Ahead of ICE London 2023, set to take place on February 7-9 at ExCel London, Yogonet caught up with Julian Arabadjiyski, Regional Manager at Skilrock Technologies, on what products the gaming and lottery platform provide will be presenting; and his expectations for the event, as well as the year ahead.
ICE London is just around the corner and the Skilrock team can’t wait to connect with everyone at the global gaming exhibition. We look forward to catching up on all things gaming. If you’re interested in scheduling a meeting: [email protected]#icelondon2023 #ice2023 pic.twitter.com/Ezd9ASERDe
— Skilrock Technologies (@Skilrock) January 19, 2023
hat products will the business focus on at ICE, and what will it focus on?
We are visiting ICE London with a clear approach. First, we are strongly committed to nurturing relations and elevating their overall experience within the gaming ecosystem. Second, we are future-focused, curiosity-driven, and prepared to build what’s the next big thing for the industry.
Most importantly, we will focus on our key products, such as Infinity omnichannel platform, new games, and much more. Our parallel participation in the El Seminar is also crucial to navigating the current pandemic and assessing the business, technological and ethical considerations. So, it will be an action-packed event this year.
Given ICE London’s status as one of the major global events in the industry, what are your expectations and objectives for the expo?
It’s always good to be back and meet our friends from the gaming world at ICE London. We have formed many long-term relationships in the past. We are hopeful that this incredible platform will again present networking opportunities and fruitful discussions with industry stakeholders.
ICE London’s theme is “Stronger Together” this year. We, Skilrock Technologies, also strongly emphasize possible collaborations that lead to ground-breaking inventions. It means bringing everyone together in unity to learn, talk and work together so that our industry grows by leaps and bounds.
This will help to exchange knowledge, share experiences and widen our visions. It is more important than ever as operators are looking for new ways to retain the interest of existing players and attract new ones.
How would you describe the industry’s and your clients’ current demands at the time? What markets will you focus on at the expo?
The long-term potential for the gaming market’s growth remains, despite the challenges faced in 2022. We are open to exploring all possibilities, and our track record shows that. Speaking of our clients, they are spending extensively on new technology to improve the user experience. A special mention would be the “online channel” that has grown from strength to strength.
Of course, some markets are performing better than others. The market demand for digital gambling is driven by the increasing adoption of smartphones and changing players’ habits, among other factors.
We have a worldwide appeal. Hence, we will focus on mature and emerging markets at the expo. And we strongly believe that our Infinity platform can benefit operators in both segments. Some notable benefits are boosting reach, driving sales and traffic, and integrating touchpoints across all channels.
In December last year, the company was awarded the Most Preferred Workplaces in IT & ITES 2022-23 by Marksmen Daily’s publication. What does this achievement represent for the company?
The award celebrates the company’s greatest asset, its people. Yes, there are challenges, but we have a positive outlook on human resource development. The biggest challenge was the pandemic. After the lockdown ended, we took all the necessary measures to ensure that teams felt comfortable returning to the office.
We motivate employees to take on bigger roles and responsibilities. This encourages them to feel that they’re at the heart of things, not the periphery. We also promote work-life balance among employees, support employee-led initiatives, provide training sessions, give employee recognition, organize team-building activities, etc.
Skilrock’s Global Meet 2023 is in full swing this week. Catch a glimpse of the team in action on day 1 of our week long conclave of discussions, strategizing and planning for the year ahead!#SkilrockGlobalMeet #companymeet #skilrock #globalmeet2023 #igaming #lotteries #team pic.twitter.com/vGPWcLTlxQ
— Skilrock Technologies (@Skilrock) January 10, 2023
Earlier this month, the company held its Global Annual Meet in India. Could you share some takeaways from the event?
The Annual Global Meet 2023 brought together Skilrock’s associates, team members from different parts of the world, top management, and other important delegates on a single platform. The conversations revolved around the latest innovations, changing market dynamics, emerging technology solutions, understanding regulatory updates, improving current offerings, etc. We spent a lot of time and effort brainstorming disruptive technology shifts & innovation policy.
Overall, it was a successful event, and we look forward to benefitting from it.
ICE London comes as we enter a new year for gambling. What is your assessment of the company’s performance in 2022, and what should we expect from it in 2023?
Last year, we witnessed positive growth on the back of an optimistic economic outlook, new client acquisitions, and strengthening our partnerships in emerging regions. We are confident that the same trend will continue next year and we are aiming to enter new markets for which discussions are already at the closing stages.
Going forward, the digitalization of lotteries will remain popular, but the real game-changer is omnichannel lottery technology. The popularity of omnichannel platforms comes as no surprise as it benefits both players and lottery operators, who have a lot to benefit from the convergence of retail and digital channels. The convergence of retail and digital channels for lottery play has grown dramatically throughout the pandemic, indicating that this trend will continue.
What other industry events does the company plan to attend this year?
Events are great places to participate, connect and meet industry leaders from different parts of the world. We will be participating, exhibiting, and sponsoring several events in 2023.
These association events include the CIBELAE conference, EL Marketing seminar, etc. And popular European events like SIGMA, iGBLive, SBC, BEGE, and EL Congress are on our calendar. Of course, we can’t forget LATAM, as we will participate in BIS, SAGSE, and many others.
