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Playing the technology card: How Europe is winning the game

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By Eriks Petersons, Digital Transformation Director, Ciklum

 

The last few years have seen a real period of growth in the gaming industry fuelled by technology. The push for responsible gambling and tighter regulations has helped reposition an industry which has carried a negative stigma for so long. Instead it is now accepted as a form of entertainment which is governed responsibly.

Europe has been at the core of this image transformation and now accounts for more than half of iGaming revenue worldwide. Investing in gaming technology over the last few years has seen Europe take advantage of the stagnant gaming scene in the US, which came as a result of the Black Friday events of 2011, and saw the closure of the three largest online poker websites.

Whilst the online gaming scene came to a halt in the US, advancements in European gaming technology meant that in the case of sports events, for example, bets could be placed live during a game – even via a mobile phone. In contrast, the US was reliant on land-based establishments where bets had to be placed before a game started. This resulted in many US companies snapping up European companies in order to benefit from these innovations. And who can blame them, with the sports scene so big in the US compared to across the pond.

But what the Black Friday events in the US taught the whole industry was the need for stricter regulations. Also crucial for upholding the gaming industry’s new positive reputation. Again, this is where Europe has been at the forefront – with the UK, Sweden and Germany leading the way – and certainly looking to stay in pole position.

 

How Covid-19 helped propel the gaming industry online

The Covid-19 pandemic hit the gaming industry on a global level, and as with many industries, companies were forced to move their operations online. With the temporary closure of land-based establishments, it taught the gaming industry an important lesson on product diversification and why it shouldn’t be over-reliant on physical world interactions.

With live sports temporarily suspended, meaning loss of revenue from sports betting, many players switched to casino gaming. Live shows with a real dealer helped to bridge the gap between online and land-based casinos, with players feeling more confident watching a real person dealing rather than trusting an algorithm.

It came down to which iGaming operators were willing to adapt to meet their players’ changing needs – and who had the technology to be able to do so. Those who did were the ones who came out as winners.

 

Why gaming platforms need to be customisable

The last ten years have seen the industry change from one that was initially market-driven to one that is now technology-driven. Traditionally gaming platforms were monolithic in nature meaning updates were often slow to implement and with many limitations.

Fast forward to the present, and as a result there are a lot of big companies who now own multiple platforms and products under one umbrella, but who have also inherited legacy technology obstacles.

Modernising platform infrastructure is key for allowing both scalability and flexibility. Microservices allow specific functions to be developed, deployed and managed independently from one another. This allows teams to focus on different areas, for example, whilst one team works on ‘responsible gaming’, another can work on ‘player acquisition’ testing or improving new features on the homepage.

Using microservices with APIs – which allows numerous front end experiences to be connected to a single back end program – enables flexibility beyond the limits of any one platform or technology. This allows gaming companies to work on regulatory changes and product features in parallel meaning one does not hold the other back.

Cloud is also key to scalability meaning you can manage large spikes of traffic or prepare for a new market launch. It also means that huge amounts of data can be stored securely.

 

Why tech has been key in adapting to new regulations

Technology has played a key role in ensuring the gaming industry is compliant as rules continue to evolve. As the call for improved consumer protection and responsible gaming rises, we have seen stricter regulations being introduced across Europe. For iGaming operators, this has demonstrated the need to have highly customisable gaming platforms which can be swiftly adapted to meet new regulations introduced country by country.

Take Germany as an example. In July this year, Germany launched its legal casino market, allowing private operators to apply for licenses offering sports betting, online poker and virtual slot machines. Industry players seeking the new license had a full year to make adequate changes, known as toleration regime. With the long list of German regulatory rules touching upon different parts of the system, many of these were kept to the last moment before they were introduced.

Player deposits, for example, were reduced to a maximum of 1000 euros. This was a big hit on the industry which is very VIP driven – with the majority of revenue coming from such players.

Spins in slot machines also came under fire with new regulations dictating a time limit of five seconds per spin. With an average spin lasting 0.5 seconds meaning a 5 second period normally allows for multiple spins, this runs the risk that players can’t play quickly enough and in turn will get bored.

Through the use of microservices, iGaming operators were able to create and release new features gradually. Instead of facing a huge hit on resources at one time, they were able to apply feature toggling and test and push different changes live over time. And ultimately ensure that by releasing these at the last moment they would not affect the customer experience earlier than they needed to.

 

How tech is improving player acquisition and retention

One area where companies can use technology to stand out is by offering a differentiated player experience. Player trends are constantly changing, and the successful iGaming operators are the ones that keep experimenting, keep validating and keep improving their product.

With some exceptions, most casinos are all the same, they just have a different look and feel. Through agile software development, gaming platforms can use canary releases to trial and test changes and features initially within a small group of users before rolling out to a wider audience. For example, how you show games to players or how games are grouped together to understand game player behaviour. This can also be applied to promotions to decide which ones work most effectively.

The registration process is another area which is a key part of the player acquisition journey. Consider experimenting with a three-stage process rather than one lengthy form. Also what works better in the UK, may not work so well in Germany.

Even the smallest things like the colour, shape or positioning of a button can have an enormous impact on the player behaviour and thus the conversion rate.

Technology has played a key role in transforming the European gaming industry. For iGaming operators, there’s both a need to innovate as well as to regulate. It’s about ensuring gaming platforms are adaptable, scalable and that changes can be implemented at speed. In other words, if you want to ride this positive wave that’s happening in the industry right now, then you need to implement the technology that will allow you to stay ahead of the game!

 

 

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SlotMatrix ignites the reels of West Virginia with Wild Extravaganza launch

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SlotMatrix, the world’s largest casino content aggregator, has expanded Wild Extravaganza’s reach in the U.S launching in West Virginia, alongside existing markets, New Jersey and Michigan.  

Wild Extravaganza is a high-energy 5×3 video slot that packs vibrant visuals, dynamic gameplay, and huge win potential in a 10-payline experience. The game pays left to right, right to left, and even from the middle, offering players multiple chances to win on every spin.

The core feature of Wild Extravaganza is its multiplying wilds, which can stack on three of the five reels and can reveal a 2x, 3x, or 7x win multiplier.

Wild Extravaganza is fully supported by EveryMatrix’s suite of advanced engagement tools, including free spins, leaderboards, and tournaments, helping operators drive acquisition and retention in regulated U.S markets.

This U.S release is part of a recent surge of SlotMatrix exclusive games entering the market, including 3 Coin Treasures, Lara Jones Treasures of Egypt 2, and Glorious Diamonds.

EveryMatrix holds licences in key North American markets, including West Virginia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Ontario, and powers more than 300 customers globally.

Stephen Orchard, Head of Commercial Operations, SlotMatrix, said: “Wild Extravaganza is all about giving players thrilling, fast-paced action and the chance to land some seriously big wins. We’re excited to bring this experience to West Virginia as we continue our expansion across the U.S.”  

The post SlotMatrix ignites the reels of West Virginia with Wild Extravaganza launch appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Latest News

SlotMatrix ignites the reels of West Virginia with Wild Extravaganza launch

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on

slotmatrix-ignites-the-reels-of-west-virginia-with-wild-extravaganza-launch

 

SlotMatrix, the world’s largest casino content aggregator, has expanded Wild Extravaganza’s reach in the U.S launching in West Virginia, alongside existing markets, New Jersey and Michigan.  

Wild Extravaganza is a high-energy 5×3 video slot that packs vibrant visuals, dynamic gameplay, and huge win potential in a 10-payline experience. The game pays left to right, right to left, and even from the middle, offering players multiple chances to win on every spin.

The core feature of Wild Extravaganza is its multiplying wilds, which can stack on three of the five reels and can reveal a 2x, 3x, or 7x win multiplier.

Wild Extravaganza is fully supported by EveryMatrix’s suite of advanced engagement tools, including free spins, leaderboards, and tournaments, helping operators drive acquisition and retention in regulated U.S markets.

This U.S release is part of a recent surge of SlotMatrix exclusive games entering the market, including 3 Coin Treasures, Lara Jones Treasures of Egypt 2, and Glorious Diamonds.

EveryMatrix holds licences in key North American markets, including West Virginia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Ontario, and powers more than 300 customers globally.

Stephen Orchard, Head of Commercial Operations, SlotMatrix, said: “Wild Extravaganza is all about giving players thrilling, fast-paced action and the chance to land some seriously big wins. We’re excited to bring this experience to West Virginia as we continue our expansion across the U.S.”  

The post SlotMatrix ignites the reels of West Virginia with Wild Extravaganza launch appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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Compliance Updates

Bacta commissioned research shows huge support for seaside arcades led by Gen Z

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The findings of independent research conducted by Censuswide among a sample of 2,000 UK Nationally representative respondents aged 16+ shows that Generation Z has fallen in love with the seaside arcades so popular with their grandparents. 

The research reveals that 8 in 10 respondents (81 percent) view seaside arcades as being part of British culture and it is young Brits that are banging the drum for arcades, with 90 percent of 25–34-year-olds backing their importance.

Despite overwhelming public support from Britain’s younger generations, seaside arcades continue to face a perfect storm of challenges from rising energy and staffing costs, plus the threat of increased taxation as suggested by former Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

72 percent say Government should do more to protect them – with 86 percent of those aged 25-34-years calling for urgent action.

The research findings confirm the central role played by seaside arcades with 72 percent of adults saying they would visit an arcade on a trip to the seaside a figure that rises to 91 percent for 24-34-year-olds.

In terms of providing accessible entertainment 55 percent say that arcades offer great value for money, making them the UK’s most affordable family day out. As a result, 84 percent confirmed they have enjoyed arcades with multiple generations of their family.

The importance of contributions to local economies featured highly in the research paper with 7 in 10 stating that arcades play a key role in regenerating seaside towns, a figure that rises to 85 percent of 18-24-year-olds.

Reflecting on the research findings Joseph Cullis, President of UK trade association, Bacta said: “Britain’s seaside arcades are a vital element of our proud tourism industry, a modern cultural icon, and have been a fun family activity for more than a century.

“It’s brilliant but not surprising to see young people are embracing them with all the enthusiasm of their parents, grandparents and great-grandparents before them.

“At Bacta, we’re fighting to protect our seaside arcades from the threats of rising costs and from those who want to tax them out of existence. We hope that local councillors, MPs and the Treasury will heed the wants and needs of the British people and protect these vital institutions.”

Elliot Ball, who co-owns and runs Clacton Pier with his brother Billy, said other attractions would be at risk if arcades were taxed even more.

“I’m the fifth generation of my family – on both sides – involved in amusement arcades so this is a labour of love” he stated.

“But the threat from the government to raise gambling tax would put at risk a traditional family day out to the seaside. Trips here have been making memories for generations, and it’s great that younger people are finding the same safe, harmless fun on the pier that has been raising a smile and lighting up eyes for years and years.

“We’ve bounced back from the pandemic and the rise of staycations helps, but many of Britain’s most beloved seaside attractions will be put at high risk if gambling taxes rise.”

The post Bacta commissioned research shows huge support for seaside arcades led by Gen Z appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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