Interviews
Exclusive CEE interview with Evoplay Entertainment
With the CEE region no doubt set to be one of Europe’s biggest growth stories this year, we caught up with Evoplay Entertainment’s CBDO, Vladimir Malakchi, to talk through the region’s demographics, opportunities and hottest markets through 2021 and beyond.
The CEE region has become an increasingly important factor for growth on the continent, which markets do you see being the main drivers?
It’s all about the big-hitters that have an established framework in place, whether that be Bulgaria, Romania, Lithuania, Croatia or any of the other regulated markets. What we’ve seen in the last few years has been exponential in terms of growth, and that’s undoubtedly a good thing. Solid, concise frameworks that allow a safe and level playing field for both player and operator has created a wide berth of entry for multiple international brands across the region. Given the windfall on revenue for governments, rather than seeing GGR go offshore, will undoubtedly prove to be a good thing for local economies, and has already proven to be a significant contributor to national budgets.
In hand with that development comes a surge in the quality of gaming available – as well as a more advanced menu of entertainment experiences – whether that be table games, instant games or slots. I’m fully confident that the advantages of a safe, regulated market will continue to be felt by countries that have established a steady GGR growth rate and a favourable environment for doing business.
In general, how would you define the typical CEE player’s profile towards slots, instant and table games? What kind of entertainment are players looking for?
The typical CEE player mainly shares characteristics with those you’d find elsewhere in Europe. Having said that, the transition to online has indeed come later than in the West, so it is inevitable that we see games that have a lot in common with the land-base sector to appeal to players. We’re also seeing plenty of interest in instant games (especially when it comes to our stable of titles), which I believe to be a massive growth area. Why? The clue’s in the name – they give players a chance to enjoy instant entertainment, lighting-fast game rounds and a quickfire result.
Are there any particular territories that stand out for you as having a unique player demographic?
While we’re certainly not a brand that believes in a ‘one size fits all’ approach when it comes to global delivery, from personal experience I can say that the extent that one sees unique player demographics vary from country to country is relatively minimal. A greater factor that shapes delivery of product, and in effect defining the demographics of the players you deliver to in each market – is the infrastructure and accessibility. For example, with rural or highland areas, slower internet speeds are inevitable and therefore require more adaptable content that can either be leveraged via game engines to enhance the download speed, or alternatively through the application of light technical requirements for the game itself.
Having said that, CEE is digitising at an impressively fast pace. Heavy investment in high-speed broadband coverage can be observed throughout Europe, with 86% of the Czech Republic’s rural locations now connected to the internet, for instance, while Romania (as I’m sure any citizen there will be fast to tell you), has one of the fastest internet speeds in the world!
How should operators in the region be looking to tailor / customise their content to further drive retention and engagement?
There’s really no substitute for analysing the market in depth. That means closely studying the preferences of local players and the state-of-play for any potential competitors. Operators who get that process right can adapt their offering accordingly, thus driving revenue in the long-term.
We know that while session durations are relatively consistent across Europe, the average stake value is not. This is especially the case in the CEE region, where arguably the economic fallout from COVID-19 can be felt harder than most, which requires a gaming experience that can provide extended entertainment without draining player’s bank balances in minutes. This is especially the case for what is a hugely tech-savvy demographic – who are far more discerning than many outsiders would assume – and therefore require a solid product with the maths to back it up. Success here is all about authenticity, and players will recognise a lack of it from a mile off.
Gamification’s going to be a hot topic in the months ahead given the need for entertainment – as a market expert, what types of features do you believe will be key in 2021?
Tournaments are very strong right now – and formats that allow players to compete against each other in real time are going to be a mainstay in gaming development this year. I see this as being indicative that providing players with an additional sense of competition, such as pitting players against players through formats like multiplayer gameplay, is a whole new level of gamification in itself that can do wonders for making your products more interesting for your audience locked down at home.
I’m particularly excited about what multiplayer can offer, and we’re taking this area very seriously. They’re going to be a serious asset when it comes to providing an additional dimension of gameplay. Combine that with faster rounds with instant games (which are very hot right now), as well as the opportunity for more varied stakes – and you have a lightning-fast experience that can create a hugely exciting betting environment and really drive engagement and retention.
Ukraine of course is going to be very closely watched – how would you rate the regulation process so far and do you believe we’re on track to go live by mid-next year?
We’ve seen good progress in Ukraine since July last year when online gambling was officially made legal – and the government has been working hard to get a regulatory framework in place, with a commission already formed to monitor the issuing of licenses to casino operators.
It is also expected that the number of licences that the authorities choose to grant will be limited – this, just like we’ve recently seen in Argentina, means that we have a queue of foreign operators waiting for certification, and I predict will start seeing the results show in around six months. I look forward to contributing towards the creation of a safe and regulated gaming environment for all, as well as seeing the benefits that gaming revenue will bring to our national economy – just as it has for other regulated CEE territories. The future is certainly looking bright!
And last but not least, are there any leading figures or businesses you can recommend to our readers for 2021 inspiration?
The biggest source of inspiration to me personally continues to be the fantastic team of staff we’ve got right here at Evoplay Entertainment. The tremendous success we’ve enjoyed as a company drives me to strive for more, and I genuinely believe that when we work together as a company, there is almost nothing we can’t achieve.
Don’t be afraid to take inspiration from your own accomplishments, no matter how large or small. It’s a reminder that your greatest days lie ahead – something that’s particularly important to remember in the current circumstances!
Nik Robinson, CEO at Big Time Gaming, talks about the challenges studios face when it comes to sequel slots such as its just-launched Danger! High Voltage 2.
Congratulations on the launch of Danger! High Voltage 2. Tell us more about the game and what players can expect.
Thanks! We’re absolutely thrilled to launch Danger! High Voltage 2—it’s an electrifying sequel we think fans of the original will love. When we released the first Danger! High Voltage, the response was phenomenal, and players kept asking for even more high-octane action. So, we set out to turn things up to 11 with this release.
The game cranks up the excitement with our Megaways™ engine, giving players up to 117,649 ways to win on each spin. The base game is supercharged with volatility and powered by the MegaDozer, perched right above the reels, ready to drop Scatters, Wilds, Multipliers, and other electrifying surprises into play. Then there are the two fiery free spin bonuses—Fire in the Disco! and Danger Danger!!—designed to keep players on the edge of their seats.
And, of course, it wouldn’t be Danger! High Voltage without the unforgettable soundtrack by Electric Six! Get ready for some serious foot-tapping and headbanging because this game truly brings the heat.
How does the second instalment differ from the original Danger! High Voltage slot you launched back in 2017?
This time around, players are transported to an electrifying thrilling industrial scene, and introduced the groundbreaking mechanic MegaDozerTM mechanic sitting up top, ready to unleash Scatters, Wilds, Multipliers, and surprises.
It’s amazing to see how much slot game design has evolved since we launched the first game in 2017, and Danger! High Voltage 2 is a testament to that evolution. This time, we’ve built it around our Megaways™ engine, which amps up the gameplay with up to 117,649 ways to win on every spin.
We’ve also kept the player choice element for the Free Spins round, but we didn’t just stop there. Fire in the Disco! and Danger Danger!! are brand-new bonus features that make every spin a symphony of excitement. It’s a whole new level of Danger! and a thrilling way for players to experience just how far we’ve come in delivering cutting-edge slots.
What made the iconic song from Electric Six the perfect soundtrack for creating a slot game around?
When we set out to create Danger! High Voltage 2, we knew we had to keep the core essence that players loved—the name and that iconic Electric Six soundtrack—but from there, this game is a totally new beast.
It’s insanely catchy and the perfect soundtrack for spinning the reels. For me, it stirs a strong feeling of nostalgia, taking me back to the early 2000s when the song was riding high in the charts. The more I listened to it, the more I became convinced it would be huge fun to create a slot game around the song. The lyrics lend themselves to bonus features (Fire in the Disco! Danger Danger! Or the original High Voltage & Gates of Hell), and the disco theme works really well as an online slot because it is so visual and colourful. With the original, we were able to capture the essence of the song and bring it to life, which is why Danger! High Voltage became a runaway success. Danger! High Voltage 2 turns the volume up to the max and we fully expect it to rise to the top of the charts, just like the original did.
Just how hard is it to launch a follow-up to a hugely successful slot game? What are the main challenges in doing so?
Launching a follow-up to a hit like Danger! High Voltage is no easy feat—it’s a bit like making the sequel to a blockbuster movie. You need to build on the experience offered by the original game, keeping true to the core theme and gameplay while making sure it offers something new and different. Stick too close to the original and it won’t deliver the excitement players are seeking, move too far away from it and you can end up with a significant disconnect from the original. But we reimagined the visuals and mechanics, integrating our Megaways™ engine as it adds massive win potential with up to 117,649 ways to win and to keep the gameplay engaging. We took risks with a completely new mechanic MegaDozer™ and introduced two brand-new free spin features, Fire in the Disco! and Danger Danger!! which had to be meticulously tested to ensure they deliver the right blend of fun and volatility. It becomes a bit of a balancing act whereby you need to keep core elements the same or similar and then bring in new elements that take the whole package to the next level. It’s easy to see why the second album is often the toughest for musicians.
Big Time Gaming seems to have cracked the code when it comes to sequel slots with the recent launch of Bonanza Falls so you must have been able to overcome these challenges.
We’re fortunate to have such strong original titles like Bonanza and Danger! High Voltage as a foundation for our sequels, but make no mistake—it all starts with the team’s incredible work in crafting these iconic games in the first place. When you have a solid base, it gives us the freedom to innovate boldly. For instance, with sequels like Bonanza Falls and Danger! High Voltage 2, we introduced fresh mechanics like MegaDozer™, Win Exchange™, Bonus Coins, which add entirely new dimensions to gameplay. These features aren’t just updates; they’re true evolutions that deliver exhilarating experiences and keep players coming back.
Our team embraces these challenges head-on, bringing excitement and a touch of fun to every sequel we produce. And while these games build on the legacies of the originals, they’re crafted to stand tall on their own merits. Bonanza Falls and Danger! High Voltage 2 don’t just rely on the reputations of their predecessors—they’re outstanding games in their own right, designed to thrill players new and old alike. It’s about creating something fresh while capturing the magic that made the originals so beloved.
The post The difficult second album appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Match Hype has just won two industry competitions. Talk us through your product.
Match Hype brings engagement from social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram into the sportsbook. Our technology automatically turns raw sports data into short videos full of sports and betting insights. We have the capacity to create up to a million videos daily in more than 30 languages. We also provide hosting and streaming of the videos, and we track everything in the video thanks to our own player. The high level of video experience and the scale make us unique in the market, and we believe that this innovation is extremely needed in the industry—and the judges in the competitions probably agree with us.
What technologies are you leveraging to deliver such a cutting-edge tool/product?
We have more than six years’ experience in developing dynamic video solutions for clients like Microsoft, HBO, and SAP, and a decade in high-end video production for similarly well-known clients. Match Hype is the essence of this. We have developed our own robust cloud infrastructure that enables us to work on a huge scale. We can also leverage the integration of third-party solutions that help us make the video content rich and engaging. The AI boom came at the right time to help us make the experience for the viewer even better.
Who is Match Hype aimed at?
We focus mostly on sportsbook operators, where we think we can bring the biggest value. But we also have clients on the affiliate and media side. Our “competition” at the moment are creative professionals who are able to create one video at a time. To cover hundreds or thousands of events daily, you need huge manpower. With Match Hype, you don’t need that—it’s all automated. Anybody who appreciates this level of efficiency will benefit.
The end users are any sports fans who enjoy engaging videos. So basically everybody.
Has this industry been slow to embrace video content and unlock the potential it offers? If so, why?
It’s hard for us to talk about the whole industry, as we haven’t been part of it for that long. But iGaming feels like a conservative industry where only truly meaningful innovations make it. Fingers crossed for Match Hype being one of them. We are confident because of our track record in other industries, and mostly thanks to the results of our dynamic videos that are already used by significant igaming industry players.
What makes video content so effective at customer acquisition? How can Match Hype be used in this regard?
People just love video content. In the last review, TikTok said that the average user spends around 90 minutes a day on their platform. Platforms like Spotify used to be music and podcasts only; now they are full of videos. You just can’t ignore that. Video killed the radio star, and a static sportsbook is next to die.
And what about retention? How can it be used to keep players engaged and coming back for more?
Imagine that a 30-second video gives you the exact insights to help you make a betting decision without spending dozens of minutes on different resources to gather all the information. People don’t want to read anymore. This is probably an even bigger strength of Match Hype than user acquisition.
What can we expect from Match Hype in the coming months?
We will establish Match Hype as an industry standard for dynamic video content. We’ll bring many more sports like tennis, basketball horse racing and. We are preparing real-time video use cases—for example, half-time updates in football—and new distribution channels like integration directly into streams. The potential is huge. Stay tuned.
Any final thoughts?
For the last year, we have talked with literally hundreds of iGaming experts, investors, and executives. Almost every one of them sees fan engagement as a huge topic in the upcoming months and years. And video will definitely play a key part in it.
Video says more than a thousand words. Give it a go—watch one of our 30-second videos and see for yourself.
The post Exclusive Q&A w/ Radek Pšurný, CEO at Match Hype appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
For those that might not know, can you give us a brief overview of Pick’Em Player Props?
In simple terms, the new Pick’Em Player Props product from WA.Technology is almost like a hybrid between fantasy sports and sports betting. In the same vein as traditional player props products that you see in traditional sports, players can select markets on individual players – we have just taken that model and elevated it.
During the game, players can make between two and six bet selections. For example, will Erling Haaland score more or less than 2.5 shots? The number of bet selections the player makes then determines their multiplier. By allowing bettors to unleash their sporting knowledge and provide engaging games for them to play, we are helping our operator partners to not only engage with a wider player base but also to fuel long-term retention. It really is a one-of-a-kind product and one we’re incredibly excited about. It’s already proving to be a top performer in LatAm.
Why has now been the right time to unveil Pick’Em Player Props?
Over the last few years, we’ve seen significant growth in the number of player proposition products. There are several reasons for that. Sports fans have shown a growing affinity for individual players rather than a team. They follow players on social media and engage with content featuring that player.
This reflects the wider trend we’re seeing: the new generation of fans is more in love with the players than the team itself. A great example of this is both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Bettors worldwide would wager on either of those players and engage with their content regardless of which team they played for or what club they supported.
The appetite for player-driven betting is increasing dramatically, resulting in a greater demand for products specifically tailored to individual athletes.
With more traditional sportsbooks, however, we’ve found that there isn’t as much depth of product regarding player propositions – aside from goal scorer markets. We wanted to change that – we wanted to deliver a fun, engaging product that helps build a sense of community among players.
Since Pick’Em Player Props is also a hybrid of fantasy and sports, it can act as an attractive tool to facilitate new market entries, as fantasy sports are not regulated like sportsbooks or iGaming. Take the US for example. In most states, operators do not need a licence to offer a fantasy sports product. This is the case for many markets around the world, too. I believe this will be an attractive proposition for operators looking to expand their international footprint, and as a truly global provider, we’re here to make that happen.
In your view, what differentiates WA.Technology’s Pick’Em Player Props from other player props products on the market?
Currently, we are the only B2B provider to offer a player propositions product that combines sports and fantasy. A handful of companies in the US offer something similar, but they are all B2C companies – we are bringing something totally unique to the B2B space.
Fantasy Sports have always been popular in the US. But over the last 18 months, we’ve seen a meteoric rise in the demand for player proposition markets; we wanted to develop a product that caters to that growth in demand and delivers something unique for our partners.
For other player props products on the market, something that is worth noting is that the design and UX are doing little to engage Millennial/Gen Z bettors. This audience demands a streamlined UX that is easy to use. Our Pick’Em version has been specifically designed with this demographic in mind, although we have been careful not to disenfranchise other age groups. We have kept the design sleek, streamlined and easy to use to deliver that. It’s extremely well-designed compared to what you might see in a more traditional sportsbook.
The game is straightforward to understand because we have fixed multipliers. This decision differentiates us from more traditional products, where the multipliers vary depending on how many bets you place. It also makes the product much more accessible for players who might otherwise not be familiar with fantasy or player props.
Another major defining factor is that we have ensured players can add multiple bets from different markets together. On most sports betting sites out there, you cannot combine player props markets. You couldn’t, for example, have a bet slip combining Erling Haaland’s Over/Under Shots and Kevin De Bruyne’s Shots on Target. We know this is frustrating for many bettors. We wanted to eliminate that barrier and elevate sports fans’ experience.
How does the level of data granularity influence the design and effectiveness of player proposition betting products, particularly in terms of player engagement and personalised betting options?
We are very fortunate that the data feed we use for our player props markets is the best. We have a wide range of insights and data analytics available, giving us an edge over other companies within the space – this is a serious differentiator.
The enhanced data range means we can deliver many more bespoke, personalised betting options to players while also getting more granular with the markets we can offer.
Our Managed Services Team, which oversees all things trading, also closely monitors the markets that are most popular with players. For example, if we see an influx in bets on ‘shots on target’, we know how to create more promotions around this particular market. We can tailor the CMS to engage better with players and create a more personalised experience.
Players can also ‘favourite’ particular players and clubs. Any market featuring that player will automatically appear when the Pick’Em Player Props application loads up.
Are there any markets where you believe Pick’Em Player Props will prove to be particularly popular? If so, why?
In all honesty, I can’t think of a market where this won’t be popular! Regions such as LatAm present an enormous opportunity for the growth of player proposition markets. I believe we can really plug a gap in the products currently offered to bettors.
Across the continent, we’ve seen players show a real passion for player-focused markets, and we’re here to capitalise on that. In Brazil, for example, if we were to create markets on Neymar, I’d anticipate this would gain much traction!
The real selling point for Pick’Em Player Props here is that we offer an extensive range of sports and markets that cater to a broad audience – but within that, we can personalise sports and bet selections not to overwhelm the player. I’d expect that markets on football will perform exceptionally well across Africa and LatAm, while countries such as South Africa may have a stronger preference for Rugby or Cricket.
Ultimately, it’s about understanding the unique preferences of players within each jurisdiction our partners operate in and tailoring the product accordingly. With teams based in various markets worldwide, we can get to grips with the local knowledge and fully understand what resonates with bettors.
In your view, what are some of the factors behind the growth of player props products in the last 12 months?
Most definitely shows how sports media companies are incorporating more player-specific content into their roster. This already has a huge impact, and I can’t see it changing anytime soon.
Whether it’s interviews with specific players, post-match analytics on performance or even the inherent growth of social media, the balance is undoubtedly tipping more towards the player rather than the team.
Personalisation will also have a considerable knock-on effect on the growth of player propositions. Bettors want more bespoke offers, specific bet suggestions and more instant content tailored to their unique playing habits. With a product like Pick’Em Player Props, you can personalise that betting experience to your heart’s content.
It also becomes much easier for sportsbooks to align with a specific user’s interests when we deliver unmatched data analytics and levels of personalisation that are available via WA.Technology’s product suite.
In short, Pick’Em Player Props gives operators the tools they need to create wide-ranging engagement opportunities without sticking to the rigid sporting calendar, where sometimes you might have to wait several days between a game. By incorporating fantasy sports, we can deliver round-the-clock content much faster, therefore meeting the demands of players. If you want to find out more – make sure to stop by Stand 1095 at SiGMA!
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