The countdown is on for CasinoBeats Malta Digital, and with less than a week to go, our sponsors have been chatting with us about what theyβre looking forward to at the virtual conference.
Simon Hammon, Chief Product Officer at Relax Gaming, plans to showcase the ways in which Relax Gaming stands out from the competition and is looking forward to hearing some of the insights on market developments and challenges in the panel sessions.
What are you looking forward to at CasinoBeats Malta Digital 2020?
CasinoBeats Malta is continuing to gain traction and Iβm looking forward to another high-quality event, albeit virtual, and networking opportunity with other senior executives from all corners of the industry.
The agenda is already shaping up to tackle some of the most pressing issues of our sector and will undoubtedly provide valuable insight into market developments and challenges.
What would be your biggest bit of advice for betting and gaming businesses trying to mitigate the impact of COVID-19?
The COVID-19 crisis hit not only the gaming business but the general economic outlook for many countries. There are several areas deserving of reflection on how we operate during these times of difficulty.
From an employerβs perspective, how you work with your staff both from a logistic and also community-level has radically changed and I would certainly advise that general policies pre COVID-19 are reviewed.
The other main area for review is one’s product offering. The crisis hit sportsbooks as well as land-based casinos particularly hard. The best advice I could give is to diversify product offerings with a strong focus on online casino and new territories in order to be less dependent on the success of one key vertical.
What are you promoting at CasinoBeats Malta Digital?
Relax Gaming has undergone a transformational 12 months of consistent growth and we are now in a strong position to accelerate the expansion of our distribution network. The aggregation market has seen a series of newcomers launch recently, but Relaxβs decade of experience in the business arms us with unrivalled expertise in supporting content from over 33 studios.
Weβll be demonstrating how we differentiate ourselves from the competition based on our technical excellence, localised content through aggregation, business simplicity, speed-to-market and support.
What industry innovation will capture the most attention in 2020?
Megaways has dominated the industry for the last few years but now we are seeing a host of new mechanic launches attempting to rival its success. Whether or not they achieve status as βthe next big thingβ remains to be seen, but there is evident growing ambition in the supplier segment to change the game.
Infinity Reels by ReelPlay is definitely one to watch, having gained rapid success and popularity since its release last November.
To name another, 2020 could be the year that efforts in the field of content personalisation come to fruition. Although this has been a talking point for many years, our industry is yet to catch up to the likes of Netflix and Spotify.
Recently, however, increased access to user-data on the supplier side is helping to drive the development of tailored content that is informed by behavioural metrics and advanced player segmentation.
Which operator has impressed you the most in 2020?
In the face of many challenges over the last 12 months, the industry as a whole has shown not only resilience and adaptability but also continued innovation, and that is something to celebrate! If we had to pick one, our longstanding partner Kindred has had a fantastic year, largely thanks to the success of its poker product.
As the developer of the operatorβs poker platform, we are fully aware of the challenges the vertical faces, yet together with Kindred, we have bucked the market trend and delivered a product that consistently generates revenue; particularly in the last quarter as a result of the circumstances brought about by Covid-19.
What partnership has stood out in the past 12 months?
We have signed an array of new deals with a variety of partners, which range from well-known studios such as Big Time Gaming, that has subsequently extended its deal with us, to smaller breakthrough studios that have potential to become major players in the industry.
What is key to Relax Gamingβs success is our two powerful partnership programme models, Silver Bullet and Powered By, which are unique in their collaborative approach to partnerships with simplified pricing. The programmes are founded respectively on providing support for up-and-coming studios and mutually beneficial distribution agreements for suppliers, attracting new partners from across the industry at an unprecedented rate.
Which parts of the conference agenda have caught your eye?
Itβs a strong line up with plenty on offer for everyone. Given the tumultuous start to online gaming in Sweden as well as the upcoming temporary restrictions, Iβm keen to listen to panellistsβ insight on how they are addressing the adjustment period.
Iβm also looking forward to participating in a discussion on platform provision, analysing the recent flux of newcomers to the aggregation space, and the impact the increased choice is having on both studios and operators. Itβs an important topic that we feel is often overlooked, and Iβm sure it will offer attendees different perspectives on how the sector is developing.