JUL AUG 2024
Editor's Letter
As Editor of Gambling Insider, I’d like to start this letter off by extending a huge congratulations to all the winners at
June’s Global Gaming Awards Asia-Pacific – and a huge thank you to everyone involved in setting up the first-ever
in-person version of the ceremony.
The global nature of our industry is such, though, that from Asia we move straight back to Amsterdam: so a
huge welcome to all our readers, particularly anyone picking up a copy at iGB Live.
Ever since first entering gaming some years ago, I’ve heard in various forms that personalisation is ‘the next
big thing.’ I heard the same about AI, which is now making a clear impact, but has gaming personalisation
developed enough for a concept that has been so heavily touted?
We explore that very question in our cover feature – and what companies have to do to take tailormade
personalisation to the next level. But the short answer is that gambling is still a way off in this area.
Currently, when I open a sportsbook or online casino app, I’ll see a homepage that has been prepared by the
website’s content team. There will be banners promoting the biggest offers – but it will be the same offer for all
players.
Yes, there are a multitude of markets to bet on – with Euro 2024, for example – and a colossal collection of slot
games to try. But to find my favourite picks, I have to search manually. There is no personalisation tool yet in
existence that can measure my last 10 wagers and account for all my personal preferences, then suggest my
perfect bet right at the top of the homepage when I log in.
But why shouldn’t there be?
Perhaps that’s exactly what the future holds for gambling. The industry at large, however, should stop
emphasising the prospect of personalisation so much until such a reality exists. Because all that ends up doing is
reminding us how far we still have left to go!
On a similar note, the personalisation debate reminds me of omnichannel… another topic we have heard countless
marketing professionals wax lyrical about. It has the potential to merge the realms of online and land-based, while
it can give every gaming firm the 360-degree operations they need to dominate their respective regions.
So why hasn’t it?
A discussion at SiGMA Manila was one I found refreshingly candid, as a panel of both land-based and iGaming
experts unanimously concluded that “we don’t have any true examples of omnichannel.” They offered some hope,
suggesting the Philippines’ live slots market is the closest the industry has got thus far.
Overall, though, it was a bit of a reality check to hear that a term we so often use does not actually bear that much
weight given the current state of play. As such, we explore omnichannel further in this issue’s roundtable, as well
as welcoming a host of other contributors and interviewees in this bumper edition of Gambling Insider magazine.
Happy reading!
Facing Facts: Q1 2024 analysis from across the globe
Gambling Insider tracks the Q1 results of operators across the gambling industry, on the hunt for the latest trends in 2024
Taking Stock: A guide to sports betting operator and supplier prices
Gambling Insider tracks sports betting operator and supplier prices. Stock prices are taken across a six-month period (January 2024 to June 2024) – and from the close of the first available date of the month
Tailor-made: The power of personalisation in the modern gaming industry
With insights from GR8 Tech, Greentube and the Oregon Lottery, Gambling Insider investigates the power of personalisation. Is the gambling industry falling behind?
Sportradar and the Taiwan Sports Lottery: More offerings, greater efficiency
Danny Fok, VP of Strategic Projects at Sportradar, speaks all about the supplier’s deal with the Taiwan Sports Lottery, in conversation with Gambling Insider Editor Tim Poole at SiGMA Manila
Building a brand: A step-by-step guide on standing out in the market
The SlotsMaker team speaks to Gambling Insider at SiGMA Asia 2024 in Manila
Recap: SiGMA Manila 2024 Panels Round-up
Gambling Insider takes a look back at various conference panels from the SiGMA Asia Summit in Manila 2024. What did we learn?
Exclusive Relax Gaming CEO Q&A: Martin Stalros on creating his own way
Gambling Insider Editor Tim Poole speaks with Relax Gaming’s new CEO Martin Stålros, about moving into the role and stepping into Simon Hammon’s shoes
Complex yet achievable: How to appeal to a global audience
Andrea Boratto, WorldMatch CEO, shares his plans for market expansion and unpicks the challenge of instantaneous interaction in iGaming
Tournaments for all: A new league for the Blackjack elite?
Pragmatic Play COO Irina Cornides speaks to Gambling Insider about the supplier’s goals and aims for live casino promotion Blackjack League
For Swintt, slots are much more than just a game
Gambling Insider speaks to Swintt CEO David Mann about the company’s work in 2024, trending modern slots and much more
Personalisation, refined... and soon to be re-defined
Chief Product Officer Dirk Camilleri explains why gaming is lagging behind in its pursuit for optimal personalisation – and what iGP is doing to move things forward
Keeping it real: the interactive casino experience
Imagine Live’s new CCO, Barry Mahon, speaks to Gambling Insider about settling in to his role, player interaction and harnessing live dealer for the small screen
A well-rounded approach to finding the right solution
Industry experts answer Gambling Insider’s burning questions on all things related to finding the best solution for a sportsbook platform, including SoftGamings, Altenar, Kambi, Aardvark Technologies and Pronet Gaming
The regulatory issues Down Under are a riddle of polarised outcomes
Paul Newson, Gambling Insider contributor and gaming regulation expert, provides an overview of Australian casinos’ continued regulatory issues. As NSW, mired in another regulatory inquiry, struggles to steward casino reform, the Victorian regulator declares Crown Melbourne suitable and lifts it hardened lens to the wider gaming market…
The metric system: do you get it?
Marketing expert and new Gambling Insider contributor Hryhorii Shelest gives an overview of the importance of metrics in gambling to better understand players
Delivering change: the importance of green initiatives in gambling
Christoph Neubauer, Head of Group CR & ESG at Novomatic, sheds light on the increasing importance of Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) in the gaming sector and reveals measures the supplier is already implementing
The process of expansion in a globalised industry
Greentube CFO Michael Bauer speaks with Gambling Insider about the supplier's new platform, ‘Mynt,’ and its plans for the remainder of 2024
Playing for keeps: Playtech reflects on the industry after 25 years
Playtech VP Sales and Customer Development Sergey Harutyunyan speaks to Gambling Insider about live casino, globalisation in gambling and more
The importance of finding the perfect match in iGaming
Pragmatic Solutions CEO Ashley Lang discusses the main considerations operators must have when choosing their iGaming platform
Why knowing your audience means reaching your full potential
Gambling Insider speaks to Hasmik Gevorgyan, Head of Product & Integrations at Relum, about how the company is helping its partners stand out in the market
A reimagined approach to entering the online world
Interblock Global CEO John Connelly speaks to Gambling Insider about the company’s move into the online space and the differences with more traditional offerings
Final Word: Regulatory failings in the US
WTP Global President Alex Scott writes about how gambling regulators failed poker players...
