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Some suppliers of online casinos make a name for themselves by creating products that are almost their trademarks. BetGames is a live dealer and betting game creator that has a penchant for creating games that are unique. They do this by combining elements that set them apart from others. Andreas Koerbel, CEO of BetGames, explains how and why they are able to achieve such consistent innovation.
Can you tell us more about the recent launches of BetGames?
The last few months have been really exciting for our product roadmap with the launch our newest bespoke show, created with one the world’s largest operator conglomerates. The Crypt Of Giza was the first gameshow in the industry to feature a Pachinko game mechanic. The show has received a great response since its launch, and we are delighted by the innovation that went into it.
We also have six more branded games on the way to maintain this momentum. Some are branded and others are bespoke. We are able to meet operators’ needs across the spectrum because of our expertise and heritage in this area. We’ll have plenty to say about this in the future.
What do you think of your exclusive partnerships with Betway and Entain, two major operators?
This is an interesting question. We’ve discussed and continue to discuss that advertising and promotion are becoming increasingly difficult in the world, particularly in mature markets such as the UK, continental Europe, and South Africa. As regulations become more stringent, approvals for promotions can take several months. This has a negative impact on operator spending.
Major players are now shifting some of their promotional and advertising spend towards bespoke branded gaming, slowly transitioning from branding to retention. The major players are asking if they should spend another few millions on a branding project, or a similar studio that creates unique and bespoke branded games that can be played only on their brand platform.
We’ve seen an increase in operators contacting us for similar projects since we finished our recent projects with Betway and Entain. Although I wouldn’t call it mainstream, the demand for highly complex and bespoke content is increasing.
Our growth is being boosted by our new partnerships with high-end brands.
Can you tell us more about the innovative direction you took with Crypt of Giza? How important do you think themes such as Egyptian and Japanese are to players when launching a new product?
We love the game and it’s clear that players do too. It is the best-performing launch we have ever had – and that’s fantastic, given that it’s our first real gameshow. It’s incredible to think that the game is only available in the UK. Imagine the possibilities when it goes global, which is expected very soon.
The pachinko mechanic is an amazing experience, especially when using a device that is so physical. Watching the ball move around the playing field is engaging and perfectly fits the medium.
In early development and testing, we saw that players were captivated by the unpredictable travel of the ball. Even up to the very last second, this keeps them on the edge.
We didn’t wish to create another wheel-based product. This approach served us well in the past, but didn’t fit with our vision as a company and creator of unique products.
Crypt of Giza, in short, is a new game. It’s exciting, easy to play, and has that element of unpredictable excitement. We’ve seen other providers start to use the pachinko mechanism and suspect that this is the next big thing when it comes to gameplay.
Combining that with an evergreen theme such as ancient Egypt, the resultant product will make players feel at home and deliver a new experience.
How much does your 10 years in the industry give you an advantage when it comes to developing unique content for operators?
Our strength is that we produce all of our games ourselves. We do it all ourselves, including maths, design, engineering and operations. This gives us complete control over our projects.
We’ve also been known for our unique games for more than a decade. It’s an important part of our history and our USP. We’re told that we are always considered when it’s necessary to create something unique. This allows us to stay comfortably at the top of the table.
What are the challenges of creating branded games and how can you make them unique to your partners?
We need to know the difference between branding, and bespoke. Branding is often just a matter of slapping on a name to an existing concept, like a branded Roulette game. However, bespoke means exactly what it says: it’s something unique and new. Crypt Of Giza is exactly that. There’s no branding and it performs because of its inherent strengths.
Iteratively creating a bespoke game requires time and dedication. This is a huge challenge. But because we have exhibited success in delivering successful projects, we are able to deliver.
The Crypt Of Giza was 18 months in the making. Innovation is not achieved overnight. You can see it in the final product. It’s unpredictable, so patience, appreciation of the creative process, and an openness to accepting fundamental changes are essential. It’s unrealistic to think that you can achieve this type of result in less than a year. The results of this labour are evident. It is a labor of love and trust, but it also requires close collaboration.
Do you think that the focus of BetGames for 2023-24 is a key pillar in your creative direction? Can we expect to see more of this kind of work from you in the future?
We enjoy working with the bespoke channel, which is both challenging and exciting. But to create something truly unique, you need to be very selective about what you choose to work on, because it takes 18 months to develop something that is really special.
We only accept a small number of requests, as we are determined to use our resources to deliver the best products possible, while maintaining our high-quality reputation.
This is a great part of our offering, but there’s still a lot to come. We are currently working on several branded titles, which will be a mixture of branded and bespoke games.
We will continue to create content that is valuable and grows our business and ourselves, and we will continue to evaluate each approach and produce it. Watch this space for new announcements! We are very excited about the year ahead.
