CASINO
James Marshall, CEO of Push Gaming,
build the player base. “To compete on a larger scale in terms of player numbers, the industry needs to become more socially acceptable. We’ll then see the effect of that, allowing for more ads and the industry being more visible, but also, even more powerful, word of mouth.”
type of product simply for it to be sustainable. “If, as many have done in recent times, we compare it to something like Netflix - roughly £10 a month is considered to be a manageable investment for the entertainment provided. So, from a slots perspective, if we can achieve a higher volume of players with less reliance on VIPs over time, it makes sense. This will allow us to compete with the other forms of entertainment out there to capture a bigger audience. “The real challenge though is going to be capturing that high player volume. Regulations are already dictating slower gameplay, with lower stakes likely to come along soon. There’s also the whistle to whistle bans on TV ads, bonusing and promotions essentially being shut down in some markets, so we have to consider how to capture the bigger audience and
Issuing a slight disagreement was Ondrej Lapides, CEO of Tom Horn Gaming, who asserted that a balance approach is key, and that operators and providers must adjust to the changing regulatory climate if they want to survive. “In recent months many jurisdictions including the UK, Sweden and Germany have introduced proposals for further regulatory changes on online gambling - temporary or permanent,” he said. “Generally, regulators have good intentions and introduce these measures to protect players. On the other hand, with the economy crippled by the pandemic, stringent regulatory measures are also impacted by more complex recovery plans governments embrace in order to offset the economic consequences of 2020.
LONGER TERM, I CERTAINLY SEE SLOTS BECOMING A LOW STAKE, HIGHER VOLUME TYPE OF PRODUCT SIMPLY FOR IT TO BE SUSTAINABLE
“Either way, there has been a growing appetite for sweeping reform of the gambling industry. It started with the casino segment and I’m sure similar restrictions are not going away and will likely impact all verticals such as sports betting, horse race betting, poker, or virtual sports. “The maximum stake limit is only one part of the equation. However, as such it might have far-reaching implications for the future of our beloved industry with online casino games likely to be stuck with the label of ‘low-stake entertainment’ sector.” Lapides added: “It is important to reiterate that tighter regulations must strike the right balance between protecting the vulnerable, while not spoiling the enjoyment of millions of people who play online casino games on a regular basis in a safe manner and driving them into the arms of the online black market. “The latter is especially quite worrying as it will cause more harm to the perception of the industry in the long run.” As regulators impose extra restrictions in the digital makeup of igaming, would it be fair to suggest as it has previously in certain quarters - that a wider-mass appeal but with a lower expenditure per individual, is the way that the industry is, or should be, heading? Should that be the case, what changes would be necessary in such a competitive marketplace, and - as
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