When it comes to offering esports betting, how does SportGenerate stand out?
Firstly, I would focus on the fact that we only use official data to power our events and work only with official data providers. This may not seem revolutionary but the rights holders in esports are becoming increasingly proactive in protecting their intellectual property assets.
Secondly, we must look at the product’s design; we have created a tailored thematic user interface that allows players to personalise their view. We have received great feedback through our demonstrations, particularly around how when you click on a gaming title like CS:GO, the whole theme of the page becomes CS:GO-centric, and if you change to League of Legends, the theme changes again.
We are excited to integrate widgets to increase customer interaction, too.
"It is always a challenge to stand out, but being a young company gives an excellent perspective"
What role will AI and augmented reality play in online gaming moving forward? There is obviously plenty of hype around the topic. Will it live up to expectations?
The discussion around AI has been here for a while, but I think people are starting to see that you need to understand what you’re asking from AI before jumping in. Augmented reality is a slightly different topic. Both AR & VR will become ever-present in gaming, and we could see a smartphone moment as we did with mobile betting. One day – it simply happened; we are seeing the same now with AI and AR.
Being a young start-up gives us the freedom to step up to the plate or live up to the hype. I am confident that our new table tennis AI-driven product with augmented reality will be a natural stimulant for growth. The AR overlay will increase many new touchpoints for interaction with operators’ end users.
How have you personally found managing your own brand as CEO, compared to your previous experience?
I have found the new role challenging, demanding and more consuming than anything I have ever done, but I have learned so much. From a personal point of view, I have developed a broader skill set, and I am now a more rounded professional.
To me, sales and business development were natural skills that came easily. Being CEO has not come as naturally, as skills that I had not developed in previous roles are needed, and I have been learning on the job. Of course, this is the best way to learn, and I am very thankful to the talented team for their support over the last 15 months.
How has the online betting experience changed since you came into the industry, and how do you expect it to continue to evolve?
It is a different world. As I mentioned earlier, back in 2007, mobile betting was the next big thing. I also remember the debate between 2D and 3D Poker being particularly ferocious. We have also seen the growth in sports betting as the conversation evolved from poker, to casino, to mobile and then sports betting. To me, the betting experience needs to evolve to be more personalised and player-centric. I have been on record since pre-Covid talking about this; many have told me it is easy, but I have yet to see a genuinely pure, personalised experience. The development and deeper understanding of AI will be a key driver in pushing a personalised experience to the forefront.
What are the upcoming sporting events you hope to look back on as highlights for SportGenerate in 2024?
Our odds feed product’s increase in activity over the forthcoming Euro 2024 and the Olympics in Paris will be a great test, and allow us to see it performing to the maximum of its capabilities. We have exclusive rights to four Armenian Table Tennis Federation Tournaments closer to home. We also provided the data and streaming for the first of these tournaments in early April. Again, the tenacity and ability of the SportGenerate operation team showed through. The first tournament was a success, and we look forward to the remaining tournaments this year.
How do you feel your brand creates an element of trust and rapport with users?
"Openness, honesty, transparency, flexibility are our key brand values, and meeting our commitments both to colleagues and customers."
