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BtoBet’s founder Alessandro Fried discusses vision, strategy and product innovations for 2021
2020 was hugely successful for BtoBet. What are the set targets for 2021?
Further consolidating our presence in those markets where we are already considered as market leaders, whilst seeking to strengthen our partner portfolio in mature and new markets must be the target we set for ourselves for this year. During 2020, despite all the challenges brought about by the novel coronavirus pandemic, we have not only continued strengthening our positions in markets, such as Africa and Latin America, announcing strategic partnerships that will reap substantial benefits for the company on the medium to long term, but we have also set out a clear vision to make a similar impact in more mature markets such as Europe, whilst setting our eyes on new opportunities.
Increasing our footprint on an international level has always been our intention from the very onset, and what the company has achieved in a relatively short period of time is testimony to the determination and talent within the company’s ranks to meet the set targets.
Furthermore, BtoBet’s acquisition by Aspire Global now puts us in the ideal position to be able to enter more complex market scenarios, such as Europe, which are highly characterised by an overwhelming level of regulation. Together we are able to meet the requirements of all operators requiring a technological partner serving the entire iGaming value chain, providing them with a cutting edge sports betting platform, and also all requirements from a content and services point of view. All this whilst adhering to the compliance requirements of the vast majority of regulated jurisdictions, keeping to a minimum the time-to-market.
Having said this, the overzealous regulation and over taxed market scenarios characterizing the European market have led to businesses turning towards the fresh, and new opportunities other emerging markets can offer them. And our strong presence in these markets, puts us at in an optimal position to assist those operators seeking to gain an advantageous position in these so-called emerging markets.
The past months have seen BtoBet very active in different markets, announcing key partnerships – such as Betfair and William Hill in Colombia, and Sports Lotteries LLC in Russia – and in the coming weeks we seek to maintain the momentum.
Any new products in the pipeline from BtoBet?
We are currently finalizing a string of new tools that are set to have a great impact for both operators and players.
The major trend today is that we live our lives on screens and this affects every aspect of our daily life. In order to stay current, especially in online gaming, you need to be disruptive. By producing a better product that incorporates the way people live, you can disrupt the space in an industry. Innovation is a constant objective of any company within the iGaming industry.
Having said that, whilst other industries especially the entertainment industry, have harnessed new technologies based on ML and AI in order to ameliorate the customer experience, the betting industry has yet to truly harness this form of disruptive technology. And this is what we have been working on for the past months… tools based on in-depth data analysis allowing operators to fully understand the different player demographics, psychographics and playing habits, ultimately enabling them to create enhanced, personalized experiences based on the individual player preferences and behaviours.
Whilst this will undoubtedly play a major role towards a player-centric UX, bookmakers will also be able to harness great benefits from the technology from an operational perspective. A primary example that comes to mind is that these tools are able to single out suspicious betting patterns and payments. And all these in an automated environment.
How disruptive was the coronavirus pandemic for the industry?
2020 was deeply marked by the global coronavirus outbreak. It has affected the industry in many ways, with many businesses – both B2C and B2B – having to re-dimension the traditional way of how they operate.
Luckily for us, we had been investing for quite some time in widening the content portfolio for all verticals, and simultaneously having had invested heavily on our platform in order to better assist those retail operators opting to start wholly or partially migrating their business to the digital channels in an interlinked environment.
Now the big question is will everything revert back to pre-Covid scenarios? In reality I don’t envision the development of widely available vaccines, which will mark the end of the pandemic, to prompt the industry to go back to the 2019 situation.
The pandemic has undoubtedly brought about a digitalisation reform, and this is reflected in all those industries which featured retail as part of their business model. Adults who have entered the digital age of wagering may shift some of their spending to more traditional forms of entertainment channels – namely retail casinos – but many of those adults will undoubtedly continue sharing their wallet with the digital channels. Does this mean that this is the end for the industry’s retail outlets? Definitely not, but I do expect the digitalisation of the industry to maintain its momentum.
Here are this weeks latest slots releases compiled by European Gaming
PG Soft has released Three Crazy Piggies slot, a modern twist on the classic fable that sees the tables turned on the cunning grey wolf. Three Crazy Piggies is a 5-reel (3 rows in reel 3, 4 rows in reels 1, 2, 4 and 5) video slot starring symbol transformations and x10 multiplier. A rocking soundtrack builds the atmosphere in Everloom Forest, as the youngest brother’s stone house is challenged to stand against the wolf’s might.
Get set for a party in the USA as Relax Gaming, the iGaming aggregator and supplier of unique content unveils its latest release, Quackin’ Reels. This 3×3 slot is populated by birds who are enjoying life at a backyard party in true American style! Quackin’ Reels’ cast ofcolourful characters enhances the feature-filled gameplay which can potentially see players win a maximum of 8,850x their stake.
Stakelogic invites players to enjoy the thrill of the Super Wheel™ once again with the launch of the Big Cash Super Wheel™ slot. From the moment Big Cash Super Wheel™ loads up, it is clear this isn’t your typical online slot. The title puts a unique spin on the standard game grid, using a 2x3x4x5x6 reel shape with a connected ways win system to captivate audiences, while also offering wins of up to 5,000x their stake.
Inspired Entertainment, Inc. in partnership with William Hill announces the launch of William Hill Vegas Gold Cash Freespins™. This bespoke game combines renowned William Hill Vegas imagery with the engaging mechanics of Inspired’s popular Gold Cash Freespins theme.
Nolimit City is back behind bars with San Quentin 2: Death Row. It’s been nearly 4 years since the OG San Quentin xWays® escaped into the world, and the fans have been hungry for more ever since. Well, the wait is over. It’s time to do hard time… again.
Thunderkick has launched The Gunman of Goldwood, the latest addition to its distinctive product portfolio that places players at the heart of a duel on the American frontier. The titular Gunman is the game’s highest-paying symbol, surrounded by revolvers, knives, and whiskey bottles.
Players can expect ghosts, ghouls and big wins in Boo, the frightening new slot from Big Time Gaming set to hit operator game lobbies in time for Halloween. Only the bravest of players will dare to gather around as the reels spin amidst the haunting air, conjuring excitement with every ghostly apparition. Spines will tingle as each winning symbol triggers a hair-raising reaction that promises to put players on the edge of their seats.
Everygame Casino‘s new Clue Chronicles: Mirror Mansion is a high-stakes whodunit with a Reel Copy feature and a choice of up to four modes for its Free Games bonus round. In the new Clue Chronicles: Mirror Mansion, players enter the world of candlesticks, daggers, and clues to solve the mystery of Mirror Mansion and spin their way to stacks of cash.
Play’n GO dares players to brave the inferno and uncover untold treasures in the newest slot adventure, Kingdom Below. Set in the blistering heart of Hell, Kingdom Below challenges players to join Ignis, the fearsome ruler of the underworld, in a quest for mystery prizes and hidden treasures. In this treacherous 5×4 grid slot, the line between danger and reward blurs, offering thrill-seekers a chance to face the flames and emerge victorious with the spoils of the inferno.
Spinomenal has enhanced its Wildlife Slot Series with the release of Buffalo Rampage Hold & Hit. This latest title from Spinomenal is set across a vast landscape that stretches along a rugged tapestry of towering mountains and sweeping plains. The medium symbols include an Eagle, Black Bear, Wolf, and Big Cat. A powerful Buffalo represents the Wild and three or more pay when followed by a free spin or a bonus symbol. The Wild substitutes for any symbol except free spins and bonus symbols.
Evoplay is taking players to the Colosseum in its new slot Chained Fighters, where wilds unlock the key to big wins. With a backdrop of Ancient Rome, the 5×4 slot sees wilds land in stacks of up to four per reel to boost reward potential in the base game whilst multi-coloured gladiators make up the high-paying symbols.
Booming Games’ latest slot title sets the gold standard with its gilded gameplay and shimmering big win potential. Gold Gold Gold 5000 is the follow-up to the hugely popular Gold Gold Gold, but with an even bigger max win potential. Gold Gold Gold 5000 is set across five reels and three rows with 20 paylines active in the base game.
Playson marks the eagerly anticipated return of its iconic jester in Pink Joker: Hold and Win, offering a host of in-game jackpots, a special Pile of Gold feature and a lavish Bonus Game offering Stacked Multipliers. Donning a deep pink outfit in Playson’s refreshing take on its player-favourite Hold and Win series, the joker unleashes a thrilling adventure on the 3×3 matrix, accompanied by a feast of classic fruit, electric and jackpot-style coin symbols.
Blueprint Gaming’s player-favourite gorilla marks his comeback in style through the company’s latest release King Kong Cash™: Even Bigger Bananas 2, offering slot enthusiasts a host of new features to explore. The 4,096 ways to win slot sees the notorious Kong take centre stage on the 6×4 grid, accompanied by fellow jungle inhabitants and a series of specially themed-bonus icons.
CryptoSlots proudly announces the launch of its latest title, Spartan Conquest, inspired by the heroic Spartan warriors of Ancient Greece. This cutting-edge Mega Matrix 5×4 video slot with 28 paylines is the first on CryptoSlots to introduce Colossal Symbols. Players can take advantage of enticing deposit bonuses until October 4. In Spartan Conquest, players can embark on a journey through ancient battlefields, where epic symbols such as war elephants, Spartan helmets, shields and crossed swords populate the reels.
The new release from MGA Games will take players to the top of Mount Olympus to accompany the mighty Zeus, king of the gods. This new 5×3 game with 25 prize lines also features an epic soundtrack that will immerse the player in a divine atmosphere as the reels spin and fortune is unleashed. The themed symbols on the reels are inspired by the myths of classical Greece.
TaDa Gaming is dishing out the treats with new release Lucky Doggy. Wilds, Scatters, Multipliers and generous Free Spins are further enhanced with a superb bonus game in this six rows, five reels, 50 fixed paylines slot. There are two Scatters in Lucky Doggy. The Bonus Scatter can only appear on reels two and three and the Gamble Scatter on reel four.
Would you dare to summon the most terrifying of Egyptian plagues? That is exactly what’s being asked of players in Fantasma Games’ latest blockbuster slot, Shadow Summoner Egypt, already showing outstanding player engagement KPIs from its initial limited market release. Shadow Summoner Egypt is scheduled for general market release in the very near future.
The post Week 39/2024 slot games releases appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Paul Gauselmann steps down from the group’s executive management / Michael Gauselmann assumes the roles of Chairman of the Supervisory Board and the Board of Directors of the Gauselmann Family Foundation / Lars Felderhoff is appointed new Chairman of the Management Board
A new chapter is dawning for the Merkur Group as company founder Paul Gauselmann is set to retire as Management Board Chairman on 1 October, stepping back from the company’s executive leadership. For 67 years, he has shaped the destiny of the group, transforming a part-time one-man business into an internationally acclaimed group of companies with total sales revenues of around 4 billion euros and external sales revenues of over 2.7 billion euros. “I have consistently devoted my energy to the company’s welfare, and at the same time to the benefit of our approximately 15,000 employees,” he stated. “Now the time has come to entrust my life’s work to the younger generation,” explains Paul Gauselmann. Lars Felderhoff, 48, CFO of the Merkur Group, will assume the role of Chairman. He will be supported by Jürgen Stühmeyer (64), Management Board member with responsibility for sales, and Manfred Stoffers (70), Management Board member with responsibility for marketing, communications and political affairs, as vice-chairs. “I am delighted that this trio is taking over the helm. They are outstanding leaders with a deep understanding of the company,” adds Paul Gauselmann, who will continue his association with the company as a member of the Gauselmann Family Foundation.
A generational shift is also taking place on another level: Michael Gauselmann (68) is set to assume the role of Chairman of the Supervisory Board from Manfred Grünewald (89) on 1 October. He will also succeed Paul Gauselmann as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Gauselmann Family Foundation. As the sole shareholder of the group, the Foundation is the hub for all fundamental strategic decisions. “I am thrilled that my son Michael is embracing this important responsibility and will contribute his international experience to our company,” states Paul Gauselmann. Michael Gauselmann, a business administration graduate, joined the group in 1982 and worked across all business segments. He advanced internationalisation by establishing the subsidiary Atronic in 1993, overseeing all foreign operations. For a decade, he served as Vice-Chairman of the Management Board before becoming Co-Chairman of the Group Management Board, sharing responsibilities with Paul Gauselmann from 2004 to 2012. From 2013, he was involved in the then Gauselmann Family Council and, from 2016, in the Gauselmann Family Foundation.
Lars Felderhoff will assume responsibility for executive management as the new Group Chairman. He has overseen the finances and organisation of the Merkur Group since 2018. He started his career in 2000 at the subsidiary Atronic. From 2007 to 2011, he expanded his expertise at the gaming group GTech (now IGT) and at Metro Cash & Carry International, a wholesale group. Felderhoff rejoined Merkur in 2011 as the Commercial Director of the adp Merkur subsidiary. In that capacity, he was in charge of commercial operations for the Merkur business segment, encompassing over 40 companies both in Germany and internationally. As a native of Rahden, he has close ties to the region and understands the roots of the corporate group. “The challenge is immense, and naturally, we will not be able to fill the shoes of an entrepreneur like Paul Gauselmann one-to-one. However, the company is robust and agile enough to continue setting new benchmarks in the future.”
He is assisted by the Management Board’s Vice-Chairs, Jürgen Stühmeyer and Manfred Stoffers. Stühmeyer, who hails from Minden, has dedicated 37 years to the Eastern-Westphalian company, starting as a trainee in 1987 and progressively advancing through the ranks. In his function as the Management Board member responsible for sales, he has directed the strategic orientation and commercial success of the entire Merkur pillar since 2007. Manfred Stoffers joined the company in 2011 as a consultant to the Chairman of Gauselmann AG, and was appointed Management Board member responsible for Marketing, Communications and Political Affairs in 2015.
Paul Gauselmann expressed great satisfaction with the top-level personnel changes, stating, “Reorganising the company by the time I turn 90 has been my wish for some time. We have accomplished this very well and are ideally positioned for the future, particularly as my son Michael, both a member of the Gauselmann family and an experienced entrepreneur, will continue to be involved in the most critical decisions.”
The post Leadership transition within the Merkur Group appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
GameplAI is harnessing the gains in automation seen in other tech sectors and bringing them to the sports betting industry, with more accurate pricing and automation which reduces the manual overhead of risk-management for trading teams. Its growing group of partners are benefiting from a series of never-before-seen, player-focused markets that engage fans both pre-game and in-play.
Gaming Americas caught up with their Co-Founder, Graham Savage, the man at the helm of a company on the road to becoming the premium supplier of automated and quantitative-driven sports solutions for the sector.
After GameplAI’s defining Q1 raise earlier this year, how have you been deploying the funds?
There are two core priorities for the deployment of our capital. The first is the expansion of our team. We have already doubled the size of the team since January and we are still looking to hire additional technology and sports-modelling expertise. The second strand is a focus on licensing. Given the global footprint of our expanding customer base, we are actively pursuing licences in multiple U.S. states in addition to emerging LatAm regions such as Peru and Argentina.
What does adding Marco Blume as an investor do for the company?
Marco provides fantastic insight and context in terms of what is most important to operators when assessing third-party products. Under his tenure, Pinnacle became a global leader in terms of sports product and pricing and this is the equivalent position that we are keen to assume within the suppliers’ sphere.
How do you see the supply market changing in the year ahead?
We see a strong emphasis being placed by operators on both in-play and props products. We feel this will be a dual responsibility to solve, with the onus being on companies like ourselves to create innovative products bolstered by compelling and accurate pricing, whilst our B2C partners will prioritise delivering intuitive and engaging front end UI to further embellish the product experience.
How were the Euros/Copa America for you and your recent operator deals?
We used both tournaments as a test bed. Betano, the premium online sports betting and gaming brand, launched a segment of the football player props product that we have developed in conjunction with Opta data. These markets proved to be hugely popular and we will roll out our extensive football props solution with Betano over the coming weeks.
In parallel, we launched a proof of concept of our football narrator product with a leading UK operator, which generates contextual markets in-play, relative to the most recent game state. These markets were really well-received by UK-based customers and we will look to broaden the scope of that collaboration, now that the domestic season has resumed.
What are the opportunities for GameplAI right now in the medium to long-term?
We have been very fortunate with the stature of partners with whom we are working. Their respective product and trading teams have been a fantastic support and resource for us – and working with people of that calibre will only serve to further enhance the quality of our product offering.
Broadening our international footprint is also hugely exciting and by the end of year we will be live with market-leading partners across three separate continents, which represents incredible progress in 12 months. We are hugely enthused at the prospects ahead and firmly believe GameplAI will be at the forefront of driving new product innovation in sports in 2025 and beyond.
Week 39/2024 slot games releases
Leadership transition within the Merkur Group
Play’n GO announces US release of Midnight Princess
Propping up the prediction game for sports betting
The Star: New Debt Facility Arrangement
BOS/The Swedish Trade Association for Online Gambling commissions Advisense to strengthen efforts against money laundering
Great Canadian Entertainment and Petroglyph Development Group Announce Agreement for Purchase and Sale of Elements Casino Victoria
Coloured coins provide bonus boosters in Evoplay’s latest release Cat’s Blessing
Inspired Launches Latest Online Slots: Jin Tu, Cops ‘n’ Robbers Bigger Big Money and Cherry Power Boost
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