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“We have a lot to offer the market’s local players” – Evoplay CEO sits down to discuss the company’s approach to LatAm

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Latin America has continued to open up at a steady rate and is widely seen as a market that is stacked full of potential, but there’s still plenty to be learned about capturing the attention of modern players in the region.

Vladimir Malakchi, CEO at leading game development studio Evoplay, sits down with Gaming Americas to discuss the success that the company has seen this past year and what its growth strategy will be for Latin America and other key regions in 2023 and beyond.

As one of the industry’s leading development studios, Evoplay has had some outstanding success this year, amounting with an award win for Innovation of the Year at the SBC Awards – what was the driving force behind that win?

As a company filled with iGaming enthusiasts, we’ve always been recognised for our prioritisation of innovation, something which sits at the very core of our game development strategy. Based on the research we conduct, we’ve noticed a clear trend emerging – that modern players seek exciting products which deliver unique experiences, especially when speaking about the next-generation of gamblers.

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The development of new technologies and their immediate adoption by the wider entertainment industry, means that developers must stay on top of current trends, at Evoplay, we successfully meet this challenge by delivering products that not only meet the ever-changing preferences of modern players, but exceed their increasingly high expectations.

 

Looking to the LatAm market, what key differentiators is Evoplay bringing to the table, and how are you able to make your games as exciting as they are?

Thanks to the diversity of our product portfolio, we have a lot to offer the market’s local players. Our unique titles are topped up with the latest gamification tools, as well as tried and tested features, mechanics and modes that allow them to stand out, providing players with exclusive gaming experience they won’t find anywhere else.

LatAm is well-known for its passion for football, and we are able to facilitate this phenomenon thanks to our collection of football-inspired products which combine elements from traditional casino and harmonise this with the thrill and unpredictability of sports betting. The package consists of 4 betting-fuelled games: Football Bet, Penalty Shoot-out, Penalty Series and Football Manager.

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Having analysed and identified the key factors that make wagering on live sports so attractive to casual bettors, the collection of titles provides the same level of excitement to players but from the comfort of their smartphones, without being limited to any real-life event schedule, ushering in a new era for sports fans and casino enthusiasts.

 

Do you have anything you would you like to share with your audience ahead of SBC Summit Latinoamerica about how Evoplay is going to make an impact?

We will continue doing what we do best and what we are recognised for in the industry, which is delivering bespoke iGaming content that wins the audience’s attention and earns their respect from the very first click. Evoplay’s varied portfolio and pioneering approach to game creation already sets us apart from our competitors, and we look forward to sharing our insights at the event with industry colleagues and prospective clients.

 

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Evoplay enjoyed a strong year of product development with some exciting additions to its award-winning portfolio. When it comes to the prevalence of mobile over desktop in LatAm, how are you looking to cater to the market’s unique conditions and does that change your game development strategy? 

The mobile sector has always been at the forefront of our priorities, as the data shows that LatAm is one of its biggest adopters, with roughly 75% of customers engaging with our products via smartphones. This breaks down to approximately 150 million mobile gamers in the region, which suggests that our mobile-first ideology is totally in tune with the audience there.

In addition to this, our in-house game engine Spinential provides a vital service, accelerating loading speed by up to 10x while saving digital storage space, opening the doors to far more players by allowing them to use our products on a multitude of devices across varying qualities of internet connections.

 

As we look beyond the upcoming World Cup and into the New Year, could you tell us more about your company’s growth strategy and vision for the LatAm market and other key regions?

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As a leading development studio to the industry, we never stop looking to expand our reach and have already announced our plans for European expansion, with Portuguese and Swiss markets at the face of our short-term plans. That said, we are actively working on signing deals with operators in the markets where we have established our presence.

LatAm is most definitely on our radar for the coming months, and we will be ready to discuss this in more detail as we approach the end of the year. In the meantime, our research departments will continue to conduct analysis and collect data that helps us identify the region’s niches and player preferences, so that we can be more prepared for entering the market and fulfilling the requirements of its users.

 

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Canada

SGG Media Announces Exciting New PlayOJO Partnership

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Industry-leading social media marketing agency SGG Media is thrilled to announce an exciting new collaboration with the prominent Canadian online casino PlayOJO.

Under the new agreement, SGG Media is set to become PlayOJO’s exclusive provider of live-action casino shows. Leveraging SGG Media’s extensive network of over 2,500 sports and casino influencers, these shows will stream thrilling casino experiences directly to PlayOJO players. Viewers will have the opportunity to interact with the streamers and place bets while witnessing all the exciting live casino action offered by PlayOJO.

Following the live shows, SGG Media will create and share short video highlights of the most captivating moments from the games across various social media platforms, engaging with SGG’s combined following of over 75 million fans. This is the third largest database of sports social media followers, a huge portion of whom have crossover potential and interest In the online casino industry.

The marketing agency has achieved significant success with its casino streams in 2024. They launched their groundbreaking ‘Casino Stream’ show in February. This innovative show offers nightly live-action casino games, providing viewers with an immersive experience in the fast-paced world of roulette, blackjack, slots, and other online games.

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PlayOJO is one of the most popular legal online casinos in Ontario. The casino collaborates with major developers and content providers in the industry, offering a distinctive and enjoyable online casino experience to Ontarian’s, all of which will be highlighted as a result of this deal.  “We’re thrilled to partner with the SGG team as we introduce our live casino shows in Canada. This unique live show experience will highlight PlayOJO’s best-in-class online casino, featuring slots, live casino, and table games, truly demonstrating why PlayOJO is the home of feel-good fun!”, says the PlayOJO Team.

SGG Media and PlayOJO are dedicated to ensuring a fun and safe online casino environment for players. Both parties will display clear responsible gambling messages throughout the streams, helping to inform players to gamble legally and responsibly.

Speaking about this commitment to responsible gambling, Troy Paul, CEO of SGG Media, said, “We want to create a fun and exciting show, but also make sure viewers know this is a legal casino and players need to wager only money they can afford to lose as entertainment.”

On the deal, Paul said: “We are extremely excited to begin working alongside PlayOJO. It is a brand that wants to drive innovation in the industry, sharing our vision for a more community-driven online casino experience.”

Through our streams, our micro-influencers and content creators will help shine a spotlight on PlayOJO’s fantastic gaming experiences while also growing a community that will want to return for more.

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This extends beyond the streams, with our huge network of micro-influencers sharing video content across their platforms, ensuring engagement continues after the stream goes off the air.”

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Great Canadian Entertainment and Petroglyph Development Group Announce Agreement for Purchase and Sale of Elements Casino Victoria

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Great Canadian Entertainment announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to sell Elements Casino Victoria to Petroglyph Development Group Ltd. (PDG) in yet another historic transaction for both parties.

This transaction comes on the heels of the previously announced definitive agreement for Great Canadian Entertainment to sell its other landmark property and business on Vancouver Island, Casino Nanaimo, to PDG. PDG is a wholly owned corporation of the Snuneymuxw First Nation (the Nation) and is dedicated to realizing the economic potential of the Nation.

Great Canadian’s Board of Directors unanimously approved the transaction, which remains subject to customary closing conditions as well as customary approvals by the regulatory authorities. The Company will provide transition services to PDG for up to two years post-closing.

“We are very pleased to have executed this second historic agreement with the Snuneymuxw First Nation. From its original opening as View Royal Casino in 2001, to major expansion and rebranding of the property in 2018 as Elements Casino Victoria, we are looking forward to the next chapter for this beautiful and historic Vancouver Island destination under PDG’s stewardship. We are excited to work with the Petroglyph team during the transition period to ensure yet another outstanding outcome for the community, our guests, our team members, and the Nation,” said Matt Anfinson, Chief Executive Officer of Great Canadian Entertainment.

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“We celebrate our growing partnership with Great Canadian and our continued progress toward building a strong Snuneymuxw economy that provides a solid foundation for Snuneymuxw self-determination and nationhood. With the acquisition of a second casino operation, we continue to honour the decades of work by past Snuneymuxw leadership who tirelessly pursued this goal, as we begin to realize various opportunities that contribute to optimizing Snuneymuxw socioeconomic potential. Our Nation is sharply focused to make investments that bring returns to our people and builds our presence in the economy so that Snuneymuxw takes its rightful place. Today, we also celebrate our partnership with the B.C. Lottery Corporation in our shared pursuit to support the growth of the provincial economy and First Nation participation,” said Snuneymuxw Chief Mike Wyse.

Erralyn Joseph, President of PDG, said: “This measured acquisition is one that PDG celebrates on our quest to build a corporate enterprise that reinvests into Snuneymuxw First Nation. With a strong operating plan that includes risk mitigation and yields sizable gains, PDG is well on its way to generating wealth for Snuneymuxw and taking a seat at the local, regional, provincial, national and global economic tables. On behalf of the Board of Directors, we are pleased to share this news and remain committed to advancing the region’s economic growth in support of all its residents.”

Ian Simpson, Chief Executive Officer of PDG, said: “Acquiring this significant asset will unlock unprecedented economic potential for Snuneymuxw and PDG, paving the way for transformative growth in Snuneymuxw’s economy and the profits that PDG returns to our Nation.”

McMillan is serving as legal counsel to Great Canadian. McCarthy Tétrault is acting as legal counsel and KPMG Corporate Finance Inc. is acting as financial advisor to PDG.

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Edmonton Oilers and Play Alberta Extend Partnership

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The Edmonton Oilers and Play Alberta announced a new agreement that makes Play Alberta the exclusive sports betting and online gaming partner of the Edmonton Oilers.

The deal will see the Play Alberta logo featured prominently on the Oilers home jerseys and GameSense, AGLC’s responsible gambling program, displayed on the helmets of the Oilers for each home game.

“Play Alberta is proud to continue its partnership with the Edmonton Oilers over the next several seasons. We value our patrons and the fans of the Oilers and are thrilled to see PlayAlberta.ca, Alberta’s trusted gambling platform along with the best-in-class responsible gambling program – GameSense – as prominent fixtures on the Oilers uniformsuniforms,” said Kandice Machado, Chief Executive Officer at AGLC.

PlayAlberta.ca is a leader in the iGaming landscape in the province. All money generated through the site goes to the General Revenue Fund, which supports programs and services that Albertans rely on every day. In addition, the website has integrated AGLC’s GameSense and Self-Exclusion programs to better support players in their gambling journey.

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“We are proud to call Play Alberta the official sportsbook of the Edmonton Oilers. With the revenue generated by Play Alberta going to valued services and programs that help enrich the lives of Albertans, donning the Play Alberta logo on our iconic home jersey is a testament to our long-term commitment to communities across Oil Country,” said Stew MacDonald, President & Chief Revenue Officer, OEG Sports & Entertainment.

The relationship between the Edmonton Oilers and PlayAlberta.ca will allow fans to experience the Play Alberta and GameSense brands through promotions in Rogers Place and ICE District, as well as giveaways throughout the season, including game tickets and memorabilia.

This past year, PlayAlberta.ca generated $235 million in net sales, an increase of more than $42 million from 2022-23. That number contributes to the $1.5 billion in total gaming revenue that’s sent to Alberta’s General Revenue Fund and supports programs and services that Albertans rely on every day.

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