Operators showed keen interest in Digitain’s stand during its recent showcase at the ICE gaming expo, delving into the tools, technologies and features that drive the company’s online gaming solutions. The provider was able to successfully present its portfolio over the event’s three days of floor action, in addition to holding key discussions that the team hopes to convert into new deals in the following weeks.
As part of its coverage of the event, Yogonet caught up with Gevorg Rushanyan, LatAm Sales Team Manager at Digitain, to learn more about what the company had in store for ICE. Moreover, Rushanyan discusses the importance of localization in this exclusive interview, in addition to why Brazil will be a key market for Digitain going forward.
ICE is bidding farewell to London by attracting thousands of global attendees and hosting the latest in gaming at ExCeL. What’s the show been like for the company this year? What are some of the highlights of the company’s showcase this time around?
This year ICE has been like no other gaming show. We were able to work and negotiate with the category of clients that we were aiming for, and it was a really amazing event overall for us. We were able to showcase the full potential of the products that we offer at ICE, including our sportsbook and our fully managed PAM. In turn, top operators were able to see and explore these offerings, and the feedback we received for all Digitain solutions was very good.
We are a company that is constantly releasing new features and tools to make the operator’s life easier and enhance their offerings. This year, we showcased our newly built-up DGBuilder, which I think is a very important development for the betting market. We spent about a year and a half building it up. It’s one of the highlights of our showcase at ICE, and it also exemplifies our approach to developing solutions: we like to do everything in-house, native and with top-notch technology.
Speaking of gaming technology, and how Digitain approaches the latest developments in this area within its portfolio, two things that we keep hearing about are AI (artificial intelligence) and real-time functionalities. How are these two concepts integrated into Digitain’s product proposition for the gaming industry?
We have been using AI for almost two years now. We use artificial intelligence in our sportsbook and casino products, where the players, whenever they are logged in, get a very personalized experience. With our solutions, users are able to see all the content that they like to play based on the previous activity they had with the platform.
Our AI capabilities have enhanced and developed thanks to the demands from operators and players alike throughout the years. Also importantly, we are planning to further expand the knowledge and resources we have in AI so that the player experience with our casino and sportsbook can be even more personalized in the future.
From a market perspective, ICE is a truly global show that attracts stakeholders from all over the world. What can you tell us about the presence of Latin American customers specifically, a region where Digitain has been expanding its footprint?
We are a very regionalized and localized company in the markets where we operate, and we currently have a very big focus on Latin America. In my case, I’m focused on the LatAm industry, and I can confirm that we received high-quality brands in our stand, with very high potential. We like to establish relationships with all such operators, trying to reach the best business opportunity we can and that satisfies both parties.
What would you say are the main demands from Latin American operators at the moment? Are their requirements and challenges different from other parts of the world and markets in which Digitain is present?
When we talk about top gaming operators, what everyone wants on a daily basis is to be independent when using our technology. We have reached a level with our portfolio that our products let the operator be independent with all the tools they are using. Of course, operators also want constant innovation in the solutions they use, so we are always developing novelties that allow them to be creative from different perspectives; from promotions to campaigns and tournaments.
You have to give operators all the tools they need to unlock their full potential, while also tailoring them to the specific market needs that they face. In the case of Latin America, as with other markets, we see that some features are more in demand than others. At the moment, the one that is attracting the most attention is the previously mentioned DGBuilder, which we have been happily delivering to our clients.
Another important requirement in Latin America is the need to be more omnichannel and have a presence in both the online and retail segments. This is a very important factor in the LatAm market, as nowadays many countries in the region primarily depend on the retail side of business, so it’s becoming increasingly important for them to expand their online operations as well to keep up.
Since we are speaking about the Latin American market, one country in particular that has seen a spike in interest and investment is Brazil, which is currently working on setting up its online gaming industry. Has Digitain seen increased demand and conversations surrounding this jurisdiction?
We have been seeing record numbers in Brazil, experiencing that big and very fast-growing interest in the jurisdiction. It’s definitely going to be a top priority for our company and we are planning to, let’s say, “tropicalize” even more the products and localize them for the Brazilian market. We are looking to add new strategic partners with us throughout this year in that specific region.