow Riches started its life in bingo clubs, while Fishing Frenzy was in betting shops

I think you’ll find now that more and more operators that have an omnichannel business, the likes of William Hill and Ladbrokes that have retail locations, Rank, that has bingo clubs or Grosvenor with casinos – they’re all looking for that crossover because it’s much easier to sell to their customers in both areas that if they can play the same game in their bricks and mortar business as they can online. That’s a huge selling point and an even bigger opportunity.

iGaming Innovation is to form one key aspect of this year’s SBC Summit Barcelona 2022, which takes place at Fira Barcelona Montjuïc on 20-22 September.

This will see 6,000 delegates enjoy a 12-track conference covering all aspects of the international sports betting and online casino industries, an exhibition with 200 companies showcasing their latest innovations, and a programme of spectacular evening networking events. 

Visit the SBC Summit Barcelona website to book your All Access Pass for the early bird price of €350.

The post Assessing the allure and importance of classic slots themes: roundtable continues appeared first on CasinoBeats.

Ahead of SBC Summit Barcelona, where slots will be a central focus across an array of expert discussion points, we assess what life is left in those familiar themes that are heavily used, the potential risk of cult classics, and if classic titles are important for easing players into the vertical.

In part one of a two-part special, participation comes from Amit Samji, Principle Game Producer at Push Gaming, Ivan Kravchuk, Evoplay CEO, and Rob Lee, Commercial Director at Realistic Games.

CasinoBeats: Classic slots tend to offer features that are now considered a small part of most modern titles. Are games that exclusively feature wilds, scatters and free spins enough for players in this day and age?

Amit Samji: The market is still very broad and these features will always give players peace of mind, as they are familiar with them – it’s not an experience that they would feel the need to read up on.

I do feel classic slots have a special place in the market with players who like simplicity in games and the efficiency of just loading up their preferred title and getting on with making spins.

Ivan Kravchuk: Classic slots are among the ancestors of the gambling industry. At Evoplay, we get back to these basics by creating classic yet innovative products dressed with a modern twist.

Players will see a familiar retro slot machine but with a high-quality design, aesthetically pleasing visuals, and superior mobile-adapted UX. As a result, they get the entertainment they long for, flavoured with a more gamified and modern experience. Fruit Super Nova is the best illustration of how much-loved classics become even more attractive with a fresh spin.

Rob Lee: We see trends within pretty much all industries and, what tends to be first to market, in most cases, tends to stick and people build on that, so scatters and free spins and the like, are what pretty much the whole gaming world has been built upon over the years.

When the UK moved from the traditional three-reel pub slots to the five-reel Vegas-style slot, that’s what the rage at the time was – it was the scatters, the free spins – so yes, there’s still a huge audience that requires that because it is what they know and it’s simple.

If you look at some of the content that has evolved over the last 12, 18, and 36 months, things like Megaways, et cetera, they still have scatters free spins and wilds, but they just deliver them in a different format. It’s the same concepts just wrapped up a little differently.

As long as these mechanics continue to prove popular with players then the industry’s brief is to develop more intuitive and inventive ways of delivering these classic features – they’re the spine that runs through pretty much every game in some way, shape or form.

CB: There are legacy slots out there that have sat at the top of casino lobbies for years, often prompting sequels and reskinned re-releases. Is it a risk to rely on cult-classics, or should studios leverage that popularity for as long as they possibly can?

IK: I would say that sequels and re-releases are peculiar to the entertainment industry as a whole. You can use the movie or video gaming industry as an example.

A popular game’s sequel usually has a boost at the start after its release, however, it doesn’t guarantee additional success as every product has its own life cycle. 

One of our latest sequels, Candy Dreams: Sweet Planet, is a spectacular example of how to maintain the interest of fans when delivering a follow-up title.

The sequel offers the same fun and excitement seen in the original but pairs this with new mechanics and features that refresh the gaming experience.

RL: If you look at the industry and what’s out there, you can argue that games and themes that have gone on to be successful have originated from the original title. Take Rainbow Riches – the original is probably by a long way still Barcrest’s best-performing title.

Since then, there have been several updated versions, but are those games as successful as the original? Probably not. But because of how successful the first game was and the brand evolved, players will naturally go and try the new game when it comes out.

That in itself is invaluable in the current climate where there are so many games and so many suppliers and so much content coming out that if players resonate with a brand that they’re familiar with, or that they had a good experience with at some point in the past, they will naturally levitate to try that new version.

Whether they like it or not, is probably irrelevant, and in most cases, they won’t like it as much as they did the original. This is where the initial huge success can be a little counterproductive – if the original was that good, anything after it generally isn’t going to be, which could therefore be detrimental to that brand.

We at Realistic have a similar case in our series Super Graphics. The first game was extremely popular and we built on that and we did another three versions – none of which were as successful as the first! 

The original still outperforms all of the other three to this day but because it was successful, it then created that brand that people were aware of and that you could actually hang some product releases from. Sometimes, a side-effect benefit of a follow-up is that it encourages repeat play in the original as well as the new release.

AS: Legacy slots will always be ‘legacy’ slots. When something works it works, and that’s what keeps them at the top of the casino lobbies, reskinned or not.

I do believe in innovating great mechanics, which is not as easy as it sounds, since it’s hard to perfect something that is already perfect. But finding that levelled balance is always a fantastic experience to provide to the player.

iGaming Innovation is to form one key aspect of this year’s SBC Summit Barcelona 2022, which takes place at Fira Barcelona Montjuïc on 20-22 September.

This will see 6,000 delegates enjoy a 12-track conference covering all aspects of the international sports betting and online casino industries, an exhibition with 200 companies showcasing their latest innovations, and a programme of spectacular evening networking events. 

Visit the SBC Summit Barcelona website to book your All Access Pass for the early bird price of €350.

The post Out with the old – have classic slots had their day? appeared first on CasinoBeats.

On a night where Evoplay was nominated within several categories, Kravchuk stated that he was “naturally focused” on the company’s nominations yet expressed his delight at claiming the accolade. 

“In the moment you are so overwhelmed with shock and excitement – it’s hard to describe,” explained Kravchuk. “Being awarded Leader of the Year in front of the whole industry, at the stage of a prestigious award ceremony like the SBC Awards 2021 is an incredible feeling.

“I felt proud, vindicated, and inspired by all the hard work we’ve done this year, and I am glad to have received this recognition in the eyes of the judging panel.

“Even though it’s billed as an individual achievement, it is first and foremost a win for everyone at Evoplay. Behind each leader, there is always a team of like-minded people who share all the ups and downs, so it’s very much a shared win in my eyes.”

Pressed on why Kravchuk thought he won the award, the CEO stated that the Evoplay team is “full of overachievers” and that “only a few in the igaming industry” can boast certain standards and goals. 

He continued: “Our company sets great standards and goals to continuously surprise the industry and develop products that haven’t been seen in the market before. 

“Only a few in the igaming industry can boast about such activities, allowing Evoplay to separate itself from the pack, making it a worthy tier-one name that is capable of receiving prestigious awards. 

“Thanks to the way we operate and conduct ourselves, I feel we’ve got the potential to make the year ahead as much of a success as 2021, and I’m excited by the future.”

Looking back over the past 12 months, Kravchuk noted that one of the biggest highlights of the year was the company’s rebranding, which took place in March and won Innovation in Marketing at CasinoBeats’ Developer Awards. 

In addition to the above, Kravchuk also pinpointed the “large-scale marketing campaign” for its flagship slot of 2021 with Star Guardians. 

Kravchuk added: “We also extended our expansive collection of best performing games to several titles, including but not limited to, the very hugely popular Fruit Super Nova Collection games.

“Challenges are an integral step towards success, especially for us as a company that likes to be a pioneer in the industry. Of course, most of our obstacles related to the development of Star Guardians, as we were developing it with unique technology and an in-house graphics engine.”

As the new year gets underway, Evoplay’s CEO stated the industry can “expect more interesting products with unique and captivating mechanics” and is “committed” to expansion in regulated and emerging markets. 

He concluded: “We define our USP as our expertise in instant games, so the new year will excite our partners and players with more diversified and multifaceted game offerings. 

Beyond that, we will be working on developing and scaling out our 3D game development to ensure the maximum level of player engagement and retention.

“Last but not least, the company is committed to expansion in regulated and emerging markets to make sure that players from all across the globe have access to our high-quality entertainment.”

The post Ivan Kravchuk ‘totally taken aback’ with Leader of the Year award appeared first on CasinoBeats.

Hosted by Kirsty Gallacher and World Cup winner Marcel Desailly, the eighth edition of the SBC awards brought together an audience of betting and gaming industry professionals to recognise the achievements of the top-performing operators, affiliates and suppliers.

The glittering ceremony culminated in bet365 extending its dominance in the Sportsbook of the Year category by being named winner for the eighth consecutive time, having earlier collected the Best Affiliate Programme and Best Mobile Operator App prizes.

Betsson Group also scored a hat-trick of successes, landing the coveted Casino Operator of the Year title, along with the Socially Responsible Sportsbook and, for its RaceBets brand, the Racing Sportsbook trophies.

Joining the big brand operators in achieving three successes was Betradar, with victories in the Platform Provider of the Year, Live Streaming Product / Supplier, and Sports Data Product categories.

Golden Race doubled up with wins in the Land-Based Betting & Gaming Product and Virtual Sports Supplier categories, while Evolution enjoyed twin triumphs as it picked up the Innovation in Casino Entertainment and Live Casino Supplier gongs.

The event also honoured some of the CEOs who have been integral to the continuing success of the industry throughout the turbulent conditions of the past 12 months. Yolo Group’s Maarja Pärt, Sportradar’s Carsten Koerl, and Evoplay’s Ivan Kravchuk were presented with Leader of the Year awards. 

Andrew McCarron, managing director at SBC, said: “Huge congratulations to all the winners selected by our independent judging panels. We had our largest ever number of entries this year and the overall quality highlighted that betting and gaming remains one of the world’s most forward-thinking industries.  

“To succeed against that standard of competition required a truly outstanding performance and that is what the judges identified in every single winner. From operational excellence and outstanding commitment to customer service through to exceptional innovation and creativity in product development, all the SBC Awards winners demonstrated something special over the past year.” 

The victors in the operator section of the awards also included Ladbrokes (Football Sportsbook of the Year), Betway Group (Esports Operator of the Year), Kaizen Gaming (Marketing Campaign of the Year) and 1xBet (Sponsorship of the Year). 

Mr Green took the prize for Socially Responsible Casino of the Year, while Karamba landed the Innovation in Casino & Gaming Entertainment prize and Hero Gaming collected the Employer of the Year trophy. 

In addition to recognising the achievements of the big names in the industry, the SBC Awards honoured some of the best challenger brands. The Rising Star prizes were presented to Virgin Bet (Sports Betting), Glitnor Group (Casino), Sports IQ Analytics (Sports Betting Innovation/ Software) and Swintt (Casino Innovation/Software). 

The affiliates section saw Better Collective named Sports Affiliate of the Year and Catena Media secure the equivalent Casino award, while Raketech Group triumphed in the Affiliate Product Innovation category. 

In the supplier section of the awards, the fiercely contested Casino/Slots Developer of the Year title went to Pragmatic Play, while Mindway AI won Industry Innovation of the Year. 

Pronet Gaming was named Sportsbook Supplier of the Year, Genius Sports collected the Living Betting Product prize, Highlight Games triumphed in the Virtual Sports Innovation category and Pinnacle Solution celebrated the Esports Supplier of the Year title. 

There were also victories for Optimove (Acquisition & Retention Partner), Shape Games (Innovation in Mobile), Square in the Air (Marketing & Services Provider of the Year), BetConstruct (Multi-Channel Supplier) and White Hat Gaming (White Label Supplier).

Trustly was awarded the Payment Solution of the Year title, while Nuvei triumphed in the Payment Innovation category, 1account took the Fraud & Compliance Solution honour and OKTO won the Mobile Payment Solution trophy. 

McCarron added: “The ceremony was a great night, with the awards, entertainment and hospitality combining to make it a fantastic end-of-year celebration for the betting and gaming industry. 

“Events like this are made possible by the ongoing support of our sponsors and partners, so I’d like to thank BetConstruct, Kaizen Gaming, Digitain and GoldenRace for being headline sponsors for the SBC Awards and all the other companies that we continue to work with. And a special mention to our own SBC team who have done a phenomenal job over a very difficult year.” 

The SBC Awards 2022 will move to Spain and are scheduled to take place on 22 September, the final day of SBC Summit Barcelona, the global betting and igaming conference and exhibition. 

The post Betsson, bet365 and Betradar celebrate triple successes at SBC Awards 2021 appeared first on CasinoBeats.

CasinoBeats spoke to Kravchuk, who delved deeper into the company’s third-person shooter slot, hurdles that had to be overcome through the development process and its mammoth marketing campaign. 

CasinoBeats: Where did the idea first come from to develop the industry’s first third-person shooter style slot?

Ivan Kravchuk: Most of the Evoplay team, including myself, are huge fans of classic video gaming, so that is where most of our ideas originate from. Our own cross-channel experience allows us to understand the player’s desires, being gamers ourselves, and bring popular ideas to igaming that can truly excite the player and engage like never before.

When it comes to inspiration – we wanted to create a game that will be interesting for everyone, regardless of gender, age, location, or an absence of prior interest in gaming. In this regard, we wanted Star Guardians to include exciting aspects that the igaming community often overlooks: a fast-paced dynamic, and a true sense of freedom where the action and emotions experienced in the game are unmatched when compared with titles that require players to just click a spin button and wait for the reels to move.

As a result – after plenty of creativity and concepts – we found ourselves deploying a hybrid of the most exciting gaming genres; classic video games, RNG gambling products, and third-person shooters, which is pretty much how the idea for Star Guardians came into existence. 

CB: What has the biggest hurdle been in the development process?

IV: The development process for a game as multifaceted and diverse as Star Guardians was rather complicated and time consuming – great things, after all take time. At present, the tools being used to develop casino games do not allow for the implementation of the visual load that we required for Star Guardians. Therefore, under these conditions, there were thousands of visual components, including 3D models, that had to be created from scratch, which took up a huge amount of time and professional resources.

This is where our very own customised game engine, Spinential, which includes all the best solutions developed by Evoplay so far, came in most helpful. Thanks to Spinential, we quickly and efficiently created everything and adapted all visual and technical functionality to facilitate all devices and optimized the game’s size and weight to make it available to players from other markets with various connection speeds and data issues.

What we see now with Star Guardians is an absolute revolution in the gambling industry. There has never been such a game on the market, making Evoplay as a pioneering game development studio that dares to take on such projects. 

CB: In terms of the game’s roll-out and marketing campaign, tell us a bit more about it – we understand it’s been a very focused process from Evoplay!

IV: Yes, it has been one of the biggest marketing campaigns to occur in the world of gambling. We started our preparations for Star Guardians back in February 2021, and we are only starting to reveal our cards with regards to the projects we have been working on all year. We have even designed branded merchandise and other materials dedicated to the game, which is another industry first, and I really am delighted by the feedback we’ve been seeing across the community.

Alongside that, we have also created a great social media marketing campaign on our social pages with creative videos and text showing off the coolest aspects of the game, including a series of five videos, where three of them are made in a graphic comic style and tell the storylines of the three main characters – Joe Butcher, Skyler, and Keliot. 

Overall, our marketing campaign has already reached roughly 40 million players. In addition to this, we will be launching a large-scale B2C giveaway at the end of the month, with top prizes that will provide an extra push and allow us to reach upwards of 50 million potential players.

CB: The third-person shooter genre is one of the most popular categories in video gaming, and has been for decades now – what inspired this collaboration?

IV: The reason why we chose a third-person shooter out of all the game modes is quite simple – it is the second most popular game mechanic in the world in terms of how it appeals to all genders of all ages. 

We knew from the very start that the player would need to have the opportunity to select and control a hero in the fight against the Tritons. This genre allows players to experience the characters in their full glory, in terms of their appearance, combat characteristics, and their storyline so that the player feels engaged and can empathize with the characters in everything that happens to them in the game. It provides a level of immersion that most igaming products fail to even get close to.

And as for sources of inspiration, we naturally looked at some of the world’s most popular multiplayer shooter titles, like Fortnite, Apex Legends, Overwatch.

CB: Third-person shooters provide players with the opportunity to feel like a hero and see the world through their eyes – tell us a little more about the characters, their weapons and what their unique perks offer.

IV: In the Star Guardians game, players can select who to start playing with, with each of the three characters possessing their own personalities and combat characteristics. Joe Butcher’s character takes on the classic muscular, experienced commander archetype with a speciality in the driving of tanks and hand-to-hand combat. In his arsenal of weapons, players will be able to find multiple weapons that facilitate high calibre ammunition and rockets, as well as the ability to always get a multiplier applied to his winnings.

Skyler is a fast, agile, flexible sniper with a futuristic appearance, with a high level of rifle and grenade control. Skyler uses light weapons and protection that does not hinder her movement – and can use either her sniper rifle or grenades to open chests filled with loot.

The third hero, as always, is the most exciting yet mysterious character, Keliot. He can magically destroy large armies of Tritons and trigger a win from every opponent killed, which the other characters cannot do.

In this sense, we have created three entirely different characters with unique characteristics that add to the long-term playability of the game.

CB: We see a lot of titles in igaming draw inspiration from other outside influences with similar themes – how big of a role does innovation play in attracting new players and retaining them?

IV: Innovative games play a key role in attracting new audiences that we see in our own experience, and in the retention of said players. Whether it’s the younger generation or an audience of mature players, they all want something special, and indeed, something that hasn’t existed before. 

Everyone in the industry is hungry for new products and new impressions, especially during the past two years of the pandemic where the online entertainment sector saw a huge spike in users; that said, it also showed us that not everyone can retain their new players.

Thanks to its multi-layered, multifunctional nature, Star Guardians is an ideal solution for the world of online gaming. It blends all the best aspects of all the most popular gaming genres, and that is why it has the potential to attract a serious number of new players.

CB: Considering the length of the development process, can we see another innovation of Star Guardians’ kind from yourselves any time soon?

IV: We like to set ourselves ambitious targets that are difficult to achieve, as this is the way we do things at Evoplay! We are always moving forwards with the desire of becoming a leading game development studio.

In the coming months, we will still be positioning Star Guardians as our flagship product for 2021 and beyond, providing support to our partners with various activities and campaigns. That said, we still have a few surprises in store for our players, so stay tuned!

The post Star Guardians: ‘great things take time’ appeared first on CasinoBeats.

The new title challenges players to rescue Tom the hamster from dangerous obstacles as he sets off on his journey to reach the stars.

Commenting on the launch, Ivan Kravchuk, CEO at Evoplay, said: “We really tried to push the boundaries of what our instant games collection can deliver with our latest title by bringing a captivating storyline to a well-established genre.

“Save the Hamster provides players with both huge win potential and a charming companion to help them achieve it. What’s not to love about that? We’re looking forward to introducing such a cute title worldwide – and can’t wait to see what everyone makes of it.”

In the game, Tom is able to make use of a variety of aircraft, but he must remain wary of all of the dangerous toads, tumbling rocks and peckish birds. 

Players are given the option to place two bets of different amounts on the same round at the same time. Moreover, the game has a Cash Out feature that must be used in order to collect winnings.

To start the game, players must first choose the amount they’d like to bet and click the Cash Out button before the plane crashes. The higher the plane flies, the higher the multiplier that is awarded, culminating with a maximum payout worth x1,000 the player’s bet.

To play a demo version of Evoplay’s Save the Hamster, click here. 

The post Evoplay launches multiplayer crash game, Save the Hamster appeared first on CasinoBeats.

CasinoBeats: In terms of gaming trends this summer – what are seen as key for players right now? How have the last 12 months shaped player preferences?

Ivan Kravchuk: From a games studio’s perspective, the development pipeline is generally between four months and a year long, so adapting to seasonal and cultural trends is certainly a challenge – but one that we relish nonetheless. 

As a team, we love staying on top of the latest in what players are looking for – and we always have an exact vision of the way we want to take our games to match shifting interests. This is especially the case for the last year, where a lot has changed in the world of gambling.

Online, in many ways, has turned the world of gambling on its head – and the shift between land-based and digital gaming is likely to be a permanent one, with a whole new host of demographics now at play. 

As a result, and looking toward back at this summer’s sporting action, we’ve seen a different spread of players, say compared to the 2018 World Cup where things were very different.

The cross-sell here had plenty of potential – and with the integration of skill-based, as well as multiplayer elements to instant games, and even slots, there was plenty of opportunity for capturing a far broader range of potential interest. 

This approach of catering towards a mix of land-based and online player preferences has paid dividends for us – and we’ve enjoyed tremendous success over the last 12 months in attracting multiple generations of players across Europe and LatAm.

To achieve this, we’ve followed innovations closely both inside and outside of igaming and taken lessons on board to ensure we have a truly differentiated offering.

CB: Multiplayer has been garnering plenty of attention in the industry recently, how much do you see innovations like these to really disrupt gaming development?

IK: This is a very interesting area, – multiplayer gaming is becoming more and more popular – and that’s a pattern that I predict will continue. Simple, speedy and anticipation-building mechanics are likely to generate strong appeal amongst the over 45s, who tend to look for clarity in a game’s algorithms.  

Similarly, jackpots can offer players a shot at that life-changing win, and that’s a simple but powerful incentive that can drive user engagement time and time again.

I think a combination of that community-based element one can enjoy from both of these areas fused together are going to generate some serious retention and engagement throughout the rest of this year– and if we take a look at the data, I think many operators would be surprised by just how much demographics are evolving right now. Adjust what you have accordingly – and the audience available starts to look very different. 

CB: Given this summer’s packed schedule for sport, how much potential has there been for converting sports fans? Any personal insights you’d like to share from Evoplay’s success in LatAm and Europe?

IK: After the cancellation of so many sporting events around the world last summer, there was something of an uptick in sportsbook customers discovering the casino sector. Sports-themed products therefore played a crucial role, with elements that could replace sport proving to be a key introductory channel for new players. 

Our Penalty Shoot-out instant game was a great example of this, and a huge success last year. Players are invited to step up for their team by selecting an area between the goal posts in which to shoot – with a random number generator determining the outcome.

The release remains a top-performer for several casinos around the world, which shows that in order to attract sports bettors, you need to move beyond traditional casino themes.

Of course, this year is different – and newly acquired players from last year are now looking to the likes of multiplayer for engagement, which can create a gaming experience which complements the existing sporting schedule. 

CB: Looking to the rise of other gaming areas aside from slots – what holds the most potential this summer? Are table games, for example, still underrated? Any key growth areas?

IK: It’s all about providing an incentive to get involved. This needs low barriers for entry – and in many ways, slots don’t fill the bill here as they’re more ‘niche’ in attracting audiences the first-time round.

From Evoplay’s own experience, it’s safe to say that when it comes to proven products, instant games are proving tremendously successful when it comes to grabbing players’ attention.

There’s scope for a wide-ranging creative licence when you are designing them, especially in terms of design and features, as well as a simple-to-play format that can be easily enjoyed from the get go. 

As such, I would say that compared to any other product on the igaming market, instant games can be deployed to reach a variety of different audiences and have proved to be an especially strong calling card for the new generation of players.

While poker does have its place too here, they don’t cater to all interests. Just as we’ve seen from the emergence of esports, the generation of player likes fast-paced action, and fast results, which is exactly what instant games provide. 

CB: Last but not least, looking at this year and the next – demand for the entertainment side of gaming has increased exponentially, what’s your vision for the future of engagement and in-game innovation?

IK: In the coming period, gamification will begin to play an even more important role. As a developer operating in a crowded market, it’s a great way to ensure that your products stand out from the pack. Of course, we’ve heard plenty about it over the last few years – and this just highlights the importance of this approach at the core of gaming development. 

Looking at what’s available – the gamification features on offer today are often inspired by the trends you see outside of the gambling industry. We anticipate that the use of tournaments, achievements and skill-based elements will have a particularly important part to play.

There’s some really great tech coming into the industry right now for gameplay that can deliver exactly this and more – and I predict these key pillars will prove to be at heart of the direction creative development takes over the coming years.

The post Ivan Kravchuk, Evoplay: charting this summer’s gaming trends appeared first on CasinoBeats.

Joining the debate is Ivan Kravchuk, CEO at Evoplay, David Little, co-founder at Lightning Box, Nicola Longmuir, CCO at Push Gaming and Callum Sultana, PO at Relax Gaming. 

CasinoBeats: Looking to the future – particularly the UK, Sweden and Germany – how do you see player tastes broadly changing in the coming years? How do you see demand for games being influenced by outside entertainment – and what’s proving particularly engaging?

David Little: Outside entertainment is an interesting phrase. To an extent that has always been the case, with branded slots melding casino games with popular TV, music and film. That shows no sign of abating, with more franchises looking to cash-in on their popularity and more studios eager to benefit from it too. 

But streaming is an increasingly popular form of entertainment, particularly when you see some of the numbers involved. We’ve already seen lots of studios using this and other affiliates to market their games and build up a following so that operators are no longer taking a chance on a new title. 

I think player tastes are already being influenced by these influencers, in much the same way that their taste in clothes, make-up, music, etc is formed by the people they follow. That third party endorsement is the ultimate form of engagement.

Ivan Kravchuk: When we look to the future, let’s not forget that the past has had a tremendous impact on how things have evolved. Just a decade ago, entertainment was dependent on the physical location of the desktop and what it had to offer. Fast forward ten years and that’s all changed – with smartphones and tablets able to take the experience anywhere. 

Mobile is of course now king and generates more than half of all revenue for the video games vertical (not just gambling). As a result of this, the content that we’re seeing today is being driven by the evolution of technology standards and will continue to do so as they develop, in particular the expansion of 5G, which is set to prove hugely influential on the direction the industry will take. Of course, such innovations always take longer to filter through into our industry. 

Nevertheless, I am confident that in a few short years, we’ll see outside tech really begin to fuel some very exciting opportunities for completely new approaches to graphics and animation that can really diversify what’s on offer. 

Nicola Longmuir: These three especially are among the most stringently regulated markets in Europe, and the advent of ever-more rigorously evolving gambling controls has meant the landscape is constantly changing. Inevitably this will shape player tastes as that will dictate supply. In my view, we’re headed toward a market populated with content shaped by regulation. 

Prime examples of this are the control of spin times and the lowering of stakes – these will have a significant impact. How we manage this as an industry is going to be key for Push. As an example, Push Gaming is live across multiple European markets and as we are preparing to enter new regulated markets, we already know there are going to be regional regulatory differences.

This means as a company, we need to be agile and be able to adapt our games per region whilst also providing innovative game mechanics that are flexible enough to mitigate whatever restrictions we face. I think suppliers that are nimble and navigate evolving regulation with intelligence will see greater success. 

Player tastes are also beginning to shift, heading towards lower stakes and extended periods of entertainment resulting in a higher number of plays with smaller spends. I only see that continuing with reductions in average stakes and session lengths. 

Alternative forms of entertainment are also influencing the market as well as competing with gambling, because we’re all jockeying to obtain a slice of leisure time. Social and competing media, as well as video gaming across the platforms, are influencing what players expect when they play a slot. 

I see this as wholly positive as it drives studios to produce quality and innovative products that build anticipation and excitement, and the opportunity to take on the best of big tech. 

Callum Sultana: These three markets are each facing different challenges with respective new regulations coming into play, which will necessitate a degree of flexibility from developers to ensure that games comply accordingly. 

I wouldn’t expect to see a change in the demand for games as such but it’s likely that each of these markets will develop in their own way, with more specific behaviours borne from regulatory considerations and what works for their demographics and what doesn’t. 

CB: What kind of player and heritage are we looking at for games of the next decade? The UK, for example, has a strong-land based heritage in its gaming types – but how do you expect this to change?

NL: We are seeing a new generation of players online who play very differently from a traditional VIP gambler who enjoys a specific type of content. I started my career at Sky Vegas bringing some of the first slots online, as well as via the interactive TV features in the mid 2000’s, and I collaborated with various leading land-based slot developers at the time to bring them online.

Of course, there is still a market for these games, particularly in the UK, where they still have their position, but we are seeing a new type of player now with different requirements and we need to cater to them.

The new generation plays differently – with so much noise and distraction at their fingertips there is currently a snacking culture when it comes to playing games – they want an instant experience of entertainment.

Traditional fruit slots, for example, may struggle to hold the attention of today’s players who are accustomed to online gaming and instant impact. Online gaming is more engaging and immersive than it has ever been. Content with backstories and narrative captures players attention and retains interest, and there’s simply no substitute. 

Gambling content will continue to shift in this direction, as this is what the market demands. There’s also a much greater choice out there too given the number of new studios emerging in recent times. Naturally, they’re able to offer a far more diverse range of games to a considerably more tech-savvy player than ever before. This drives us at Push to continuously create top-quality, innovative games, with mechanics, features and visuals that can retain the attention of players

IK:  In 2020, mobile accounted for 76 per cent of all our gaming traffic – which illustrates how much we’re seeing gaming move away from its land-based roots. COVID’s effect will mean that we’ll continue to see such a heavy proportion for the next few years until brick-and-mortar locations reopen. 

The offline experience, as it stands, is likely to change heavily and with it, we’ll see a continued shift in player expectations when they’re interacting with entertainment. This is particularly the case when it comes to merging the cross-channel experience, with the likes of VR especially. 

Esports is another major growth area that will likely become a competitor for casinos when capturing the interest of the online player. After the lifting of travel restrictions, we’ll likely also see far stronger impulses for tourism and travel, which will again influence the way gaming, esports and igaming continue to develop in the next two years.      

Last but not least, I also expect the continued evolution in tech to fuel a shift in audiences too. Our main goal is to find the right approach in attracting them, as well as creating a matching offer that can deliver the entertainment they seek. 

DL: That may well depend on the market. If UK retail features less in people’s casino experience and the older player demographic is replaced by younger ones who don’t share those formative experiences, then things may well change. We may see people coming across from social casino, gaming, or online sportsbooks. 

In the US and Canada, however, where more and more opportunities are opening up, particularly south of the border, we may see more players coming from land-based casinos and/or lottery. 

Product familiarity will be a different kettle of fish as a result. Having good quality games with universal appeal will be important in bridging this gap. But understanding the individual nuances of certain markets will be crucial too.

CS: It’s an interesting question and somewhat difficult to predict. We always remain adaptable and agile in our approach – we’re the kind of studio that will always vary our product per release, rather than sticking to one type of core mechanic. This puts us in a great position to remain relevant on each release and drive the differentiation that we’ve become renowned for.

Currently, there’s an appetite for lower stakes and shorter playtimes per game, but many see that this might evolve to longer sessions overall. Whichever way it goes, the core requirement in our games is to provide entertainment and engagement via a diverse, high quality content offering and that’s something that we’ll continue to deliver on, while remaining nimble and ensuring we’re at the fore of invention

CB: Given it’s all about entertainment, what’s the biggest gaming competitor away from sports betting? Is it a case of our industry taking on the likes of Silicon Valley to provide customers with entertainment?

IK: It would be short-sighted to think that competition ends within your particular region or niche. What we need to remember is that casinos are just part of the wider daily entertainment experience. 

The average person devotes anywhere between two-four hours daily for entertainment – whether it’s betting, gaming, Netflix, or social media – which makes competition even more intense. So yes, no doubt companies such as Youtube, Netflix, TikTok and Amazon share the same goal as us – keeping players engaged and online – which makes them a friendly rival. 

DL: If you assume that almost all online gaming is going to be done on mobile devices moving forward, then the competition is going to be anything else that people do on those devices. It’s all about screen-time. Social media takes up a lot of that time, obviously, as does streaming videos, podcasts and musical content. 

Do you compete with that, or do you try to make online casino and games within it such a fun experience when they tell their friends about it? Or maybe that sends out the wrong message? What is interesting is the increasing prevalence of slots streamers and the popularity of the content they produce. 

Maybe it isn’t a question of trying to ‘defeat’ these competing elements, therefore. Maybe it is a question of embracing some elements of them?

NL: There’s a huge choice of entertainment platforms that we all interact with and as an industry we’re all competing for time and spend. At the end of the day, we’re in the entertainment industry and it’s how we compete with TV streaming services, mobile gaming, video gaming etc that’s key. 

Providing and being able to serve personalised entertainment so that players don’t have to spend time searching for relatable content is paramount to competing. 

It shouldn’t just be a concern for the operators in terms of their casino lobbies, but also game suppliers too. We’re really not that different to the Silicon Valley types, in essence, we’re all chasing the same goals – entertainment. But as their platforms and technology have evolved, then so has ours, resulting in the kind of experiences you see today.

The post Future of Entertainment: continued evolution in tech to fuel a shift in audiences appeared first on CasinoBeats.

The revamped brand identity will include a new logo and typography alongside an updated website – all of which the supplier believes encapsulates its commitment to delivering an enhanced player experience.

Commenting on the rebrand, Evoplay CEO Ivan Kravchuk said: “In just three years we’ve built incredible success. Now we reach the point where our vision for the next 10 years takes shape.

“Visually, we’ve refreshed our look and created a new logo, typography and a mascot – these tie together our campaigns, showcase our dynamic approach, and streamline how we communicate. How we use this will be wide-ranging and advanced beyond what we usually see in our industry.

“But behind the cosmetic and visual changes, we’ve made deep shifts to our brand mission, our brand promise, and the brand values that will dominate our work going forward.”

The provider believes that the rebrand will highlight its evolution from an ‘up-and-coming game studio to one of the industry’s most exciting tech-first gaming suppliers’.

Evoplay reiterated that it will continue to produce engaging video slot games to support partners engaging with new online casino audiences.

Vladimir Malakchi, Evoplay’s CCO, added: “This rebrand solidifies our stance as an industry leader offering next-generation gaming, cross-industry marketing innovations, and unparalleled partner service.

“We are confident that Evoplay will not only be the game developer of choice for online casinos – but will also help raise the profile of the industry itself and attract new audiences. 

“We’ve always had bold ambitions – what excites us now is that we’ve developed a 10-year business plan fully built around those ambitions.”

The post Evoplay better reflects ‘visual identity and mission’ with rebrand appeared first on CasinoBeats.