GR8_TECH used the SBC Summit to showcase an expanded version of its “Champions” concept, introduce its Champions Arena, and put greater emphasis on solutions aimed at simplifying both technology and operations for betting businesses.
Speaking with Yogonet during the summit, Yevhen Krazhan, CSO at GR8_TECH, discussed the response to the company’s presence at the event, growing operator interest in white-label models and GR8_TECH’s focus on Latin America. He also addressed the case for bringing sportsbook, casino, affiliate and operational tools into a more unified ecosystem.
Looking ahead, Krazhan pointed to prediction markets, crypto, Latin America and Africa as areas likely to command increasing industry attention in 2027.
Looking back at the SBC Summit, what stood out for GR8_TECH and what kinds of conversations were you having with operators and partners?
We saw very long lines this year, and the booth was very popular, crowded, and intense, with a lot of people around our stand. Our stand showcased a slightly different style. We are still in that Champions position, but we are moving from the Champions Club into the Champions Arena, so the format is changing.
The concept has been evolving along with the growth of GR8_TECH. I remember my first shows three or four years ago in Malta, when we had very small stands. Then we moved into bigger, more spacious stands and tried building several stories.
This time, we decided to create a really open space, more like a big arena or stadium where everybody can see each other. There is some zoning, including a more enclosed area at the back for calm VIP discussions, while the front is completely open and attracts a lot of people and traffic. We also have several levels of soft seating where people can relax, because walking around these shows is still quite demanding.
The idea behind the Champions Arena is to open the concept up to a wider audience. The Champions Club could sound like a more limited, closed VIP concept, whereas the arena is much more open. The color palette is still aggressive and active, with orange, black, and white, so the stand can clearly be seen from far away.
We are very happy with how it is working and with the response from visitors. The first day was really good, but then the time came to start converting that traffic into meaningful conversations. The serious conversations happen when people come back, sit down and really go deep into what they are looking for. Overall, SBC this year was rocking.
GREAT_WHITE LABEL was one of the solutions you highlighted at the summit. What demand are you seeing from operators for this type of model?
There are three things we are putting forward as areas of innovation or things that could be attractive to our clients. The first is white label. The second is the sports trading piece connected to feeds and odds, which is our MTS, or Managed Trading Service. The third is fast frontend infrastructure for the regions and geographies where platforms need to load very fast and change dynamically.
Speaking specifically about white label, we built it because we are seeing more and more interest from clients who do not necessarily want to operate the platform themselves. A platform can be sophisticated and complex, and it can take people three to six months to properly understand it.
In geographies where we already feel confident and have launched dozens of websites, we are trying to compile our operational experience, know-how, customer journeys, and the micro-segments we have seen working well into the white-label product.
That makes the white label attractive either to startups or to companies with a completely different focus that do not want to build specific operational competencies, particularly if those competencies may only be temporary for them. They may simply not want to shift their focus into something else.
We have had a lot of discussions with companies that are surprised by the fact that they do not have to spend time building a team in an area where they do not have confidence. They would rather dedicate that responsibility to us, and that is why the white-label model works.
We are not spreading it too far geographically. We are keeping the focus on Latin America and a number of countries within the region. We are starting with a few, and then each white-label operation can potentially cover more geographies. We are not taking this model into Asia or Africa at this stage.
What have your Latin American deployments taught you, and how have those lessons shaped the white-label solution?
We have been active in Latin America for the past two or three years, but over the last year we have seen a lot of growth. I think we are now able to launch around 15 to 20 brands a year, and not only launch them technically but also bring them to good volumes.
That has helped us understand what works and what does not. Instead of making a company or operator go through the pain of the first three to six months of exploration, with the white-label solution we can discuss specific financial indicators, payback, NPVs, IRRs, and break-even points. We can talk specifically about how much investment an operator needs to bring and what kind of traffic they can generate.
We then take care of the operational nuances of the platform, including CRM, affiliates, sportsbook setup, casino front ends, RTP, and all of that operational work. We essentially outsource that work to ourselves. The client can then remain focused on the specific business case. The dialogue shifts away from technology and the platform and toward financial investment and payback.
In that sense, we are becoming an alternative to more traditional ways of deploying capital, whether that is through banks, investment funds, or something else. We are turning it into a different type of solution by taking over some of the processes that clients often have a hard time understanding, particularly when they are new to the business.
Are operators increasingly looking for technology and operational packages instead of sourcing each component separately?
I think it is a big dilemma for any client. On one hand, they want to remain independent of one supplier or vendor. On the other hand, they want to build strong relationships based on trust, expertise, competence, and good commercials.
What we are offering as part of the turnkey solution, including white label, is a way to minimize the amount of headache clients face when sourcing different pieces from different vendors.
Connecting and integrating multiple vendors into one seamless solution is basically an endless exercise, and it creates a lot of headaches. That is why we are strong proponents of combining as much as possible into one cohesive ecosystem.
That creates synergies through real-time integrations, bonuses that work across casino and sports, cross-selling capabilities, an affiliate platform that can see performance in real time, and different micro-segments that can immediately react to player behavior.
That is why we are building a platform that combines all these elements. At the same time, sports can also be perceived as a standalone element in many cases. There are parts of our sports offering that operators and even other providers want to consume from us because the sports product we offer is at a very high level.
We are going to sign some big contracts that we will be announcing soon. I cannot give you the names yet, but some major names are coming to us to bring our sports product onto their platforms. We are very happy that the sports direction can also operate as a standalone, independent, and self-driven part of the platform.
Acceler8 Lab also returned at the summit. What was the thinking behind the initiative, and what do you want operators to take from it?
We are actively promoting it because it is part of the new stand concept. It is a glass-enclosed auditorium where people are separated from the noise outside, and we can actually share our experience as well as expertise from people elsewhere in the market.
We started this a couple of conferences ago, and I would say it is already becoming something of an industry standard for us. I think we will continue doing it. The idea is not only to sell, but also to share expertise, know-how, and insights for free. That includes experience from managing different projects, running different operations, use cases, and case studies.
I think expertise and competence sell well, and this reinforces the strengths of our brand. It is another way in which we are opening the arena to our clients.
Looking toward 2027, where do you see the strongest areas of change and opportunity in the industry?
This industry continues to prove that it is very dynamic and very turbulent. Things happen unexpectedly. The latest waves of news are shaking the industry, but at the same time, that creates more opportunities, more room for innovation, and more space for experimentation.
Last year, we were speaking a lot about sweepstakes. This year, and maybe next year as well, I think more attention will shift toward things like prediction markets, not only in the U.S. but also toward integrating prediction markets into sports, casinos, and potentially even making them a standalone category.
I think one reason they are becoming attractive is that prediction markets bring simplicity. Your choice is essentially one or two. You do not have a market with 700 options. It is one or two: yes or no. That simplicity may attract a wider audience.
Prediction markets as a concept are not only about sports, politics, or social issues. They could be about anything. That could help expand the industry by attracting more people, not only those who actively gamble or do it on a daily basis, but ordinary people who may want to try to predict an outcome or participate in certain activities.
In terms of markets, where do you see potential for growth?
We are still actively exploring Africa as a source of growth because Africa is continuing to undergo a regulatory shift. The potential is still there, and the population is booming. I think African projects will receive more attention and see more growth. We have been talking about Africa for a very long time, but looking specifically toward 2027, I think it could become another major area of focus.
At the same time, I would not undermine Latin America’s potential. Latin America will continue to grow, and Brazil in particular will remain important. Latin America is already at the center of a lot of attention.
These two macro regions, Latin America and Africa, will definitely be sources of growth, attention and, I would say, news.