Games Global has its hopes aimed high. While it’s firmly established in Europe, it hasn’t been immune to the opportunities presented by the Americas.
This temptation is what led Games Global to acquire Super Group’s B2B division, Digital Gaming Corporation, now known as Games Global USA. The deal was announced almost exactly one year before its completion – which was confirmed on 7 February – and gives Games Global unprecedented access to the US market.
“The US market, as you know, is an attractive market for everyone,” Bugno explains. “It’s still in its infancy when it comes to the gaming side and it’s a lot more advanced when it comes to the sports betting side.
“Of course, there are a number of states that have approved igaming. So it would be ludicrous if we weren’t interested in that market.”
Acquiring Digital Gaming Corporation has given Games Global a one-way ticket into regulated US states, continues Bugno.
“We looked for a path and because we weren’t licensed, the only path in for us was to sell some of our games to someone,” he says. “We didn’t really receive a lot of value by selling, but we sold a lot of games to Digital Gaming Corporation, which was a licensed operator in that market.”
The tactic was to keep a close eye on these games while applications for state licences ticked over. Once those licences were approved and issued to Games Global, the supplier’s acquisition of Digital Gaming Corporation was made final.
“We now have the direct relationship with the operators in the US and we’ll now take our full suite of games and studios to the market there,” said Bugno.
Upwards trajectory in LatAm
If the US presents plenty of opportunities for growth, then the streets of LatAm are practically paved with gold. It helps that Bugno has previous experience in the region, having had responsibility for it during his 11 years at International Games Technology.
Like most other industry execs, the primary LatAm market on Bugno’s mind is Brazil. The country’s chamber of deputies approved Bill 3,626/2023 in December, giving the green light to sports betting and igaming.
“We’re all waiting for the final version of what the regulations are going to be, but everyone is positioning and getting ready for what they will do, including us,” says Bugno. “We have relationships with a number of operators in those markets already today – our games are present.”
Present, but also evolving and growing. Games Global currently has two studios in LatAm – one in Brazil and another in Argentina, with a second studio in each market just approved.
For Bugno, this isn’t just a testament to the opportunity in Brazil and Argentina. “It’s not because they’re the only ones that will supply the market, but it gives us more of an understanding of the local preferences we like to develop,” he explains.
“So we see it as a major growth opportunity for our business going forward.”
Handing control back to players
In the end, Games Global’s American dreams couldn’t come true without having the right portfolio. And Bugno maintains that this isn’t an easy process.
“We don’t build games for the sake of building a game,” he declares. “We really spend a lot of time analysing the data that we receive in terms of player preferences and player performance and game performance, to try and develop games that have got some kind of affinity with the different demographics, with different types of player behaviour.”
It’s about finding something for everyone. The wider the appeal, obviously, the wider the potential player pool. But if those same players don’t feel engaged, they’re not going to stick around.
“We try different styles of mechanics, different bonuses, different visual experiences,” he says. “We really try to give players an experience and I think that’s what players look for these days.
“It’s not simply sitting in front of a screen. It’s about some form of engagement.”
A key element of this is keeping a laser-focus on player trends. While Bugno doesn’t note anything out of the ordinary in player trends currently, he highlights a significant rise in interest for crash games.
And why? Because of the implied control for players.
“There’s nothing that I would say is revolutionary [in player trends], but let’s say there are some new segments of games that are coming,” he explains. “In the last couple of years, crash games as an example, has become a segment with a lot of growth.
“And you ask yourself, why? Well, it gives you choice. I’ll take a risk. I’ll cash out now. It’s a degree of skill or control, that I can make the choice of when. And I think that’s an attractive element.”
The CRM element
So Games Global has the reach, the portfolio and the potential for further success in its pocket. But is this all a customer needs to choose to play with Games Global?
As with most suppliers, customer relationship management (CRM) has to come into play. For Bugno, this means presenting Games Global to customers in a way that results in a mutually beneficial relationship.
“We’ve said to the customers, we’re not here to sell you games,” Bugno explains. “We are an outcome of their success.
“Our games are a tool, but only one tool. And if we give you the right tools and the right support and the right content, you are going to grow. If you grow, we grow. So it’s about really helping the customers drive revenue.”
You give and you get. This could be what has driven Bugno’s 2024 ambitions – so far, jackpots have formed a large part of the strategy for the year ahead. Games Global has just launched a new range of jackpots called King Millions, with another jackpot brand and a series of offers following soon.
“Playing is a form of entertainment,” Bugno concludes. “People want to be able to be engaged in a style of game that allows them to enjoy the experience. And that’s what we try and do.”
Original article: https://igamingbusiness.com/gaming/going-global-with-games-global/
