Gaming Corps
Getting Social With Gaming Corps
Graeme Savill, the Account Management Team Lead at Gaming Corps, sits down with us to talk everything social gaming, including the rise of gamification, how to engage players through tournaments, the future of social gaming, and more.
Building communities of players has become a popular trend over the last 18 months, with players demanding a much more social-led experience. Why do you think this is?
I believe the increased demand for social-led experiences is driven by the broader social shift towards connectivity, which is a result of the influence of social media and online communities. Players, especially Gen Z players, crave authentic experiences, and as such, casinos are seeking more interactive and community-focused ways to capture their interest.
Players want the opportunity to share big wins, compete with friends, and interact with a broader community, and casinos and providers are looking innovative ways to provide that experience.
Crucially, players want to feel like they are part of something and be kept in the loop. Social media is a key part of this, and the online casino industry is learning a lot from these platforms about how to create communities and drive engagement.
In your view, what’s the secret behind creating a more social experience for players? Is it gamification, features like chat functionality and live streaming, or something else?
Several factors are driving the evolution of players’ social experiences. Gamification, for example, plays a key role in bringing out players’ competitive sides while engaging them with new products.
Chat functionality is also crucial; you can’t build a community if players can not talk to one another. It has also allowed players to interact with streamers, influencers, and the casinos themselves.
Finally, streamers can significantly contribute to exposing players to new content and innovations. They hold significant sway within the online gaming communities and are well-respected by players. This level of influence contributes massively to the success of new product launches.
And how is Gaming Corps creating that social experience for players?
Crash games are extremely effective at driving engagement and building communities. The fast-paced action stirs players, and the chat logs quickly become a stream of instant reactions and shared excitement.
We saw this, particularly during the EURO 2024 and Copa America tournaments over the summer. Likeminded football fans engaged with one another while playing Football Freestyler, and Samba Soccer, helping to build a community of players who played and engaged with each other throughout the tournaments.
Likewise, using live streamers has helped build communities and increase engagement in several of our games, with Piggy Smash and Snoop’s High Rollers being two of the most popular.
Tournaments have become an increasingly popular way to engage with new players. From your experience, are there certain game types that tournaments lend themselves to? And how do you retain those players once a tournament has concluded?
Tournaments are an extremely useful method of retaining customers and upselling to both new and existing customers. I believe these will continue to be a strong tool in the upcoming years, particularly with the rise of network tournaments offering substantial prize pools for participants.
They also attract customers and are an excellent way of promoting community-building and social engagement.
At Gaming Corps, we have positioned ourselves uniquely to capitalize on tournaments as effective promotional tools. Our brand new Smash4Cash vertical and our crash games have a strong appeal among a new generation of players due to their mobile-friendly accessibility and adaptability to tournament setups.
Retaining players after a tournament concludes is essential for growth. We do this by offering ongoing loyalty programs and rewards. We also need to constantly refresh and enhance our content to ensure that players continue to come back for more.
Do you think this trend of gamification will continue into 2025? Or is it just a passing fashion?
I believe that gamification will continue to be a significant trend well into 2025 and beyond due to its ability to tap into fundamental human desires for achievement, competition, and social interaction.
It will remain at the forefront of our strategy in the coming years as we aim to foster a sense of community around our games and find new and exciting ways to engage with our customers.
Of course, we have to be able to adapt to market localisation and understand that different markets have different requirements. Our products are worldwide, and we want to ensure they are for everyone.
EQL Games
EQL Games and Gaming Corps Announce Agreement to Deliver Innovative Gaming Solutions to State Lotteries
EQL Games has secured another strong content partnership with Gaming Corps, a listed innovative iGaming studio out of Sweden. With an emphasis on creating thrilling and unique adventures with mesmerizing graphics, every product Gaming Corps creates is designed to transport its players into a unique world of fun and excitement. EQL Games believes these games will be a great addition to the U.S. Lottery market knowing they’ll lead to uncharted realms of entertainment.
“Bringing Gaming Corps on as a provider to the EQL Games iLottery Aggregator represents an exciting step forward in our mission to bring unique, high-quality content to state lotteries,” said Brad Cummings, CEO of EQL Games. “Gaming Corps’ expertise in iGaming, along with their vibrant game portfolio, aligns perfectly with our vision of enhancing the lottery experience through dynamic, engaging content. Together, we’re creating new opportunities to engage lottery players with distinctive and immersive game experiences.”
Gaming Corps’ portfolio is a captivating mosaic of themes, stories, and adventures, with games designed for players across all demographics. From the mysteries of ancient civilizations to the frontiers of space exploration, the games span a diverse universe of themes that are sure to resonate with U.S. lottery players. While these products can currently be found in some of the top iGaming markets in the world, this agreement with EQL Games marks the first time their content will find a home in the lottery vertical.
“The US has always been a bit of a holy grail for game developers like us, which has been further reinforced as several state markets have been regulated,” said Juha Kauppinen, CEO of Gaming Corps. “The potential in the American market is enormous and we are thrilled to partner up with EQL Games and their impressive iLottery aggregation platform. We have high hopes that it will have a significant positive impact on our revenues. We are now working hard to make all our games available to US lotteries via the EQL Games platform.”
This is the 17th studio partner EQL Games has added in support of its lottery-only aggregator. Built specifically with the needs of government lotteries in mind, this first-of-its-kind product is about more than product distribution. The EQL Aggregator is designed to allow lotteries to enjoy content from multiple studios while only having to interact with a single point of contact. This simplifies the process of adding new content to a lottery’s digital portfolio without having to scale up operations to meet the needs of multiple studio partners. The EQL Aggregator is currently operating in lotteries across two continents and will see further expansion throughout the next year.
Compliance Updates
Gaming Americas Q1 2024 Meetup: Balancing Slot Mechanics and the US Legislation Roundup
HIPTHER’s Virtual Quarterly Meetups for the Gaming industry have officially returned for 2024! The Gaming Americas Q1 Virtual Meetup took place on February 28, featuring an informative panel on Innovating Slot Mechanics, and our staple US Legislation Round-up.
HIPTHER’s Co-Founder, Zoltan Tuendik, hosted the first session about Slot Mechanics, featuring Connor Blinman, Head of Games at Gaming Corps, and Raph Di Guisto, Founder at Silverback Gaming. For the Q1 US Legislation Roundup, the “usual suspects” Martin Lycka, SVP for American Regulatory Affairs & Responsible Gambling at Entain, Bill J. Pascrell III, Esq, Partner at Princeton Public Affairs Group Inc, and Jeremy Kleiman, Gaming Attorney and Member at Saiber LLC, reunited for a session that offered ample insight into the latest regulatory updates in the United States.
The first part of the Meetup primarily focused on the future direction of the gaming industry, including emerging trends in slots and game mechanics, the potential of virtual reality and multiplayer technology in the casino industry, and the game development process. The US Legislation Roundup walked us through the challenges faced by the online gambling industry due to the popularity of unregulated offshore sites, the sports betting industry, the legalization of iGaming in various states, the regulation of online gambling and sports betting, and the future of online sports betting and iGaming services.
Innovating Slot Mechanics: Balancing Novelty with User Experience
Connor and Raph discussed the game development process, highlighting the importance of understanding the target audience, conducting market research, and introducing innovative mechanics. They anticipate a trend towards medium volatility games with increased player engagement. They also discussed the potential of skill-based and personalized gaming experiences, as well as integrating multiplayer technology. The conversation underscored the complexities of the market and the need for continuous innovation. They discussed the challenges of introducing a new feature in the competitive slots game market and the importance of adapting and innovating. They also focused on reducing player fatigue and burnout and adapting to evolving market needs. The discussion ended with a focus on measuring the success of new game mechanics after their release using player feedback and data analysis.
Q1 US Legislation Roundup: Online Gambling Challenges, New Markets,Taxation, and Sports Betting Industry
Jeremy discussed the difficulties faced by the online gambling industry due to the popularity of unregulated offshore sites among players in regulated markets. He questioned the incentives for players to switch to regulated sites and acknowledged this as a challenge for both the industry and regulators.The conversation between Jeremy, Bill, and Martin revolved around sports betting, particularly in New York and North Carolina, with a focus on tax rates and policy. The need for investing in consumer protection, innovation, and improved customer experience was emphasized.
Bill Pascrell discussed the challenges and progress of online gaming in various states, including the potential tax increase proposed in New Jersey and the readiness of other states to legalize iGaming. The conversation primarily focused on the introduction of sports betting legislation in various states and its potential impact. The panelists also briefly touched on the possibility of regulating online casino and poker games in Maryland. The conversation emphasized the importance of bringing in interested operators, incentivizing them with bonuses, deductions, and reasonable tax rates.
Bill, Martin and Jeremy had a wide-ranging discussion about the sports betting industry. They highlighted the role of Senator Hoskins and his support for the industry. They also touched upon the public perception of the industry and the need for responsible gambling. The conversation explored the challenges of regulating the Black Market and the potential for increased tax revenue. The group also acknowledged the need for the industry to proactively educate the public about its benefits. Towards the end, they discussed the difficulty of creating a positive narrative around the industry.
Bill, Jeremy, and Martin discussed the regulation of online gambling and sports betting, emphasizing the need for a balance between industry growth and job creation, and addressing concerns about dysfunction and stakeholder engagement. They also touched on the potential of technological innovation and the risk of entrenched market shares. The conversation concluded with a reminder about the importance of integrity, compliance, legality, and responsible gaming in the industry. The trio discussed the need to respect tribes and engage with them in negotiations. The issue of betting on college sports was raised, highlighting potential risks for players and the need for regulation. The discussion ended with a brief mention of the NCAA tournament and the importance of commercial operators’ support for legislation.
The panel concluded with thoughts on the future of online sports betting and iGaming services. The speakers emphasized the importance of agreements with individual states and the federal government to offer these services. The role of human interaction in understanding stakeholders’ interests and pain points was highlighted, and the potential for legalizing sports betting in California and other states was discussed, while acknowledging the problems with the black market. The need for a more efficient way to engage with tribes and the necessity of regulation were stressed as next steps to drive out the black market.
Coming up Next:
Watch the recording of the Gaming Americas Q1 Meetup on HIPTHER TV, and keep an eye out for our next Gaming Americas Quarterly Meetups for 2024!
Canada
Sportingtech enhances platform with Gaming Corps content
Sportingtech, the full-service betting and gaming platform provider, has significantly boosted its platform offering in Brazil with the addition of casino content from cutting-edge game developer Gaming Corps.
The deal will see Gaming Corps’ unique and premium casino content distributed through Sportingtech’s Quantum platform and made available to operator partners throughout Brazil.
The supplier’s casino slot portfolio includes player favourites Jet Lucky 2, Penalty Champion, Tikiz N Juice, Stormy Witch and Cat Ching, which have proven popular in a wide range of local markets.
Sportingtech’s operator partners throughout the country will gain access to these games via its first-class Quantum platform, further enhancing the provider’s comprehensive range of casino content. The deal also sets the stage for Gaming Corps to extend the reach of its content in the LatAm jurisdictions in which Sportingtech has a strong presence.
The turnkey Quantum platform currently offers more than 9,500 games covering slots, table and live games, poker and live bingo, as well as more than 65 sports with over 1,000 betting markets.
Bobby Longhurst, Managing Director at Sportingtech, said: “Gaming Corps’ high-quality content is proven to perform well with operators and players globally and its addition to our Quantum platform is a massively important move for Sportingtech.
“Continuing to invest in our games offering is key to ensuring our platform remains appealing to operators across a wide range of markets, so we’re naturally delighted to add Gaming Corps’ top-tier content.”
Danielle Calafato, Gaming Corps’ Head of Commercial, said: “As both our companies are so perfectly aligned on a number of highly promising LatAm markets, this deal with Sportingtech is exactly what Gaming Corps needs to take our business to the next level.
“The sheer diversity of our content has made our games a hit in every jurisdiction we’ve entered, and distributing them through Sportingtech’s Quantum platform will ensure this success is replicated in Brazil.”
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