SBC Summit Barcelona is set to return to the Catalan capital this month, gathering hundreds of attendees from key gaming markets across September 19-21 at Fira Barcelona–Montjuïc. Among the companies ready to showcase their latest products at the expo is online gaming studio BGaming, which will make its presence be felt through a stand full of novelties and an exciting visual collaboration with a local artist.
Ahead of the event, Yogonet held an exclusive interview with Olga Levshina, recently promoted to the role of Chief Commercial Officer at BGaming. In this conversation, Levshina discusses the importance of the expo for the company, what is new in the firm’s portfolio, the importance of personalized gaming experiences, and latest trends in the online industry, among other insights and updates.
Why is this event important for the company and what opportunities could it open for it? What do you expect in terms of networking opportunities at the event?
Participation in the SBC Summit Barcelona this September holds significant strategic importance for BGaming. This event provides a valuable platform for our company to effectively convey our core values, showcase our gaming portfolio, expand our professional network, engage in productive discussions with existing partners, and identify potential new collaborations.
Offline events offer distinct advantages over online interactions. In-person meetings with industry peers and potential partners generate a higher level of engagement and foster deeper connections. This enables us to establish and solidify relationships, negotiate new phases of cooperation, and explore innovative opportunities more effectively.
Notably, BGaming’s technical system of gaming software and its games have been officially approved by the Spanish gambling regulator, Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego (DGOJ), which adds further significance to our participation in the SBC Summit Barcelona. This event serves as a pivotal moment to amplify our presence and reputation within the Spanish iGaming market, reinforcing our commitment to excellence and compliance.
What will BGaming’s presence at the event be like and what will attendees approaching its booth find?
BGaming’s presence at the SBC Summit Barcelona is geared towards delivering a comprehensive and engaging experience to attendees. Our objective goes beyond mere portfolio presentation; we aim to immerse visitors into the innovative realm where art meets gaming.
A noteworthy attraction at our booth #CG118 will be the reinterpretations of BGaming’s flagship characters by the Spanish muralist Jay Kaes. These reinterpretations breathe fresh life into our iconic heroes from titles such as Book of Cats, Penny Pelican, Elvis Frog, Aztec Magic 2 and more, offering attendees a visually captivating perspective on our gaming universe.
In addition to the latest August releases, we will showcase our highly popular games like Gemhalla. Moreover, we’ll highlight our dice-themed game selection, including such titles as Wild Cash Dice, Dice Million, the already successful Dice Bonanza, and others.
A pivotal milestone for BGaming is our thriving partnership with Blaze Casino, featured in our exclusive case study material. Following the development of five custom and branded titles, we witnessed remarkable growth with metrics like GGR, player retention, bets count, average bet, and others surging by 30-80%. We are eager to share these details at the exhibition, illustrating the capabilities and the benefits of collaborating with BGaming.
As you mentioned, the company has teamed up with Jay Kaes for the event. Why was he chosen for the partnership, and how will this be reflected at the expo?
The choice of Jay Kaes for this partnership was deliberate. With his pieces of art loaded with modern references and meaning, addressing current issues to contribute something positive to society, Jay aligns perfectly with BGaming’s vision of merging art and gaming. His creative interpretations of our game characters will add a fresh and unconventional dimension to our booth #CG118. Attendees can expect to see imaginative and non-traditional representations of our game heroes by Jay Kaes, creating a visually captivating experience.
This collaboration marks the third partnership between BGaming and local artists this year, following the highly popular art displays by Dutch street artist I AM EELCO at the iGB Live and the pop culture-inspired artist Thumbs at the ICE London. The reception to these initiatives has been incredibly positive, with attendees and industry professionals appreciating the fusion of art and gaming in our exhibition spaces.
As part of this ambitious venture, BGaming will also unveil an exclusive merchandise range tailored specifically for SBC Summit Barcelona attendees. This merchandise will further enhance the visitor experience and serve as a tangible reminder of our commitment to creativity and innovation.
SBC Barcelona is taking place in Spain, a country where, as you pointed out, the studio recently obtained certification from the local gambling regulator. What can you tell us about that milestone and the perspectives offered by this market?
This new certification empowers BGaming to offer our certified games to any Spanish operator, aligning perfectly with our strategic commitment to expanding our footprint across several rigorously regulated European markets. These markets include Spain, Greece, Romania, Portugal, Bulgaria, and Slovakia.
Our growth trajectory is marked by continual development, and we are committed to pursuing further licenses that enable us to access new and promising markets. Notably, the Spanish certification serves as a pivotal gateway towards obtaining coveted licenses in the Latin American market.
Beyond Spain, BGaming has a global expansion strategy in place. We are actively evaluating opportunities in regions and jurisdictions where regulated iGaming thrives. This approach is in line with our overarching objective to establish a prominent presence in the international iGaming industry by delivering innovative gaming experiences while adhering to regulatory standards across diverse markets.
A recent BGaming case study showed that partner Blaze Casino achieved up to an 80% growth in GGR through the studio’s game customization services. How does it reflect BGaming’s approach to creating personalized gaming experiences?
Our track record in creating personalized gaming experiences has already been established through the development of over 100 branded games in collaboration with prominent industry players, including Stake, Rollbit, PlayAmo, Blaze Casino, and many more.
The true power of customization lies not only in creating tailored games but also in strategically incorporating them into promotional activities. Our long-standing partnership with Blaze Casino exemplifies this strategy, and the case study is further evidence of our successful collaboration.
We developed five custom and branded titles, adhering to a comprehensive approach. These games demonstrated remarkable growth, ranging from 30% to an astounding 80% in mission-critical KPIs such as GGR, player retention, bets count, average bet, and more. Notably, one top-performing game saw GGR increase fourfold, showcasing the immense potential of tailored gaming experiences. In contrast, the fifth custom game, lacking branding elements, did not achieve the same stellar performance as its branded counterparts.
Partnering with Blaze Casino has been a remarkable journey of innovation and problem-solving. We remain dedicated to providing unique and tailored gaming solutions to our clients, driving their business growth and success forward. We have a portfolio of successful collaborations with other globally renowned partners, which we intend to share in the future.
What is new in BGaming’s portfolio? Where do you see iGaming headed and how is the studio keeping up with the latest trends and discussions, such as AI?
In our latest portfolio additions, BGaming is proud to introduce a captivating dice-themed selection, featuring titles like Wild Cash Dice, Dice Million, which seamlessly complement our existing collection of alternative interpretations of the classic dice theme.
Moreover, our team is currently hard at work on the development of Scratch Alpaca Classic, a virtual counterpart to the classic scratch card. This game will feature both manual and auto gameplay modes, each with its unique set of features. Players can anticipate a variety of card types, promising a highly enjoyable and immersive gaming experience.
Regarding AI, we recognize that many key players in the market are incorporating AI into their content production processes, particularly focusing on enhancing the artistic aspects. In April 2023, BGaming introduced Alien Fruits and followed up with Wild Chicago online slot in June 2023, marking our first AI-driven games. These titles saw 90% of their static graphic elements generated by AI, with manual adjustments ensuring the final perfection.
Our commitment to AI is not merely experimental; we were one of pioneers actively incorporating AI tools into the workflow to optimize, automate, and provide long-term assistance. Looking ahead, we have ambitious plans to develop personalized lobbies where AI will curate and present gaming options tailored to each player’s preferences and history, creating a truly unique and engaging gaming environment. BGaming is dedicated to staying at the forefront of technological advancements, ensuring our portfolio remains innovative and aligned with the evolving landscape of iGaming.
