C
an Live Casino as a vertical continue to increase its popularity in the region as land-based casinos reopen?
The shutdown of sports and indeed, land-based casinos in 2020 drove unprecedented numbers of customers online in what was undoubtedly a challenging time for all. Players who would be intimately familiar with casino classics such as Blackjack or Roulette suddenly found their only route to enjoy such games was online casinos, in a live dealer environment.
Naturally, some players will return instantly to their favoured gaming venues when they reopen, but for some, the benefits that Live dealer games can bring would see them continue to play Blackjack or Roulette at an online casino instead. Especially now, when land-based casinos in some LatAm territories are being forced to close their doors again as a result of the second wave of the pandemic.
Retaining and acquiring customers for any vertical has its challenges and opportunities, but with Live games and all online casino products being put in front of more eyes than ever before, players already have been exposed to the product. There is a demand there for this kind of entertainment, which means an opportunity for growth within the LatAm market.
How vital is it to be able to offer a variety of igaming experiences, rather than just supplying a single vertical, such as slots or Live Casino?
Having a multi-product portfolio allows us to react to changing regulation while also bringing numerous solutions to new and existing markets. Our slot portfolio has allowed us to significantly expand our reach in Latin America but Live Casino and Bingo products have also gained large swathes of traction in certain markets. The same goes for our new Virtual Sports portfolio.
It also allows us to focus our innovation on a wider stretch of product ranges so all players can enjoy them. A dedicated Live Casino or Bingo player may not be that excited if we have an innovative new slot feature or a new Virtual Sports game, and vice-versa. By creating products for all players, we can stand out further in the market, while offering significant cross-sell value for our partners.
An example of this is our upcoming new Live Casino game, Mega Roulette. Combining a casino staple with random multipliers, similarly to what you would experience in a slot game, we have created a dynamic new product that we’re very excited about, as are our partners.
What will Mega Roulette bring to the market that allows it to stand out?
Mega Roulette takes one of the most popular Live Casino games and adds a simple yet thrilling innovation – the Mega Multiplier. On every spin, between one and five multipliers, with a value ranging from 50 to 500x, will be applied to randomly selected bets, significantly increasing win potential. The base gameplay remains instantly recognisable to roulette fans, while like all our Live Casino games, Mega Roulette is broadcast from a state-of-the-art studio specially built for the game’s requirements, with professionally trained hosts, unique visual effects and immersive sound. At Pragmatic Play we strive to create new gaming experiences and Mega Roulette takes a staple title and adds our own twist, appealing to both fans of the traditional and those looking to try new, engaging titles.
What more can we expect from Pragmatic Play in this vertical in the near future?
We continue to invest in our portfolio, across all verticals. Aside from the previously mentioned Mega Roulette, which we are extremely excited about, there is a lot more to come. We will heavily focus on our Live Casino portfolio, while continuing to launch slots at a fast pace. We now have four Virtual Sports games as well as a Bingo network fully available for clients in the region. Plus, we keep adding Latin American operators to our global Drops & Wins promotion, which gives players chances to win shares of the massive €/£2,500,000 in prizes with just a spin. That’s all we can say but stay tuned as it is set to be a thrilling year.
