Unified regulations, easy to use interfaces and personalized gaming experiences are all elements that will be driving the success of the iGaming industry going forward, according to the CEO of live casino games provider ATMOSFERA, Yury Ermantraut.
Speaking to AGB, the executive highlighted in particular younger punters’ need for speed and simplicity, noting that “the new generation really values their time and convenience, especially in the digital world”.
This means that regarding UIs, getting it right and having it personalized can be much more important than an early release date.
Ermantraut gives the example of a new Blackjack product, which the group was thinking to launch “without some standard features and practices to speed up time to market”. But after analysis, the group ended up pushing back the release date by some three months. “It was totally worth it because we ended up attracting a younger audience specifically for that product”.
While the younger demographic is definitely important for anyone in either online or land-based operations, ATMOSFERA indicates that they’re not the main focus.
“The big players can splash out on targeting the younger generation to turn them into regulars but right now, we’ve got other fish to fry,” says Ermantraut.
The group is also taking a selective focus in its competitive strategy, pushing “taste and style” and “trust in our gaming experience”, noting that there’s “a steady audience who appreciates it”.
However, the executive is still keenly keeping his ear to the ground.
“Everyone’s preferences can change over time […] The market keeps growing year after year. But of course, people might stop playing due to shifting habits, just like in any other industry,” he notes of the overall gaming environment.
Asian market, training and AI
Speaking of markets, the group has its sights firmly set on Asia, rolling out two new products this quarter aimed at the Asian diaspora.
“The Asian market is huge! In terms of revenue, it competes head-to-head with Europe”, notes the executive.
The group currently operates seven live products, with 24-hour live streaming of the games. It also launched an academy to train its own game presenters, part of the group’s push to stay ahead of the curve with all of its employees.
“We annually cover the costs of training courses for our employees and provide opportunities for them to participate in specialized forums. We make sure our team gets training courses every year and let them join relevant forums”.
This approach also allows the iGaming operator to stay up to date with key new components, such as AI.
But, while AI can offer “personalized gaming experiences, enhance player protection through early intervention, improve fraud detection, and enable predictive analytics for optimized marketing and revenue generation,” the executive cautions that “limitations such as data quality, regulatory constraints, algorithm bias, and the need for human interpretation exist and must be addressed”.
What can improve online gaming?
Addressing the issue of AI highlights another wider industry problem.
“The one thing that would be great to do is to implement unified regulations for all jurisdictions.”
Yury Ermantraut
The specifics of each market, their rules (or sometimes lack thereof) can be a veritable minefield for operators, however there are organizations such as the International Gaming Standards Association (IGSA) which are working with partners and other similar bodies to get operators and regulators on the same page, while constantly battling the tide of new technology.
ATMOSFERA’s CEO says it aims to go hand-in-hand with such standardization, focusing particularly on “enhanced player protection, transparency and trust, innovation, and technology”.
In multiple panel discussions throughout Asia, operators and regulators alike have highlighted how the online sector in fact tends to be self-regulating, given the intense competition and need to maintain and expand their player base, due to confidence in their product.
