Gilad Naim is the Chief Commercial Officer at Soft2Bet with 10+ years of in-depth experience in the iGaming industry. His key expertise areas include payments, risk assessment, identity verification and other operational matters. As Soft2Bet’s CCO, Gilad leads the company’s expansion, execution of forward-thinking objectives and implementation of commercial strategies.
Stian Enger Pettersen started his career in iGaming in 2005. He successfully managed B2C operations for several years before joining EveryMatrix in 2015 as a Product Manager for the Casino Business Unit, deeply involved in the building of the Unified Bonus System product. Today, Stian’s advanced technical expertise is used to lead the CasinoEngine business unit and to establish the product as the go-to casino productivity platform in iGaming.
Artyom Ustinov is the Head of White Label & Turnkey Solutions at SoftGamings and has been working in complex B2B/B2C sales, as well as business development and management consulting in iGaming for more than 10 years.
Margarita Cruz has over 20 years of experience and a track record in sales and commercial roles across continental Europe, Latin America and North America, is now part of the Digitain Group of companies’ leadership team as Senior Sales Director. Margarita brings a wealth of experience in the iGaming industry, with extensive expertise in international operations and sales strategies.
What do operators want most from providers right now, is it speed or another characteristic?
Gilad Naim: Operators are increasingly seeking innovative ways to entertain and retain players. While speed remains a critical factor, the primary focus is shifting to improve the player experience, for which one of the most efficient and innovative ways available today is gamification. At Soft2Bet, we recognise this need and are actively channelling our investments into developing gamified experiences that cater to this growing demand.
Stian Enger Pettersen: Speed is, and always will be a certain differentiator, but the promise of rapid integration must always lead to delivery. Certain providers actively promote their platforms with the promise of integration in a matter of days, which begs the question – what does the integration comprise? Whether a direct integration with an RGS or via an aggregator, an integration can be more than just the bare necessities, such as game launch, bets, wins and cancels.
Game replays readily available in the operator’s back office, promotional features such as free spins managed from the operator’s own bonus system, real timetable feeds from live casino providers, jackpot feeds from providers of jackpot games are all examples of what makes an integration rich. Speed to market is essential and that is particularly true for content. As an aggregator, we know this is true whether a new integration for us or enabling an already integrated provider.
Operators seek flexible pricing plans, round-the-clock technical support and dedicated account management to accompany them in launching and running their business - Artyom Ustinov
However, speed shouldn’t come at the expense of the quality and depth of the integration. In the US, the iOS bundles are essential to a larger degree than in Europe as native apps are widely offered to players. Thus, integrations must support iOS bundles – and as importantly, bundles must be provided as close to game launch as possible, ideally the same time. Not only mobile first, but apps first as well.
Artyom Ustinov: In my opinion, large operators currently require a combination of speed and other characteristics from providers. Website speed depends on the quality of the hosting. However, don’t forget about reliability, network coverage, efficient traffic management, secure connections and support for advanced technologies like IoT and 5G. Casino operators desire an all-inclusive experience that encompasses the registration process, licensing, comprehensive guidance on how to secure the most reliable payment methods and game content for a specific geography.
Additionally, operators seek flexible pricing plans, round-the-clock technical support and dedicated account management to accompany them in launching and running their business. All of these factors collectively make it possible to effectively meet nearly all customer needs.
Margarita Cruz: Every operator possesses unique business, commercial and technical demands. In terms of speed, operators expect in today’s digital landscape to have full responsive and fast digital experiences as a given. Nonetheless, some shared expectations revolve more around empowerment. This connects to the capacity of both providers and operators to enable their teams to oversee specific customer-centric touchpoints. This would be around the brand UI/UX, allowing room for customisation and localisation to enhance front-end user experiences and test customer journey scenarios.
Taking regional jurisdictions into account, how is that impacting how providers are building their platforms?
Gilad Naim: In the diverse landscape of online gambling, one size does not fit all. Every market has its unique characteristics, including cultural preferences, regulation requirements and player behaviours. Building online gambling platforms with regional jurisdictions in mind necessitates a balance between core functionalities and customised approaches. The ability to adapt and tailor the platform to cater to diverse markets empowers operators to navigate complex regulatory landscapes, meet player expectations and achieve long-term success in the global online gambling industry.
Stian Enger Pettersen: Some of our biggest platform projects in recent years have been related to the complexity of ensuring our products and vendors are fully configurable and compliant with each market. In wider regulated markets the priority is making sure the game(s) are live and available on the date the provider wants. This sounds simple but there is a great deal of complexity, especially if this is happening across multiple jurisdictions, such as ensuring games are configured and compliant for each market where regulation differs; and in some cases, constantly shifting. Bet limits differ, auto-play and speed of game rounds, specific rules around bonusing and so on.
Artyom Ustinov: Today, I see providers building their platforms with regional jurisdictions in mind. Undoubtedly, such an approach doesn’t make the process any easier. However, platforms with high ambitions and global knowledge of the local market get technological privileges. They are entitled to autonomy, gain a tier-one customer experience and strong relationships with game content providers. Providers build platforms according to AML/KYC standards, up-to-date self-exclusion requirements, tax applications and necessary certifications.
In wider regulated markets the priority is making sure the game(s) are live and available on the date the provider wants - Stian Enger Pettersen
Margarita Cruz: Regulatory compliance as it pertains to technical standards is extremely important to how your technology infrastructure is architected. The undeniable reality is that regulation is a positive development within the industry and isn’t going to change. Therefore, it does involve multi-disciplinary teams within the platform provider's organisation: compliance, product, solution architects to ensure the interpretation of each licensing jurisdiction can be sufficed from a technology delivery. The impact comment is more around internal flows and perhaps increased headcount to ensure compliance at every stage before reaching a production-ready state. Fortunately, this aspect is largely supported by the robust testing laboratories prevalent within the industry.
How have platform providers evolved in the last decade?
Gilad Naim: Over the last 10 years, platform providers have showcased remarkable flexibility, adapting to the ever-evolving competitive landscape. The need to differentiate has driven providers to adopt ingenious approaches in platform design and offerings. One segment, for example, is distinguished primarily by their competitive pricing. And even though this cost-driven approach might not reach the zenith of innovation, it’s undeniable that they have carved a niche for themselves. Essentially, the provider landscape is polarised, with innovators on one end and cost-efficient players on the other.
Stian Enger Pettersen: The game-changer for EveryMatrix was recognising early on that we needed to refactor our code and rebuild our system into modules enabling us to offer clients maximum flexibility and scalability, and therefore allowing them to pick and choose what best suits their needs. This also opened our offering to a wider range of operators and third-party providers, e.g. CRMs and gamification solutions, allowing us to not just serve one type of client, but also to integrate in multiple ways; for example, catering to the complex regulatory requirements of various markets. I don’t envy the monolithic systems out there. Modularity means flexibility and the future demands flexibility.
Essentially, the provider landscape is polarised, with innovators on one end and cost-efficient players on the other - Gilad Naim
Artyom Ustinov: I can state with confidence that iGaming platform providers, as a whole, have made a remarkable leap forward. The ten-fold acceleration in internet speed has helped expand their reach, no matter how trivial it may sound. If we compare the present-day gameplay and graphics to those of a decade ago, we will see a huge difference. Moreover, hardware progress and the continuously expanding intricacy of gaming content, coupled with distribution capabilities, have inevitably led to substantial improvements in the quality of online casino platforms.
Margarita Cruz: Over the last decade, it’s certainly more of a partnership-oriented model. In contrast to the past, where providers delivered rather rigid solutions characterised by hardcoded structures, numerous change requests and waiting for long-time delivery, contemporary offerings are more agile and adaptable. Subsequently, providers no longer provide a onesize fits all; the technology is agile, adaptive, can be localised and is responsive to specific market conditions. This has been a major leap forward, as technology and relationships evolve.
Going forward, what innovations are operators looking for, what do they want most?
Gilad Naim: This question echoes the sentiments of the first and it’s worth reiterating the importance of gamification. As the iGaming industry evolves, operators will continuously seek immersive and engaging experiences for their players. Gamification, with its myriad possibilities, is expected to grow drastically and be at the forefront of this innovation drive for the foreseeable future.
Operators are now seeking solutions that exhibit adaptability, enabling them to leverage local market trends for player engagement — from initial traffic acquisition to brand platform utilisation - Margarita Cruz
Stian Enger Pettersen: Operators want the basics done very well, to be 100% reliable, deliver on-time integration, cover off every possible area of compliance, have easy to use and present reporting tools plus all the features that differentiate them from their competitors. This industry is very unforgiving and if you cannot deliver the maximum uptime, support and consistent growth then you will soon find yourself lagging behind with someone waiting to take your place.
Artyom Ustinov: Working on the side of a platform provider, I notice that operators’ expectations are consistently on the rise. They now frequently seek global and local jackpot pools, pre-sale availability and the ability to integrate sportsbook or lottery products. I firmly believe that the primary key to successfully attracting and retaining players lies in the timely implementation of advanced and sophisticated innovations in gamification, as well as in-bonuses and loyalty mechanisms.
Margarita Cruz: The term 'innovation' can sometimes be misleading. Innovations can often be swiftly replicated. As previously discussed, operators are now seeking solutions that exhibit adaptability, enabling them to leverage local market trends for player engagement — from initial traffic acquisition to brand platform utilisation. Therefore, the focus is more directed towards the development and implementation of distinct 'features;' and comprehensive 'feature sets' that can assist operators in effectively acquiring, retaining, and capitalising on their player base within the platform ecosystem.
