Artificial intelligence and machine learning have been discussed for quite some time now, but according to Simon Westbury, Chief Business Officer at Digitain, the industry is starting to see some ‘real traction’ in this space.
Speaking ahead of SBC Summit Barcelona, Westbury gave us a sneak peek into the Fast Games portfolio that Digitain will be showcasing at the event, before explaining why he’s most looking forward to the Leaders panel on innovation.
What are you looking forward to at the SBC Summit Barcelona?
Meeting people again and catching up with everyone, had a small view at SBC Awards in December and some recent award ceremonies, but it will be good to get back amongst it ?
It will be one of the first trade shows that new members of the Digitain Sales Team will be attending so that is exciting for me to see how the new team members progress from working solely in a digital world
Demonstrating our latest sportsbook bonus tools and showcasing our new portfolio of in-house developed Fast Games
Also shows like SBC Summit Barcelona are intrinsic to what we do
Key for account managers as they give opportunity for them to meet with partners and for sales team it gives opportunity to develop their network
What are you promoting at SBC Summit Barcelona?
As always we’ll be promoting our “hero” product – our award winning sportsbook.
We’re ready for the new football season and have added some excellent new features, including some excellent new fast and furious in-play betting opportunities.
We’re also showcasing our new in-house developed Fast Games, including our new Blackjack game. We’re very pleased how these new games have been adopted by our partners – and their customers.
We think these games could be of interest to operators as they offer both boosted revenues and a low cost recruitment solution for recreational customers. These games are positioned in a sweet spot between casino and sportsbook – and are an excellent cross sell opportunity too.
What industry innovation will capture the most attention in 2021?
AI and machine learning have been discussed for a while now, but we’re starting to see some real traction in this space.
We have our own Digitain team of specialists charged with delivering innovation using AI – and we’ve seen some excellent results so far, including our new CRM system.
Which casino operator has impressed you the most in 2020/2021?
Paddy Power Vegas marketing has been excellent – with great use of Jose Morinho as a brand advocate.
I think William Hills Brand and Vegas ads for the Euros were very innovative – socially responsible but entertaining – and a great use of Sweet Caroline before it became an England fans anthem. They definitely won a watch there!
What casino partnership has stood out in the past 12 months?
In terms of impact and coverage, I think Betway have been effective in their sponsorship strategy.
Lots of sports and sports teams internationally – and I’m sure the benefit will be felt on both their sportsbook and, via cross sell, the Betway casino.
Which parts of the conference agenda have caught your eye?
Apart from the thrill of meeting in-person again – the parts that caught my eye included the Leaders panel on Innovation – looking forward to that.
The session on media companies and betting company partnerships should be good too. In the US a lot of operators have gone “all-in” with this strategy and it’ll be good to hear how this has gone, given there’s only ever been one real success in Europe with this approach