As SBC Summit North America gets underway today, Andrzej Hyla, Chief Commercial Officer at Wazdan, sat down to discuss the opportunities available to studios across the different US jurisdictions, how innovation is driving everything that Wazdan does, and how the Summit can help the igaming studio connect with new customers and reach new players.
Specifically, Hyla explains the ‘perfect occasion’ that SBC Summit North America gives to Wazdan to get more eyes on its products whilst also noting how the industry expertise on conference sessions on topics such as regulation can help the firm learn more about US licensing.
SBC: What makes SBC Summit North America stand out as an event?
AH: SBC Summit North America has established itself as one of the most significant industry events, bringing together an incredible variety of industry experts to share their valuable takes on the current state of the igaming landscape. SBC events are always of the highest quality, and we’re sure taking part in the SBC Summit North America will help us grow in the region.
As one of the most promising and fast-growing regions in the world, North America has become an area of great importance for us, especially over the past 12 months considering our recent entry into the regulated markets of Michigan, New Jersey, West Virginia, and Ontario.
Being licensed in several North American jurisdictions makes the upcoming event a perfect occasion for us to showcase our products, meet our regional partners, and discuss opportunities with new operators and platforms.
SBC: What would you highlight as the biggest opportunity in the US gaming industry over the next couple of years?
AH: The US has had an incredible journey to reach this regulatory point, becoming one of the world’s most promising markets. That being said, the state-by-state regulatory approach almost means it’s a collection of dozens of markets instead.
This allows us to approach each state differently. While there are high costs of entering each market, if done well, we can significantly impact new customers, with the US states regulating incredibly swiftly at the moment.
And the growth will not stop there, as more and more players take up igaming, and more states open up to it. There’s plenty of expectation that markets such as New York embrace online gaming, and these could become behemoths in their own rights. The potential in America is incalculable, and it is up to us to optimize our products to suit this audience.
SBC: What industry innovation will capture the most attention in the next 12 months?
AH: Modern igaming demands a constant inflow of fresh ideas and cutting-edge features. At Wazdan, we understand that and go beyond creativity by continuously innovating and expanding our engagement suite that keeps players immersed, interested, and always coming back for more.
Innovation is our driving force. Our engagement-building philosophy is based on creating a customized player experience through solutions that deliver proven results – and this is evident across our portfolio. Personalization and customization increase engagement, promote customer retention, increase player lifetime value, and drive revenue growth.
We believe innovative, yet easy-to-understand features, such as our recent Collect to Infinity™ and Cash Infinity™ mechanics, will have the biggest impact. If you need to educate a player on your game, then casual players might switch off. Eye-catching graphics or themes might hook a player, but if you want them to stay, you need to have gameplay they enjoy, can understand, and ultimately win.
SBC: What core challenges do you help solve for your customers/partners?
AH: We have not only managed to stand out in a space as congested as igaming, but we have also been able to thrive, bringing an enthusiasm for games unmatched by any of our competitors. Our portfolio features more than 150 HTML5 slots. It caters to players from all backgrounds, with an abundance of unique mechanics and gamification tools ensuring a real sense of control over how their experiences pan out.
Our roadmap currently facilitates the launch of 18 annual releases. By developing an innovative range of in-game features that neatly complement our titles, we have been able to please operators and players alike. Our customers in North America have already been benefiting from our leading games.
We offer added-value promotional tools and mobile-first experiences with innovative features, like the mentioned Collect to Infinity™, allowing us to enhance player experiences while boosting the potential of winning outcomes. Additionally, our Volatility Levels allow players to adjust win size and frequency to their own preferences, while with the ‘Cash Drop’ promo tool, operators can reward players with random cash prizes in custom-built promotions.
SBC: Who have you especially enjoyed working with over the past year (partner/client)?
AH: Making our US entry marked a major moment for Wazdan and since then, we have signed key commercial deals with a number of prominent brands.
RushStreet Interactive, a company with a sterling reputation, was our very first partner in the region. Our games have resonated extremely well among their player base, with our emphasis on increased personalization really paying dividends across the pond.
SBC: What are you hoping to learn from the conference at SBC Summit North America?
AH: Looking at the event agenda, we are thrilled to see a number of panels on the topic of regulation and its management, and additional sessions on developing market-ready igaming strategies, which will help us tap into the modern demographics of players.
North America is still a relatively new landscape to us. Despite the fact that we have a growing presence in the region, the challenges presented by the fragmented nature of the developing industry are known by all. Every jurisdiction has its separate licensing requirements, varying from state to state. There’s still a lot for us to learn and we’re looking forward to making the most out of the event.
