The discussion of player engagement took centre stage during the ‘Slot Trends: Designing for the Future Player’ panel where Laura Petrauska, Head of Casino at Bet99, challenged the panellists to name their favourite games in an effort to find out their own preferences. 

It prompted Myke Foster, Group Head of Gaming & Commercial Strategy at Fortuna Entertainment Group, to highlight a growing trend away from traditional slots, as he praised plinko. 

He stated: “I’m really enjoying what providers are doing with extra mechanics, giving a bit more perceived value for a customer, making a session a little bit more engaging, having a little bit more to keep them engaged.”

The role of AI was also examined in the modern igaming space as it’s limitations were questioned by Dr. Eyal Loz, CPO at RubyPlay.

Loz declared that “there are three issues with AI”, suggesting that the technology “lacks content, depth and the human element in the room”. 

“A slot is a piece of art,” he said. “You need context between symbols and how they all talk to each other, and AI fails to do that. It’s not just about producing a beautiful image, but creating technical depth.”

“AI is a powerful tool, people who are talented can use AI to enhance their creative output by 100 times,” he continued. Despite admitting that “it has shrunk costs a lot”, he asserted that “the talented become 100-times more talented and the mediocre become 100-times more mediocre with AI”.

Meanwhile, Aaron Magpayo, Chief Product Officer at Playnetic, highlighted the role games can play when it comes to efficient onboarding experiences for the player, suggesting that a variety of features could be important as “it’s not just about payways, it’s about engaging the players in all aspects”.

Analysing exactly what it is that players desire from the modern gaming experience, Playson CCO Vsevolod Lapin detailed a need for suppliers to offer games with clarity, not confusion. 

“First of all, they’re looking for clarity,” he said. “When you’re playing with money, you want to understand how you go from going to pay for your bet to the win, and you want to see the potential.” 

Lapin then suggested that “perceived persistence” is an increasingly important factor in today’s market, with some players enjoying games that give them an idea of when the next feature will arrive to enhance their gameplay. 

He added: “For humans, they look for stories. They want to connect and this has an impact. So I think one of the big trends these days is perceived persistence. Players want to see how the feature is coming closer.” 

Loz emphasised the importance of “not underestimating the classics”, describing classic games as “classic for a reason” due to the idea that “players see patterns in games, and they develop superstitions and don’t want to leave them very quickly”. 

Loz then detailed how skill-based game players are having a rise in popularity within the slot industry, with modern players desiring “to have some element of control”.

Combining his ideologies, Loz explained that studios need to be “trying to respect the classics but innovate with them”, stressing that this is particularly important for a modern audience “that wants a little bit more”. 

Providing an affiliate’s perspective on player preferences, Jekaterina Dubnicka, Marketing & Communications Manager at Slotsjudge, explained that individual players are drawn to vastly different games, causing some difficulties for figuring out what players want. 

Dubnicka pointed out that some players are drawn to classic, fruit-themed titles and some consider ‘hold and win’ games to be their favourite, while other players are demanding something new, echoing Loz’s notion around skill-based gameplay. 

“It’s really hard to understand what they want and what they want to see,” she noted. “So I think we need to find the right balance between all mechanics, all games and themes. Be there with the player, don’t be pushy.” 

One trend Dubnicka has noticed in recent releases is an admiration from players for slots that feature viral internet sensations and memes, suggesting that “they’re doing so great recently”.

The post ‘AI is a powerful tool but a slot is a piece of art’ appeared first on CasinoBeats.

The solution has been created to help casino operators make smarter decisions by using advanced AI to analyse player behaviour, game performance, and operational data. According to 4Play Gaming, Lora provides ‘insights that boost profits and prevent potential losses—giving operators a competitive edge in the fast-paced world of igaming’.

The firm added that Lora goes beyond just offering standard reports; it delivers specific, actionable recommendations that help operators optimise their business strategies. 

Key features of Lora include player retention strategies, analysing player behaviour to identify high-risk churn segments, offering targeted suggestions for retention, such as personalised promotions or engagement offers.

It also features game performance optimisation. By evaluating the performance of individual games, Lora can identify underperforming titles and suggest either increased promotion or replacement with higher-performing alternatives that align with player preferences.

Bonus effectiveness is another key component, enabling Lora to examine the success of various bonuses and promotions in real time, recommending tweaks to ongoing campaigns to boost engagement or advising operators on when to stop ineffective offers to prevent losses.

Peak usage periods are also taken care of, as Lora identifies patterns in player activity and revenue during peak and off-peak hours, enabling operators to tailor marketing pushes and bonus offers during these windows to maximise player activity and revenue.

Last but not least, the solution addresses the need for loss prevention by flagging unusual patterns that might indicate problem gambling or fraud risks, offering operators the chance to take proactive measures before they result in significant losses.

Josh Shoham, Co-founder of 4Play Gaming, noted: “Lora is going to amaze the industry and set a new standard for how casinos operate. With Lora, operators will have real-time insights that allow them to react faster, make smarter decisions, and ultimately improve profitability.”

He added: “Lora’s deep AI insights, continuous learning, and ability to adapt make it an indispensable tool for casino operators aiming to stay ahead in a competitive market. By offering this game-changing technology, 4Play Gaming is setting the stage for a new era in casino management, where operators will rely on AI-driven insights to run their businesses smarter, faster, and more profitably.”

Attendees at SBC Summit Lisbon will get the first hands-on experience with Lora through live demonstrations. 4Play Gaming’s team will showcase how the AI expert provides real-time recommendations to boost efficiency, prevent losses, and increase profits.

The post 4Play Gaming announces September launch of Lora – the first AI casino expert appeared first on CasinoBeats.

Speaking to Payment Expert, Christian Reinheimer, Group Director of Payments Product and Technology at LeoVegasGroup underlined that there is more clarity in mature markets as to how they can ensure players benefit from a smooth user experience. 

However, he added that “there is still a lot of room for interpretation, which can be the basis for innovation and provide a competitive advantage. 

“Our job as payment experts is to provide the most convenient yet safe customer experience, and that can be done in many different ways. The methods that appeal to our customers the most will also create the most loyal customers.”

Picking out specific elements of innovation that could be crucial for the igaming payment journey moving forward, he added: “From my perspective, it currently is artificial intelligence. But not generative AI, which is the hot topic right now. AI for pattern detection that supports personalisation plays a far bigger role. 

“This personalisation can take many different forms, from knowing customer preferences without them explicitly telling you (pattern detection), to identifying risk and effectively mitigating it, and improving payment transaction success rates. All of these areas can benefit from AI. 

“The more effectively these areas are handled, the better customer experiences we create and the more scalable products we build. A couple of percentage points of improvement in dropped-off cashier journeys will significantly impact your top line. Anticipating preferences and only burdening risky customers with friction to keep the business and its customers safe can provide these benefits.

“Apart from that, there is (slow) movement in reviewing and improving the actual networks our money is being moved on – the very infrastructure that enables payments in real-time across country borders in a safe way. Lots of opportunities, but also new challenges, come with that.”

Open Banking has also been touted as having a key impact in the space, yet reaching its full potential is not something that has been achieved. 

“For us, it’s an area of strategic importance as it opens up opportunities for innovation and new products in an area that has a substantial share of payment volumes”, stated Reinheimer. 

“Now, after seeing a lot of old and new providers working with the bank APIs, there are some quite sobering results, especially when it comes to data quality via the APIs exposed by the banks. 

“So far, I have not seen any good product that can provide a high-converting KYC solution based solely on Open Banking-sourced data. From what we see, there always needs to be a level of normalisation and data enrichment from other sources besides the Open Banking APIs, or else the products are not good enough. In this regard, it is a bit disappointing to see what came out of the PSD2 initiative, which came with a lot of hope for new solutions in the space.”

In terms of KYC, he also detailed that there are key lessons to be learnt from the financial sector.

“Many challenges faced by the financial sector are quite similar to ours in the areas of AML and KYC. Given those similarities, it is quite interesting that there isn’t more collaboration between the sectors. A casino operator acts like a bank, taking in money and paying it out. 

“We, just like a financial institution, have to monitor that activity to identify potentially risky behaviour, not only in the area of AML but also in RG and, of course, fraud mitigation. The methodology and technology used for that can be very similar. Quite a few providers we talk to in this area are also working with financial institutions to help them be more effective at detecting anomalies.

“Given these challenges, our sectors’ interest in effectively, but with low friction, identifying a customer is also quite similar. Hence, if you sign up for a new bank account with Klarna or Revolut, the procedures there will feel quite familiar compared to what we see with gaming operators in regulated markets.”

The Payment Expert Summit, part of the upcoming SBC Summit, will be held at the Feira Internacional de Lisboa from September 25-26. Secure your spot with the Early Bird ticket offer, which provides access to all three core days of the event, including the exhibition floor, conference sessions, and evening networking parties, all for the discounted price of just €400.

The post Christian Reinheimer – LeoVegas: supporting personalisation with AI pattern detection appeared first on CasinoBeats.

One element of the gambling industry where we could see it expanded is within affiliate marketing, as challenging frameworks force content creators to adapt and tap into new levels of engagement. 

Martyn Hannah, Founder & MD of Comparasino emphasised the importance of strategy when it comes to the relationship between affiliate marketing and AI – outlining that “affiliates should use AI if they have a genuine use case for doing so”.

He said: “At Comparasino, we have developed a proprietary recommendation engine that matches players to casinos based on their personal preferences. It’s pretty simple at this stage, but we have a development roadmap that will bring new and exciting personalisation features and tools to those who use the engine and especially those who create a Comparasino Member Account. 

“AI could and likely will play a part in these features and tools. So, for me, AI can play a role in product development rather than content generation. 

The vital nature of strategy was echoed by Sue Dawson, Head of Content, FTD Digital, who also detailed the need for AI to be combined with a human touch. 

According to Dawson this is specifically the case when it comes to proofreading: “The final checks on a piece of content really need to be carried out by a human with good attention to detail.  

“ChatGPT always needs to be fact checked and now, we need to bear in mind that anything we read on a website may itself be written by ChatGPT. The more AI content there is out there, the more careful and thorough we are going to need to be with our fact checking,” she said. 

Identifying where he believes AI will be most impactful, Hannah underlined its usage in terms of data analysis – an area that has long provided an obstacle for the industry in terms of maximising its assets.

“Personalisation is something that affiliates are going to have to get on board with,” stated Hannah. 

He added: “This will mean gathering and segmenting data and then deploying content to the different cohorts that are engaging with the comparison site. This will be key to delivering the best possible user experience while also driving engagement and ultimately conversions. 

“We have some ideas for how this can be done, and potentially how AI can play a part in that, but we first have some other features and tools to deploy as we progress through our product roadmap.” 

The post AI can be a crucial asset for affiliate personalisation  appeared first on CasinoBeats.

Speaking at the CasinoBeats Summit in Malta earlier in the year, Sergio Muscat, the founder of Oxygia Consulting, emphasised that new tech is almost always accompanied by an element of fear and regulation. He was speaking just a day after the European Council approved the new AI act, which he described as ‘a major step’ for the industry. 

With the integration of new technologies, ‘balance is key’ as regulatory frameworks need to sync with the tech and the risks can be dealt with in a way that doesn’t halt new innovations. 

Fiorella Pizarro, Head of Compliance at L&L Europe, also outlined the importance of providing the human touch to the development of the tech and ensuring ethical use of AI fuels its trust amongst consumers. 

She added that onus is on the humans to teach the tools to be embedded and trustworthy. It’s something that she believes can be developed over time and with training, citing the positivity of IBM’s pillars as a strong asset for focus on AI.

An area often observed as being heavily impacted by AI is personalisation. Operators of various sizes and technological prowess have been eyeing up how to use AI to gain a deeper understanding of players.

This is evident when it comes to the payment journey, AI’s significant influence on evolving payments and fintech is something that can be monumental. 

Daniela Speranza, the Head of Legal and Compliance at Multiple Group, detailed that amidst AI being further integrated into the lives of humans, we are embarking on ‘a transformational period’ its growth into the mainstream. At both ends of the spectrum are the responsible use of AI and those that are looking to abuse the tech.  

Identifying the full spectrum of users enables a more efficient process when it comes to the definition of regulation and tackling the unethical use of AI. It’s an evolution though, according to Speranza that can be key to redefining industries and companies. 

What is at the heart of the growth of AI is marrying it with the human touch – a sentiment that was echoed by Payment Expert Editor, Ted Orme-Claye on a recent episode of the iGamingDaily underlining his belief that whilst AI can bring key data for the forefront of focus, it needs a human touch to act upon the data and maximise its usage.

Looking ahead Orme-Claye also predicted that the newly elected Labour government will keep a close eye on AI development. Keir Starmer’s government will likely look to build on its Conservative predecessor’s efforts in this area, although maybe whilst implementing some new frameworks of their own.

The post Balance is key to the safe implementation of AI appeared first on CasinoBeats.

Described as a “groundbreaking innovation”, the AI-powered casino dealer has been introduced to reduce the live casino industry’s reliance on human availability, aiming to make it easier to stream live casino games 24/7. 

The dealer will be able to speak with players from several different nationalities, boasting an ability to “fluently communicate” in multiple languages.

Baricata’s latest innovation is equipped with advanced VIP player detection capabilities, ensuring that the AI dealer can identify VIP players to treat them “courteously”. 

The developer has also confirmed that exclusive AI dealers can be produced for specific brands on request, encouraging brand recognition. 

Conor Jenner, Director of Account Management at Raketech, stated: “We are delighted to play a part in bringing Baricata’s new AI online casino dealer to the market. The innovative technology is set to bring a new style of gaming to players and we at Raketech are excited to see how our new partnership with Baricata develops in the near future and beyond.”

AI’s position in the online casino industry was weighed up on an industry trends panel at the recent CasinoBeats Summit in Malta, emphasising the “need for human interaction” to not be disregarded. 

The post Raketech brings Baricata’s AI live casino dealer to market appeared first on CasinoBeats.

The link looks to enable Casino Time to deliver ‘relevant, timely and hyper-personalised’ player experiences as it develops its online presence.

Tommy Kearns, CEO of Xtremepush, commented: “Ontario is a market of major significance in North America and it’s great to partner with Casino Time as it enters the online casino world for the first time.

“Casino Time was seeking a dynamic and responsive communications partner capable of extending player engagement across all channels for the benefit of the wider community. It is gratifying that our track record in the iGaming world led to them opting for our solution.”

D’Arcy Stuart, CEO at Casino Time, added on the collaboration: “Xtremepush offers a powerful marketing automation tool that goes beyond sending emails. We are excited about the opportunities to engage our community across platforms as they explore and build their relationship with our uniquely social and Ontario-focused gaming experience.”

The post Casino Time taps into AI with Xtremepush collaboration  appeared first on CasinoBeats.

Just Slots will leverage the Optimise module to make ‘data-driven decisions’ when producing online casino content. The tool allows users to create AI-driven player clusters, processing billions of bets to build a comprehensive understanding of player activity. 

Christine Parkhill, Just Slots Chief Commercial Officer, stated: “Despite data being underutilised in the gaming industry, Just Slots is proud to champion an innovative approach to commercial campaign targeting and product development.

“Future Anthem’s AI technology will allow us to make data-driven decisions to gain an edge in an incredibly competitive market as we look to diversify our product offering and expand our player base.”

Future Anthem’s Amplifier AI offering will be made available to Just Slots through Tequity’s remote gaming server following the latter’s strategic partnership with Future Anthem formed earlier this year. 

Ian Tibot, Future Anthem Chief Commercial Officer, commented: “As part of our collaboration with Tequity, Just Slots is the latest provider to benefit from our leading technology that helps to analyse and personalise every step of the player journey.

“We are delighted to begin working with such an ambitious developer. We have no doubt that Optimise will provide invaluable insight that allows Just Slots to focus on creating brilliant games.”

The slot developer will also benefit from the Optimise module’s game launch and performance measurement, using data feedback throughout the development process to deliver products with a better chance of captivating players. 

“Partnering with Future Anthem has given many of Tequity’s valued customers access to industry-leading AI personalisation solutions through our first-class remote gaming server,” added Tequity Chief Executive Officer and Chief Technology Officer, Krzysztof Opałka.

“Just Slots is the latest provider to entrust Future Anthem with delivering unrivalled machine-learning capabilities as they look to optimise and streamline the game development process.”

The post Future Anthem supplies Just Slots with AI development tech appeared first on CasinoBeats.

During the opening day of Money20/20, AI’s relationship with financial institutions and its impact on the payment journey was discussed as Gina Clarke, Europe Content Director of Money20/20, quizzed Marnix van Stiphout, Chief Technology Officer of AI at ING and Joanne Hannaford CIO and CPO of the Corporate Bank at Deutsche Bank.

According to van Stiphout, providing an increasingly frictionless experience is at the heart of what AI is bringing to the equation for banks. 

“We are going to be focusing on what our customers need and how we apply it at ING, frictionless banking is what it’s all about.”

Nonetheless, as AI evolves so does the need for fraud and financial institutions to be flexible with the approach they take to combating fraudsters.

This warning comes at a time when deepfakes are being utilised at an increasing frequency from fraudsters looking to gain an upper hand on financial institutions. 

Hannaford pointed out that unconstrained AI simply isn’t an option as “you can’t have AI in banks that don’t have humans in the loop, the regulator’s will not allow that”.

Although the event is in Amsterdam, moderator Clarke points out a question sent in by a member of the audience, which asks how European banks feel about the risk taken by US counterparts.

It prompted van Stiphout to respond by underlining that it is vital “that we need to be at the forefront of AI. We don’t need to take a backseat”.

Offering some American experience, Hannaford explains: “I spent 25 years in a large American bank and I can see technology is a core competency. They see technology as an intrinsic part of the way that you can actually access businesses.”

She added that it is her belief that companies not having AI as a core discussion is simply a dangerous position for them.

The post Money20/20: AI has to be combined with the human touch  appeared first on CasinoBeats.

The speakers focus on emerging markets, the vital nature of SEO and how the evolution of AI can have a big impact on igaming engagement. 

CasinoBeats: Can you tell us more about the Japanese igaming market and how it has evolved in recent years?

Maya Yazaki, Rhino Entertainment’s Country Manager for Japan: The country has long been associated with diverse entertainment industries, including government-regulated horse racing, powerboat racing and bicycle racing, alongside the widespread popularity of pachinko and slot machines enjoyed by players nationwide.

According to the ‘DK-SIS White Paper 2021 Edition – 2021’ data, the publicly disclosed market size of the pachinko industry amounted to a substantial ¥14.6trn, indicating the significant scope of Japan’s gambling market.

While Japan passed legislation in 2018 to legalise casinos as part of its integrated resort initiative, there is a growing problem of online gambling addiction. Furthermore, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has served as a tailwind, fueling the growth of the online gambling market.

Consequently, there is a growing sentiment in favour of regulating online gambling. It will be interesting to observe how the government navigates the anticipated challenges and whether it opts for legalisation accompanied by measures for responsible gambling and adherence to anti-money laundering guidelines in the future.

CB: With Japanese players placing a significant focus on brand trust, what can operators do to ensure they have a strong connection with players?

MY: Communication is the key to building brand trust. Operate with transparency and integrity in all dealings. Provide clear and easily accessible information about the company, its licensing and terms and conditions. Avoid deceptive practices and prioritise honesty in marketing communications.

Japanese players are known to be avid readers, preferring to read the terms and conditions before participating in any promotions. While simple content may be visually appealing, providing transparent information about the terms and conditions of promotions with longer text is preferred.

CB: Has Casumo utilised advancements in AI technology to streamline its business processes in any way? 

Cristina Turbatu, Casumo CTO: At Casumo, we’ve placed a significant focus on leveraging advancements in AI technology to enhance various aspects of our business operations. Specifically, we’ve dedicated an entire strategic pillar to AI technology, recognising its potential to revolutionise player experiences and streamline internal processes.

In terms of player experiences, we’ve utilised AI to deliver personalised game recommendations and implement advanced player protection measures. By leveraging AI-powered providers, we are looking into tailoring gaming experiences to individual preferences and proactively identifying and addressing potential issues related to responsible gaming.

Moreover, we’ve harnessed AI technology across multiple facets of our operations, including customer support chats, content creation, marketing campaigns, player protection initiatives and software development processes. For instance, we’ve integrated Copilot, an AI tool developed by GitHub and OpenAI, into our workflows.

Copilot plays a crucial role in enhancing developer productivity by suggesting code snippets, promoting best practices, and facilitating rapid prototyping and iteration. This not only improves code quality and reduces maintenance overhead but also fosters collaboration and augments creativity among our development teams.

Overall, our strategic focus on AI technology at Casumo has enabled us to unlock new opportunities for innovation, efficiency, and improved player experiences, while also enhancing our internal processes and developer productivity.

CB: How do you think gamification has evolved over the past few years as technology within the online casino space improves?

CT: In recent years, the evolution of gamification within the online casino space has been closely tied to advancements in event streaming infrastructure. This technology has transitioned from being a novelty to a standard feature, enabling gamification platforms to deliver near-real-time responses to player actions.

With event streaming capabilities, gamification platforms can now offer dynamic and personalised experiences tailored to individual player behaviours. For example, players receive instant feedback and rewards based on their actions during gameplay, fostering greater engagement and immersion.

While some companies have only begun to explore the full potential of event streaming, there’s a growing trend among new suppliers who are fully embracing this technology. These suppliers are leveraging event streaming to develop innovative gamification solutions that capitalise on the immediacy of player interactions, ultimately enhancing the overall gaming experience.

Overall, the integration of event streaming technology has revolutionised gamification in the online casino space, paving the way for more interactive and engaging gaming experiences that adapt to the needs and preferences of players in real time.

CB: What steps do you believe can be taken to future-proof marketing and ensure lucrative campaigns stand the test of time?

Calvin Sammut, Head of Brand and Creative Strategy at Socios.com: To stand the test of time, brands must honour their history while embracing innovation.

By using data-driven tools, brands gain a deep understanding of their audience’s desires. Integrating these insights with evolving technologies like artificial intelligence ensures that their marketing campaigns are effective immediately and resonate deeply with consumers, giving them lasting impact.

Simultaneously, brands must stay true to their original values, the principles that initially made them stand out. These core values are vital for maintaining authenticity. By drawing from their heritage, foundational principles and unique selling points, brands can effectively steer their marketing strategies. 

Storytelling is among the most powerful marketing tactics, and AI has the potential to enhance this by involving consumers directly in the narratives. For instance, the campaign “Greatest World Cup Ever” exemplifies this. This AI-driven campaign invited fans to appear in a personalised film alongside cricket stars.

CB: Can you tell us some of the ways in which influencer marketing and social media has evolved the way emerging companies reach new audiences?

CS: The combination of social media and influencer marketing has become a catalyst for the growth of both established and smaller brands.

Social media platforms, such as TikTok and Instagram, have not only given direct access to niche audiences but have also transformed consumers into active nano-influencers. This shift has been instrumental in providing smaller brands with genuine connections and authentic interaction with their audience. 

Social media allows brands to showcase their unique personality and tone of voice, connecting with their audience in ways not possible before. Brands can now engage in real-time conversations, share behind-the-scenes glimpses and express their values and beliefs authentically.

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