Interviews
Spain Spotlight: R Franco on navigating choppy waters
In our two-part series on Spain, Mario Benito, CCO at R. Franco Digital, explains how industry veteran R. Franco Digital is managing to keep pace with increasing restrictions at home while expanding its horizons internationally.
Talk us through R Franco’s 2021 – what were the highlights and do you feel you closed the year with some great success?
The year 2021 was another successful one for the team at R. Franco Digital. We had some massive slot releases including Buttom’s World, Jurassic Slot, and one of our first sequels, Wild West 2. Wanabet, a Spain-focused operator brand also secured an invaluable partnership with FeelSpin to integrate its technology with us, which has greatly helped us boost what we can offer when it comes to live casino. We also partnered with a great list of leading operators, a particular highlight being with our friends the Sisal Group, who now offer our extensive catalog of innovative releases across its regulated markets.
The icing on the cake, and indeed something that we’re absolutely delighted about has been the acquisition of our Gaming Supply License from the Malta Gaming Authority. This has in turn led to us being able to offer our leading online gaming portfolio to a broader international audience than ever before, and the uptake so far has been excellent. Given our heritage as Spain’s most established gaming company, our brand name has served us well in entering new territories, and we plan to continue with that momentum for the rest of 2022.
Looking over to Spain, how has the market weathered the COVID situation, and do you see the potential for this year to return to business as usual when it comes to online?
The online gaming market offers entertainment, and that’s been a key demand through the last two years. The sector has no doubt seen a boost in player engagement, and we’re seeing increasing numbers of demographics giving the iGaming world a try. This to us, and especially in Spain, represents increasing confidence in the online world, and indeed for land-based players adapting to a new preferred channel for gaming.
However, that’s not to say retail and land-based won’t rebound. The great victim of the pandemic in our industry has been land-based casinos, due to the limitations of capacity, if opening at all in some cases. However, the numbers we have seen from Q4 2021 indicate that this trend has improved since 2020’s challenges, and we’re confident of a return to normality.
Given Spain’s heavy marketing restrictions, has that affected the market’s ongoing evolution, and has it proven a challenge for marketers to get their message out?
Understandably, restrictions on advertising and marketing have presented a challenge for all domestic operators and it appears that only those with a large enough customer base in place have been able to remain profitable. From the point of view of the acquisition of new players, the restrictions have deemed it impossible to monetize promotional campaigns for both sportsbook and casino that are tier two and tier three operators, and that will no doubt have an effect.
Likewise, the restrictions in the advertising of sporting events have forced larger operators to compete with smaller operators by running promotions with affiliates. This was previously a marketing tool used by mid-sized operators but is now a key part of advertising for all companies.
There is no doubt that the biggest challenge has been adapting to advertising restrictions, in a fast and legal way. The ability to do this and change so quickly has been one thing that has always surprised me about this sector.
Given the recent news from the Spanish regulator on the introduction of loss limits – how much do you see that affecting players who back heavy favorites and also betting exchange customers?
I believe that this only affects the behaviors of players that it was initially intended for. We believe customers who enjoy our products are players who like to gamble for entertainment purposes only, so this type of limitation should not affect us or them in any way. At the same time, whenever this type of news comes out, it does affect public opinion of gambling through the fact that it is being restricted, which may imply that it needs further prohibiting or sanctions. As we see it, restricting businesses should not be the objective of any Government, however, we of course welcome any initiatives to protect players, and of course tackle problem gambling.
Spain has always been famous for its sports betting culture – how much of a cross-sell have we seen towards casinos for sports betting fans and which verticals are performing best?
Spain is a special market in Europe since there is already plenty of cross-selling between sports betting and online casinos. With that being said, one vertical’s loss will always see another’s gain and during the pandemic, while live sporting events were canceled, the sporting verticals’ decline certainly increased the online casino player base. Post pandemic effective cross-selling has become more critical than ever to ensure the acquisition of new customers, whilst retaining existing players. This can be seen in how cross-promotional campaigns were a key factor in the strong recovery of the sports betting market once live sporting events commenced. This is important because although the sports betting vertical always reigns supreme in popularity, the slot vertical is fast establishing itself as a strong competitor. Overall, as a consequence, both naturally benefit from the success of the other through cross-selling.
R Franco launched IRIS 4.0 just over a year ago and has continued to retain the Spanish crown as the market’s most advanced native platform. How much does the Spanish technological environment differ from the rest of Europe?
IRIS 4.0 has reached a significant degree of maturity and offers our customers the best guarantee of continued success, especially when it comes to Spain. Four years ago, international clients that opted for IRIS are still with us today after verifying the solidity of our newest IRIS 4.0 platform – and its testament to what it’s been able to do. We offer a fantastic arsenal of engagement boosting bonuses, campaign and promotional tools, as well as investing in many years of R&D to make sure we released the best platform possible. The trust of our customers is, as always, the greatest measure of achievement and we look forward to providing them with further developments in the future. The Spanish technological environment doesn’t differ too greatly to the rest of Europe, and this is reflected more so by the many international and domestic clients that make use of IRIS 4.0.
Last but not least, looking to 2022 and R Franco’s MGA license acquired in 2021 – what are your plans for European markets this year and what can we look forward to in the coming months?
We are close to unleashing our full potential with aggregators and customers who value us in regulated markets, which our MGA license is no doubt set to be a fantastic platform for. Soon we will also be able to demonstrate our true potential and bring our unique take on online slots to a much broader audience through new slot releases, further partnerships, and all-around growth of our business. This year has already seen the release of hit games like Witches North and Sabin of Chazos and we are thoroughly excited for what the rest of 2022 will bring – we’ve got some really creative titles in the mix, of course, do get in touch with us at [email protected]!
Behind every stellar online slot is an equally stellar maths model. These are becoming more experimental as the industry flirts with an increasing array of innovative new mechanics. We spoke to Pablo Martinez, Math/Design Lead and Founder at maverick game studio Peter & Sons to find out more.
Do you have to be a maths genius to build a slot machine?
Nah, you don’t need to be a maths genius. It’s more about having the right mix of skills and loving what you do. You need to play a lot of games, see what’s working out there, and understand what makes them fun. Knowing maths helps, sure, but it’s more about creating something players want to keep coming back to.
Peter & Sons is known for making games that dare to be different, visually and thematically. Is the underlying math equally experimental?
Definitely! We love pushing boundaries, both in how our games look and how they play. Sure, it’s a bit of a gamble to have a bunch of games with unique mechanics, but we’re all about trying new things. Games like Peter Hunter and our upcoming Muddy Waters are great examples — they bring fresh gameplay and new experiences to the table. Each year, we try to put out at least one or two experimental titles, keeping things interesting while mixing them with more familiar styles.
Do you come up with the maths model first and then build the game around that? Take us through the process of building the game from start to finish.
We usually start with an idea for the mechanics first. We make a quick prototype to see if the concept can work with the maths. Then we bring in the art team to brainstorm themes that will fit well. Once we have a basic prototype, we go through a bunch of tweaks and changes until the art, mechanics, and maths all feel right together. It’s a back-and-forth process where we’re constantly finetuning everything to get the best balance.
Why do you think a mechanic like Megaways was so successful?
Megaways took off because it’s a fun, exciting mechanic that gave players something fresh, but smart brand marketing really helped it catch on.
Is there pressure as a slots developer to come up with the ‘next’ Megaways?
Not really. Coming up with new mechanics is always fun, but it’s not the only way to make a hit. Plenty of top games are just clever twists on classic mechanics. It’s more about creating a great experience that keeps players coming back, whether it’s something brand new or just a fresh spin on something more familiar.
Which slots are more popular, high or low volatility, and why do you think that is?
It depends on the market, but in some unregulated markets — and especially with some operators — high-volatility slots are really popular. A big reason for this is streamers. High-volatility games make for exciting content, so they get a lot of attention and hype online. That thrill factor really draws players in.
Which is your favorite Peter & Sons mechanic and why?
Right now, I’d say the fishing mechanic in our upcoming game Muddy Waters. It’s a new twist on the fishing genre that really brings something fresh to the gameplay. It’s exciting to take a familiar theme and make it feel totally different.
Tell us about the mechanics in your latest release, Barbarossa Revenge.
Barbarossa Revenge is a pirate-themed, high-volatility game with 243 ways to win. It’s a DoubleMax game, meaning the multiplier doubles with each cascade. You’ve also got Multiplier Jumps and a Cashout feature that guarantees wins. During Free Spins, the multipliers don’t reset and can keep growing unlimited. With a max win potential of 30,000x the bet, this game is a real thrill!
Interviews
Bigly – not just another game studio. Find out how this start-up is going to help operators achieve sustainable success
European Gaming talks to Liam Mulvaney, Founder of Bigly.
Bigly is the latest studio to have launched into what is a hugely competitive space. What makes you stand out from the crowd?
You’re absolutely right when you say this is a crowded market. Today, there are more than 750 studios providing in excess of 38,000 games to operators and players. But Bigly is not just another game studio. We will be producing thrilling and entertaining content for our partners and their players, but we are positioned to be much more than just a content provider. We consider ourselves a marketing studio that happens to provide assets in the form of slots. Our unique commercial model means operators can access our games for a reliable and predictable cost, which in turn means they can ramp up marketing activity behind the titles that best meet the preferences of their players AND keep the lion’s share of the revenue each game generates. As costs rise and margins fall, Bigly is exactly what operators need to ensure sustainable success.
Tell us more about your unique commercial model.
So Bigly allows operators to access content for a capped monthly fee instead of the standard commercial model used by other studios where they work to a revenue share format. For the operator, this means if a game performs well, they hand a significant chunk of the revenues generated back to the studio. This ultimately has a knock-on effect as to the games that operators push to players and how they allocate marketing resources – this is why you often see the same slots from the same providers at the top of casino lobbies or used for promotional activity. But with our commercial model, which is sort of hybrid between a revenue share and a fixed cost system, operators have much greater flexibility over the games they give top lobby positions to, and how they market those games to players. Of course, they also know that if the game performs well, they get to keep the majority of the revenues made.
How does Bigly’s commercial model help operators beyond cost savings on content?
Our vision is to provide more opportunities for operators to push their own brand rather than Bigly. A quick example is that Bigly will not brand our games’ loader screens, but operators are free to feature their own logo if they wish. This means more brand presence from the operators. With Bigly, operators and their marketing teams can get super creative with their campaigns knowing the cost of accessing the game (or games) is fixed so the better the game performs, the more money the casino makes. In fact, the bolder the casino is in its marketing activity, the bigger the returns they will likely enjoy.
How do operators access your content?
There are a couple of ways. The first is directly through our remote game server, which is provided by our technical partner, Reelsoft. This is our preferred method of integration as it allows us to foster incredibly strong relationships with our operators while ensuring the smooth and seamless delivery of our content into markets across the world. Operators will also be able to get our games through aggregation platforms although the commercial relationship will be with Bigly – the aggregator will simply be a technical partner in the same way that Reelsoft is. This approach allows us to offer our content – and unique commercial model – to operators in the vast majority of jurisdictions from the get-go.
How does this approach to commercials and your wider business model benefit Bigly?
It gives us a major point of difference from the 100’s of other studios in the market, that’s for sure. And there’s something nice about bringing a product to the market that disrupts the status quo and genuinely revolutionises a major part of the industry. Ultimately, our approach and commercial model mean that we can provide the games and financials that operators are seeking, and, over time, this will see us become a major player in the content provision space. Of course, our approach works both ways – while our games are a predictable cost for our partners, they are a predictable income for Bigly and this really helps when it comes to establishing, growing and future-proofing the business. This can be really tough for new studios given the competitive nature of the market and the need for their games to be played at scale which of course requires top lobby positions and operator marketing activity, both of which are hard to secure for a new developer. It is important to note that the vision of this studio is for this approach to be the lifetime model for Bigly, a new way of selling and consuming content.
Your USP is your commercial model, but what about your games?
Our games are a crucial piece of the puzzle. Our commercials can be super attractive, but if our games are tosh then players just won’t play them. This is why I’ve been tapping into my extensive network to assemble an incredible team of designers, mathematicians, developers, testers and so on, as we will live or die by the quality of our content. The first games of a studio are always tough but we are confident that our slots will hit the mark in terms of quality and playability. Our first slot is Deep Sea Treasure and takes the cascading reels format, with symbols tumbling as players dive into the underwater abyss in search of big wins. I’ll be giving people a sneak peek at the SBC Summit in Lisbon, so flag me down if you want to see it in action.
The post Bigly – not just another game studio. Find out how this start-up is going to help operators achieve sustainable success appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Booming Games
Interview with Booming Games: A Sweepstakes Casino Powerhouse Poised for Big Wins in 2025!
In the ever-evolving world of sweepstake casinos, Booming Games is making waves. With visually stunning slots, a wide range of games, and a strategic focus on sweepstakes, they’re quickly becoming the go-to supplier in the industry. We sat down with two of the masterminds behind Booming Games’ success: newly appointed Director of Games, Nemanja Zivic, and VP of Product, Moritz Blume. Here’s what they had to say.
Booming Games has been making quite a splash in the sweepstakes space recently. What’s the secret sauce behind your success?
Moritz Blume: laughs Well, it’s no secret that we’ve been laser-focused on making Booming Games the ultimate partner for sweepstake casinos. For us, it all starts with the players. We’ve built a reputation for creating visually stunning and feature-packed games that keep people coming back for more. And, you know, our sweepstake-friendly features like interactive bonuses, free spins, and multipliers? Players love it! Who wouldn’t want to hit a big win without staking any real money? That’s kind of our jam.
We’ve also made sure to optimize all our games for mobile because let’s face it, people love spinning the reels on their phones, whether they’re on the couch or waiting for their coffee. The seamless mobile experience keeps them hooked, and we’re proud of that.
You’ve just introduced Nemanja Zivic as the new Director of Games. How does he fit into Booming Games’ already strong team?
Moritz Blume: Oh, Nemanja is a rockstar! He brings a ton of experience, not just from the online iGaming world, but as a passionate player of land-based games too. His expertise spans both worlds, and he’s helping us take those proven land-based features that players love and bringing them online. We’re offering players mechanics tailored to all kinds of play styles. Nemanja’s input ensures our games are not just popular but keep players coming back for more.
Nemanja Zivic: Absolutely! We know there’s a traceable trajectory for the features that start in land-based casinos and go on to make waves online. There’s nuance, of course, but we get it. That’s why we offer content featuring both the core and the evolution of Hold and Win, Cash Collect, Triple-pot bonuses, quick-hit Multi jackpots, Multi-reel set Bonuses, and short-term persistence games that make players feel right at home. We bring these land-based features online, and then elevate them with multiple bonus buys, side bets, and picks—ensuring every kind of player, from the casual spinner to the high roller, finds something that resonates with their style.
Between Moritz and me, we’ve got the experience to know what players crave. Add that to our killer roadmap for 2025 and 2026, and we’re all set to release some seriously exciting new titles.
Speaking of sweepstakes, what specifically sets Booming Games apart for operators in this space?
Nemanja Zivic: Booming Games offers full flexibility and an unmatched diversity in our game portfolio—whether you’re looking for classic casino fruits and diamonds, popular casual player favorites, or high-roller picks, we’ve got it all either in the portfolio already or coming next year.
For sweepstake casinos, we provide modified language support tailored to sweepstake players, social currencies, you name it—we’re all about making it work for the operator. And we don’t just stop there. We offer customized game titles to help strengthen the casino’s brand. Want a game with your logo on it? We can do that! Want exclusive features for your VIP players? Done.
Oh, and let’s not forget our various app integrations. We’re getting embedded into platforms that sweepstake players use the most. If you want your Booming Games titles in your app store, we make it happen. Anything’s possible when you’re working with us.
Wow, that’s impressive. Can you tell us more about how you’re integrating with influencers and sweepstake streamers?
Moritz Blume: We’re playing the long game here. In 2025, we’re going to be teaming up with some big names in sweepstake-focused streaming and influencer marketing. Expect to see Booming Games plastered all over Twitch, YouTube, and every platform where people love to watch gameplay. We’ve got some secret partnerships up our sleeve with streamers who are going to take our games to the next level in terms of exposure.
We’re already among the top 3 revenue drivers on various sweepstake platforms, and we’re only going to climb higher. By working closely with influencers, we’re taking our visibility and engagement to new heights. The future is looking bright!
It sounds like Booming Games is on the verge of a major sweepstake takeover. What can we expect next?
Nemanja Zivic: We’re just getting started! We’re in the final stages of some truly exciting partnerships and game launches tailored specifically for sweepstake operators that will redefine the player experience. At the same time, we’re always keeping our eyes on regulatory changes—if there’s an update, we’re ready to react the next day, ensuring our games are fully compliant wherever they’re played.
But that’s not all—responsible gaming is one of the pillars of Booming Games’ strategy. While we’re busy creating all these exciting new features, we’re equally focused on making sure our games are safe, secure, and fair for everyone. By staying on top of regulation and promoting responsible play, we aim to deliver not just thrilling games but ones that players can trust.
Any last words for the sweepstake casino operators and players reading this?
Moritz Blume: If you’re an operator, Booming Games is the partner you’ve been waiting for. We’ve got the tools, the games, and the know-how to make your players love what they’re playing. And for the players? Strap in, because Booming Games has some wild new titles coming your way. 2025 is going to be a ride!
Sounds like Booming Games is the perfect storm for sweepstake casinos. Thanks for chatting with us!
Moritz Blume and Nemanja Zivic: in unison Thank you!
Booming Games continues to dominate the sweepstake casino world, with cutting-edge game design, tailored solutions for operators, and exciting partnerships in the pipeline. Stay tuned for their roadmap in 2025—it’s going to be big!
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