Following in the footsteps of one of its most popular slot titles, Sweet Bonanza, we spoke with Julian Jarvis, chief executive officer at Pragmatic Play, to find out more about this eagerly awaited title.

CasinoBeats: What was the inspiration behind Sweet Bonanza CandyLand?

JJ: As I’m sure you know, Sweet Bonanza is one of Pragmatic Play’s best ever performing slot titles. Even two years after launch it is still going very strong in multiple markets, which pays testament to the ideas and mechanics that went into the original game.

There are a few different sources of inspiration, one comes from the candy theme used in Sweet Bonanza the slot. We felt the bright colours and generally more relaxed aesthetic would translate over well to a live casino setting and would make a change from the standard and more serious ‘Vegas Style’ themes that players tend to be more familiar with.

Furthermore, over time we have upgraded our live casino technology, and so we believed the candy theme would be perfect for the enhanced audiovisual experience we are now able to create. So instead of just bringing players to a live casino table, we’re using our immersive audiovisual technology to transport them to an entirely different world all together.

CasinoBeats: Do you think the title will have crossover appeal?

JJ: We’re confident that the title will resonate with those players who loved the Sweet Bonanza slot which has been one of our best performing games. We’ve remained true to the important elements of the slot title while also ensuring the game offers an authentic live casino experience. We believe that many players will make the switch to live casino to engage with the title in a different way.

We think the game has widespread appeal and will be enjoyed by various player types in regulated markets across the world.

CasinoBeats: What does Sweet Bonanza CandyLand bring to your live casino offering?

JJ: We judge the strength of our portfolio not only through the number of games but the quality and variety that we can offer, and Sweet Bonanza CandyLand brings something entirely unique to our portfolio. 

As mentioned previously, taking the audio visual experience to another level is something that we will continue to emphasise in our Live Casino offering. The game will be broadcasted from our brand new studio in Bucharest where we mix physical elements with a virtual 3D world to give a truly immersive experience. In addition, the mechanics and features of this game should really excite players with 2 bonus games and extra features to keep players engaged.

We firmly believe Sweet Bonanza CandyLand will provide a live casino experience to players that they haven’t seen before.

CasinoBeats: How does the game work and what extra features can players expect?

JJ: The new game has 6 betting positions on the wheel:​

• 4 numbers – 1, 2, 5, 10​

• 2 bonus games with the opportunity for enhanced wins

As the wheel lands on the Sugar Bomb section, a random multiplier up to 10X will be awarded and a re-spin of the wheel will be initiated.​ 

There are also 2 bonus games to give an enhanced experience to players, the sweet spins bonus game and the candy drop bonus game. These bonus games have dedicated areas within the studios with their own interactive environments, adding another layer of variety to ensure players don’t become attuned to just one setting.

CasinoBeats: What sort of benefits does this title bring to operators?

JJ: Operators can benefit from showcasing a new game to players that is already linked with an iconic slot title, so from the offset, Sweet Bonanza CandyLand will be recognisable to many. Therefore, this title should be useful especially as it relates to cross-selling for operators which can be a difficult challenge. Of course, we have a comprehensive media pack containing all necessary design resources ready to go, which makes the marketing process more efficient for operators.

I would add that the vivid colours and unique theme of Sweet Bonanza CandyLand could enhance the acquisition efforts of operators as everything about the title is built to be eye-catching. Amongst a sea of other live casino titles with red and green tables and dealers dressed in black, we are aiming to turn heads with pinks, purples and yellows.

Sweet Bonanza CandyLand adds true diversity for operators in a live casino space that can often fall victim to oversaturation of the same concepts. The hype around this product is continuing to grow, and we have a lot of faith that this product will be a disruptor in the live casino space.

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The donation of £6,850 to Gibraltar’s only wildlife sanctuary will help the park support its new North American turtle exhibit, funding the refurbishment of its turtle ponds that require running, filtered water to house them, along with its outdoor spaces. 

Julian Jarvis, CEO at Pragmatic Play, explained: “As the only wildlife park in Gibraltar, the AWCP fulfils a crucial part in the protection of rare animal species, and we’re extremely proud to be able to support the restructuring of its outdoor spaces and turtle ponds. 

“Up to four species of turtle will be housed in a specious pond in a prominent area of the park thanks to our donation, and we look forward to establishing new ways to support the conservation group moving forward.”

Situated in Gibraltar’s Alameda Botanic Gardens, the AWCP cares for unwanted exotic pets and animals confiscated by customs, such as the cotton-topped tamarin, to raise awareness of important endangered species through conservation education. 

A key purpose of the AWCP is the conservation of threatened species in the wild, partaking in international conservation projects to ensure their survival. Through selected captive breeding programmes, they also hope to play a role in the international effort to conserve rare and at-risk groups. 

Aside from tropical species, the wildlife park has three species of North American turtle; the common snapping turtle, map turtles and yellow-bellied sliders, which can live for over 70 years. 

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The donation, which will be used to support the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement response, will help provide financial assistance, food, clothing, water, and psychosocial care. 

Julian Jarvis, CEO at Pragmatic Play, said: “The conflict in Ukraine is one that has deeply touched us at Pragmatic Play. We have valued colleagues and their families directly affected and we are keen to help them and the wider community in Ukraine in whatever way we can. 

“Our contribution will help ensure that the incredible work that the Red Cross undertakes can continue, and those caught up in the crisis will be able to receive much needed humanitarian support.” 

Over the seven week period since the war began, the Red Cross has reached one million people with life-saving aid in both Ukraine and across Europe. 

Volunteers from across the world are assisting civilians in the conflict, with Pragmatic Play’s contribution going towards the well-being and safety of families through the humanitarian organisation. 

Pragmatic Play is looking to ensure that its CSR programme caters not only to ongoing causes, but also current events where it feels it can make a positive difference to those in need. 

Edward Davies, Chairman at the Gibraltar Red Cross, added: “Our work is vital as we look to bring aid to those most in need, and through financial assistance from those such as Pragmatic Play, we can make a difference. 

“We are incredibly appreciative of this donation and would like to express our thanks to Pragmatic Play.”

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Marking the annual event, Pragmatic states that its donation to SOAR is the latest contribution to an important cause in one of its hub countries, as it continues to focus on initiatives close to its employees. 

“International Women’s Day is a key date as we celebrate the women in both our personal and professional lives and look to assist those in need through both financial contributions and physical help,” stated Julian Jarvis, CEO at Pragmatic Play.

“SOAR provides essential aid for women, and we are fierce advocates of the vital work they do, so we are immensely proud with our collaboration efforts and donation.”

SOAR provides one-to-one sessions for women who have been subject to abuse, as well as support groups, workshops, social clubs, advocacy, and outreach amongst a host of other services that the donation will help to support and grow.

Nora Macelli, CEO at SOAR, added: “Pragmatic Play understands our cause and how invaluable volunteers do their utmost to support women in distress kindly and holistically.

“By donating to such key causes it gives victims a chance to seek for new life and professional opportunities.

“This €10,000 donation will allow us to continue our hard work of providing those in need with the support and services they deserve as we look to assist those in strife.”

Pragmatic Play’s most recent CSR programme was a €28,000 donation to Puttinu Cares on Christmas Eve, which funded the refurbishment of eight apartments used to house cancer patients during therapy.

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Boasting over a decade of experience in the online casino industry, most of which was spent in senior leadership positions, Cornides commented: “I am delighted to be joining such a talented team; I’ve long admired Pragmatic Play’s meteoric rise and saw first-hand how much players and operators alike love their games. 

“I look forward to bringing my expertise to the team and working together to make Pragmatic Play into an even bigger success story.”

Most recently, Cornides held the position of chief commercial officer for Asia at Gamesys – now Bally’s – where she led the ‘fastest growing’ division within the business.

“We created this role as part of the next phase in our expansion journey and sought out Irina for her impressive growth track record,” remarked Julian Jarvis, chief executive officer of Pragmatic Play.

“We are confident Irina’s accomplished experience will help successfully guide the company to new heights.”

At the back-end of 2021, Pragmatic Play praised its CSR contributions as it recapped donations made through local communities where its European offices are based in Malta, Gibraltar and Romania.

Notable highlights included a donation on International Women’s Day with a €5,000 contribution to the Women for Women Foundation back in March. This was followed by a €21,000 donation to Metropolis Philanthropic Foundation in May which went towards renovating a children’s oncology ward in Romania which has been helping less fortunate children since 2007.

Further donations included £11,000 to Calpe House in Gibraltar, €28,000 to Maltese Cancer charity Puttinu Cares, €20,000 to the Blondie Association, and €14,700 to the Homeless Animal Shelter.

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Aiming to “always strive to give back to the local communities” where they are based, Pragmatic underlined its “mission to be a proactive contributor towards society” and to “assist the missions of those who strive to make the world a little better each day”.

After a previous contribution, Pragmatic Play gave a further donation of €7,000 to the team at the Homeless Animal Hospital just outside Bucharest, Romania.

Furthermore, within Romania, the developer donated €10,000 to the Anais Association, which was founded at the end of 2011 with its main purpose to “promote, respect and defend the rights of abused women, children and young people.”

In return, the Anais Association offered the females at Pragmatic Play an information and education workshop to prevent and combat violence against women.

Moving to Malta, Pragmatic Play donated €5,000 to the Step Up For Parkinson’s foundation where it highlighted the charity’s “innovative approach” to host free specialised movement classes for sufferers of the disease. 

In addition to the Step Up For Parkinson’s donation, the company has supported the YMCA Malta – an NGO that offers shelter and other services to the homeless and socially disadvantaged community – by making a €10,000 donation.

On providing the donation to YMCA Malta, Pragmatic’s CEO, Julian Jarvis, noted: “The past 18 months have been a leveller for people from all walks of life, but none have suffered more than the homeless community.

“With mental health being put in sharper focus than ever before, YMCA Malta is a fitting destination for our donation, appreciated for the wide range of services they provide to disadvantaged people.”

Finally, heading towards Gibraltar, the company linked up with Calpe House – who provide accommodation and support for patients and escorts sent to the UK under the Gibraltar Health Authority – and donated £11,000. 

Pragmatic’s donation will be used by Calpe House to build a dedicated business suite at their premises at 19-23 Norfolk Square, London. The business suite will allow sponsored patients and/or their escorts to have a space in which to carry out remote working whilst they are away from Gibraltar. 

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The donation is said to cover training costs for the year, with several new staff members benefiting from further development, whilst other employees will also be able to undertake specialised advanced education.

Julian Jarvis, Pragmatic Play CEO, said: “The pandemic has obviously put health issues into sharper focus – it is important not to forget all the other concerns that can significantly affect people’s lives.

“We appreciate the fantastic work that Cancer Relief carries out in our community, here, in Gibraltar, to support patients and their families in times of great need.”

The donation from Pragmatic supports Cancer Relief in delivering ‘high-quality’ service to those who need it whilst the charity steadily expands to meet the needs of the Gibraltar community.

Pragmatic Play continues to support worthy causes. It recently donated considerable amounts to the Homeless Animal Hospital, which helps abandoned dogs and cats in shelters that come from low-income families, or belong to disadvantaged groups who can’t afford private veterinary treatment, and The Metropolis Philanthropic Foundation in Romania, as well as assisted in the redevelopment of the sports facilities at Prior Park School in Gibraltar.

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