ICE London 2024 is just a mere two weeks away. Known as the event that kicks off the global expos calendar for the year, companies around the world prepare to meet at the prestigious trade show.
Ahead of the event, Yogonet caught up with Biser Bozhanov, Director of Business Development and Strategies at CT Gaming, who shared his assessment of 2023 and discussed the provider’s expectations for the meeting and 2024.
What will be the main novelties that your company will present and focus on at ICE London this year? Will you be showcasing any new products or services this time around?
This year is exceptional for the company, celebrating its 25th anniversary. We are excited to start 2024 with ICE and present our products while reconnecting with professionals from the industry.
We will focus on presenting innovations and upgrades of our well-known products. We have based those improvements on consumers’ needs and preferences, following the casino market pulse and our 25-year experience.
To build upon previous successes, one of the leading products under the spotlight will be the slot cabinet NEXT, the Premium version of which will debut. Compared to the classic, Next Premium features three 32″ screens, a premium stand and accessories, and improved reliability. The compatibility is broad and includes multigame packs such as Diamond King 1, 2, and 3, Diamond Tree 20, and Mermaid’s Quest.
The updated Casino Management System, awarded “Casino Management System of the Year” at the BEGE Awards 2023, will be at the center stage with its newly added functionalities. They include a new interactive Tournament feature in the Bonusing module, which allows the creation of various system tournaments with attractive rewards. Another upgrade is the new tracking functions, facilitating the creation of statistics and the ranking of machines based on games.
A significant part of the exhibition at stand N5-130 will be CT Gaming’s multigame portfolio.
Our premium product – the Diamond King multigame series, will be displayed. Featuring the innovative progressive jackpot – Diamond Tree, it has been a massive success with operators and quickly became a customer favorite. They have rapidly become the best-selling and preferred product by the players, and this year alone, we managed to place over 3000 installations in Bulgaria and worldwide.
The newest addition, Tower Link, paired with the Tower cabinet, will be showcased for all visitors to experience first-hand.
Given ICE London’s status as one of the significant global events in the industry, what are your expectations for the expo, and what are the company’s key goals for the event?
Exhibiting our innovative products and solutions at ICE has been highly important for us throughout the years.
Now, our focus will span various markets, emphasizing regions showing significant growth potential. Our main expectations are focused on expanding the company’s market reach and network and solidifying our presence in the current ones.
ICE London is a pivotal event in the gaming industry, and we anticipate a platform for networking, presenting our innovations, and fostering industry relationships. We look forward to reconnecting with partners and discussing the future of our products, the latest improvements to our current products, and how we can better our services.
How would you describe the industry’s and your client’s current demands at the time?
Our long experience in the industry has taught us to observe the business productively, and we have developed a sense of the trends. We define the industry’s and clients’ current demands revolve around immersive gaming experiences and diverse jackpot solutions. Therefore, we will exhibit three different jackpot concepts in the multigames – Diamond King 3, Tower Link, and Mermaid’s Quest.
The multigame Tower Link, our newest gem, features ten games, all linked to a progressive jackpot. Combining games with different mechanics gives users diverse choices and increases the winning combinations. The jackpot concept revolves around collecting golden symbols. In every game, each symbol can turn golden and take the player a step closer to winning. Depending on the number of gold symbols collected, one can play for bonuses or different jackpot levels – Major and Mega.
The jackpot concept in Mermaid’s Quest is thematically for the underwater realm and visualized with pearls. When playing, pearls cascade onto the main screen, creating an irresistible allure and forming a mesmerizing pile on the middle screen. The pile occasionally “drops,” unveiling the thrilling bonus screen that holds the key to multiple jackpot levels. With two types of bonus screens, players can chase small or large wins, each offering its level of excitement, distinguished by white or black pearls. In addition, an exclusive “bonus” jackpot is triggered when the entire bonus screen fills with pearls, offering an enticing prize.
We have the Diamond Tree jackpot concept linked to 20 of the Diamond King 3 game collection. It has deep and engaging elements enhanced by solid visuals and sounds. The 3-level jackpot offers the player multiple progressive and bonus values with just one spin, making the experience thrilling and preferred by many.
CT Gaming's stand at G2E last year
The event comes as we enter a new year for gambling. What is your assessment of how the sector developed in 2023, and what should we expect from it in 2024?
2023 marked significant growth in the gambling sector, embracing technological advancements and catering to evolving consumer preferences. However, it is fair to note that the dynamics in the industry have shifted due to the many restrictions in the regulations of several countries. Despite this situation’s influence on the operators, we envision a great year ahead.
CT Gaming’s plans for the upcoming 12 months involve continuous innovation, aligning all the newest trends with the company’s products while maintaining a customer-centric approach.
What other industry events does the company plan to attend this year?
Besides ICE London, CT Gaming plans to participate in several other industry events. These include expos such as the Peru Gaming Show in Lima, Belgrade Future Gaming 2024, Entertainment Arena Expo in Bucharest, and BEGE 2024, offering opportunities to engage with diverse markets and stakeholders.
For everyone interested in where they could meet the team, we suggest following us on LinkedIn, where we share all essential updates and news around the company, or visiting our website’s page – Insights, where we share all the highlights of our intentions, accomplishments, and projects.
