Eastern Europe
Romania Q&A w/ Danielle Calafato, CCO at Gaming Corps
Can you give us an overview of your operations in Romania and how significant a market this is for you?
We’re now live in Romania with six customers so far, and there’s more in the pipeline. Romania has been a significant market for us due to the demographic of its players, who love non-traditional content.
In the early days it was a driving force for one of our key customers, which then helped us secure more agreements with casinos in the Romanian market. We’re now looking for further growth there by onboarding more casinos and developing more slots which will have themes that will resonate well with players in this market.
However, we won’t stop continuing to develop and being creative in the non-traditional space.
How would you assess the performance of your games in Romania so far? How have you tried to achieve cut-through in the Romanian market?
Mines content has done really well, leading to some branded content being released in that market. Slot content is also on the up, but we expect to achieve even better performances out of upcoming themes such as Super Hot Stacks, which are themes and game mechanics that will suit Romanian players.
One client has streamed a number of our games such as Plinko, which we believe to be the first game of its type in the Romanian market. We’ll ensure we continue developing in the non-traditional space for markets like Romania.
As a new presence in the industry with limited games, Romania has definitely been more significant for us than other markets, but there’s still lots of room for growth.
There was even a TV advertisement broadcast via one client, when our Mines content went live.
How do your games appeal to players in Romania specifically? Have you tailored your games for this market in any way?
Mines content has performed well, and we have had a couple of slot titles which have done ok.
We haven’t created market-specific content as we aren’t large-scale enough to do that yet. However, we are making sure we create new content that has themes that historically have resonated well with players in Romania. As mentioned earlier, we also believe our Plinko product was the first in this market, so we are innovating in the non-traditional space for sure.
How do you see the Romanian gaming market developing in the coming years?
For many years, Romania has been a market with a very traditional taste in games that has crossed over from land-based operations, hence the dominance of EGT, for example.
But what we have seen over the last few years is that more modern visuals and alternative game types have been slowly taking more and more market share. I believe that with the next generation of players not being as familiar with land-based products, we will see an even greater shift to our style of product.
Going forward, what are your main aims for the Romanian market?
We have had real success with our arcade games to date and our very close partnerships with key players in the market have seen the majority of the remaining operators want to work with us.
This has put us in a position where we now have distribution to most online players. As the quality of our slot content continues to improve, we really want to see this start to resonate and build a brand identity with the Romanian slot players, in the same way we have done with arcade games.
How important a role will the Romanian market play in Gaming Corps’ overall operations?
It is a very highly-regarded market and a lot of operators consider the bigger Romanian operators to be very valuable.
Seeing our content being pushed, while further developing close relationships with Romanian operators, will only drive our overall performance and should significantly increase the desire for our games across this part of Europe.
The most significant event for the gaming industry in Eastern Europe – the Balkan Entertainment & Gaming Expo (BEGE) – will bring together leading companies, innovators, and industry representatives on November 27 and 28 for its 15th-anniversary edition. In celebration of this milestone, the organizers have prepared numerous surprises and special awards.
Once again, BEGE will offer a rich program, uniting industry leaders, investors, and successful entrepreneurs to share ideas, technologies, and inspiration. Visitors will have a unique opportunity to explore the latest gaming technologies, try out innovative solutions, and enjoy impressive demonstrations.
Traditionally, the first and second days of the event feature the EEGS conference, where internationally recognized speakers will present analyses and discussions critical to the development of the gaming industry. Special panels will provide a platform for leading gaming experts to discuss the future of the industry, emerging trends, and initiatives promoting responsible gaming practices.
For the first time, BEGE will welcome startups, offering them the opportunity to participate in Gaming StartUp Challenge 6.0. This challenge provides a unique opportunity to meet with key industry figures. The most promising startups will be recognized and granted invaluable access to the experience and insights of industry leaders.
As always, the exhibition begins with the BEGE Awards ceremony, a symbol of recognition for innovation, outstanding achievements, and success across various sectors of the gaming industry, with awards such as “Online Provider of the Year” and “Online Game of the Year.” The awards will be presented on November 26 at an elegant dinner at Black&White club in Sofia’s Grand Hotel Millennium.
A key highlight of the program is the Proximity Zone, providing companies with additional visibility through live-streamed interviews and product presentations with leading global brands and experts.
BEGE is a must-attend event for anyone with an interest in the gaming industry. This year, more than 80 exhibitors and over 6,000 visitors from 70 countries are expected, making it a place where the passion for gaming and innovation meets business opportunities.
The post BEGE celebrates 15 years as Eastern Europe’s premier gaming expo appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Champions Unite to Walk the Path to Perfection Together
TotoGaming, which entered the Romanian market in January 2024, has announced a partnership with CFR Cluj, the eight-time Romanian football champions. This agreement will span two competitive seasons, starting with the 2024/25 season.
The goal? To create even more spectacular, inspiring football.
This is not TotoGaming’s first collaboration with football clubs; the brand, with a 20-year history in Armenia, has sponsored five Armenian football clubs. However, this marks its first partnership in Romanian sports.
“This collaboration was anticipated. Supporting the development of sports and promoting a healthy lifestyle have been core principles of TotoGaming from the beginning. CFR Cluj exemplifies these championship values. The club, with its 100-year history, knows what it takes to become a champion,” said Harutyun Vardanyan, CEO of TotoGaming.
CFR Cluj and TotoGaming have the same destination: both in sports and in life, each day begins with a champion’s commitment to embrace challenges and pursue victory.
The post TotoGaming partners with CFR CLUJ appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Eastern Europe
EveryMatrix launches ‘Academy for Heroes’ to help Ukraine military veterans develop IT careers
A new fully EveryMatrix-funded project aimed at helping veterans of the war in Ukraine transition to develop new careers in technology has launched in Lviv.
The NGO, entitled ‘Academy for Heroes’, is spearheaded by EveryMatrix and was inspired by its 300+ employees, based in Lviv in Ukraine, some of whom are fighting in the war.
There are hundreds of thousands of combatants in Ukraine, a number that is rising every day. Following their return from war, sometimes with serious injuries, many need social adaptation and work that can provide a more certain future.
The Academy will organise courses designed by leading experts in the IT industry, enabling former military personnel to gain the knowledge and skills needed for successful IT careers.
Beyond its primary goal of equipping veterans with IT skills, it also aims to help them successfully integrate into today’s labour market. EveryMatrix and several other local IT companies will be involved in the employment of veterans after they have completed courses.
Ebbe Groes, Group CEO and Co-Founder, EveryMatrix, said: “Our Lviv office is central to our continued success and growth. Ever since the country has experienced conflict we have supported our friends and colleagues, as well as charities, with much needed funds committing more than €2 million to date, and we will continue to help them.
“Now, we’re taking that one step further by setting up our second company NGO to ensure veterans receive the training and skills they need to return to work and develop successful careers in technology.
“The IT industry is one of the strongest parts of the Ukrainian economy, renowned worldwide for technical skills. I hope many will either join us or go on to join other IT companies, giving them hope and a more certain future for themselves and their families.”
Professor Oleksiy Druhov, CEO, Academy for Heroes, said: “This is the only continuously operating project of its kind in Ukraine for military veterans. Our goal is to teach four groups of veterans every year.
“Each group will have its own specialisation such as Project Management, Quality Assurance and Full stack to name just a few areas. We carefully monitor the Ukrainian IT market and only train the specialisms required.
“All participants will undergo internships at EveryMatrix and other leading Ukrainian IT companies during their studies and they will have the best teachers from the IT Industry. We are also planning to open a specialised, inclusive-friendly training centre at the end of 2024.”
This is the second fully funded NGO that EveryMatrix has initiated. In 2015 the iGaming technology provider established TeachStream supplying much needed funds and resources to disadvantaged children in Romania who might otherwise never have the opportunity to develop IT, computer science, mathematics and English skills.
The post EveryMatrix launches ‘Academy for Heroes’ to help Ukraine military veterans develop IT careers appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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