Interview: adapting to the times

Q: It is not the first time that you have stated that the iGaming industry is at a crossroads from a technological perspective…

Alessandro Fried: Let’s start by saying that technology is at the core of the industry. But whereas you take a look at other entertainment industries and immediately realize that technological innovations are brought along at an almost daily rate, the iGaming industry is characterized by an innovative stagnation. All the major operators and service providers have been aware of the detrimental effect that this is having on the player experience, however it is only now that they are starting to seek to make amends to the situation.

Q: You have mentioned that technology is the very core of the whole iGaming industry. So what has shackled the drive for constant technological innovation?

Alessandro Fried: Speaking in general terms, the vast majority of operators are constituted by companies that on one side are proficient in all there is to know about the gambling market, however at the same time are not familiar or do not have a technological background. So they based their entire operations on tech solutions which are nowadays totally inept for today’s scenario. Throughout the years there has been a general reluctance to pave the way for innovation, with in-house legacy technology still constituting the very foundations of huge operators.

However, with the advent of a more technologically aware and demanding fold of players the industry is now starting to put the player experience at the top of their priorities. The industry is demonstrating a shifting trend with players migrating to operators, even relatively new ones on the scene, that have proven to be agile enough to take advantage of flexible technology developed by visionaries in the field to reward their fold of players with innovation.

Q: You have always considered yourself as a strong advocate of the uberization of the technology that constitutes iGaming.

Alessandro Fried: When it comes to the uberization of the technological aspect of the industry I like to define it via feasibility, adaptability, and ultimately quality. Let’s face it; not all operators have the financial might and knowledge to develop their own propriety platforms. This obstacle is further augmented by the fact that there is no guaranteeing that the end result will eventually prove its worth and ensure results. Third party technology has brought about a feasible approach to circumvent this challenge. It is very advanced, constantly updated and innovated, and reduces significantly the time to market.

Furthermore, it is agile in adapting itself to the requirements that drive the markets at a micro level. One size does not fit all, and this applies especially to technology. You can’t expect the advanced forms of tech solutions deployed in mature markets to circumvent the problematics of the emerging markets such as in Africa and Latin America, where a below average and standard of internet services and penetration create a set of all new parameters.

Thus the technology has to adapt itself to the local requirements, maintaining at the same time a high level of quality in terms of player experience.

Q: BtoBet has been grabbing headlines lately with its own approach of uberizing the industry through the White Label Partnership Program…

Alessandro Fried: Whereas BtoBet has always excelled itself by providing established licensees with very advanced sportbetting and gaming platform solutions, we were aware of a sector of operators who did not have the proper knowledge to make the transition towards the online channel. I am referring to start-ups, and those operators which have a presence mainly in the retail channel.

Thus we have set up the WLP Program, whereby we partner with local Certified Partner which have a sound knowledge of all local requirements, to take care of all aspects involved in the iGaming industry, be it the technological requirements, player support, content management, risk management, and the list goes on. All this whilst providing the high level of service that has always set us apart from the competition.

Today, after just a few months from its launch, the White Label Partnership Program is present extensively in both Africa and Latin America through our regional partnerships with STM Gaming and Wildar Gaming respectively, and with a number of agreements already in the pipeline I must state that the Program has already established itself firmly with a wide local presence.