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Innovar o morir – Digitain

«No hay nada más difícil de emprender, más penoso de conducir o más incierto en su éxito que introducir un nuevo orden de cosas, porque el innovador tiene como enemigos a todos aquellos que han prosperado en la vieja situación y solo como tibios defensores a los que pueden beneficiarse de la nueva»

Nicolás Maquiavelo “El Príncipe”, hacia 1513.

Entonces, ¿qué relevancia puede tener el pensamiento de un diplomático y filósofo político del siglo XVI en las estrategias de desarrollo de productos de las empresas de apuestas y juegos de azar en 2020?

A decir verdad, probablemente no mucho -su perspectiva era más bien negativa-, pero plantea un buen punto de vista. La innovación es difícil y hay muchas razones -entre ellas culturales, financieras, utilitarias y de conflicto interno- por las que sigue siendo un problema evidente en nuestra industria.

A menudo leo que hay una grave falta de innovación en el sector de las apuestas deportivas; ciertamente hay muchos desarrollos “Me-Too”, en los que las empresas se apresuran a copiar aparentes innovaciones exitosas, a menudo sin darse cuenta de la imagen completa de por qué una nueva característica en particular ha tenido éxito.

Sin embargo, creo que decir que no hay innovación es un error. Creo que uno de los problemas es que a menudo se confunden en el sector del juego los términos invención e innovación.

Para mí, la invención describe un cambio significativo en un producto o un proceso, algo que tiene el potencial de cambiar la forma en que llevamos a cabo nuestro negocio. El microprocesador fue un invento; el iPhone fue una innovación, ya que tomó la tecnología existente y cambió por completo la forma de utilizar el simple teléfono móvil.

Una innovación no es un cambio de paso, sino que supone una mejora en la forma de suministrar el producto, los procesos o el servicio. La innovación no tiene por qué ser radical para tener éxito, pero sí debe ser útil y aportar un valor añadido.

Por lo tanto, yo diría que la innovación se está produciendo en todo el sector de las apuestas deportivas y los juegos de azar, aunque podría estar “bajo el capó” y ser invisible para quienes no la conocen

Con la llegada de Covid-19 y los retos que plantea a la economía mundial, es razonable esperar que la innovación en el desarrollo del iGaming pase de centrarse en las necesidades de los clientes (eficacia) a hacerlo en la optimización de los costes (eficiencia).
Otra complicación cuando se habla de innovación es que a menudo se confunde con las actividades de mejora continua.

Se podría argumentar que un proceso continuo e interminable de pequeñas mejoras aporta más valor a la empresa que centrarse en innovaciones de gran calado, o incluso en invenciones más difíciles de conseguir. Las mejoras continuas y las innovaciones deberían pertenecer a todos los miembros de la empresa para que las identifiquen y actúen en consecuencia, aunque es necesario que haya una cultura, sistemas y procesos de apoyo para reconocer y recompensar el esfuerzo. La empresa debe evitar la trampa señalada anteriormente por el viejo Niccolo: el miedo al cambio y la inercia.

La mejora continua y la innovación son dos caras de la misma moneda, sus significados se solapan y probablemente sólo se diferencian en cuanto a la escala del cambio.

Un buen ejemplo de estrategia de mejora continua fue el equipo de ciclismo británico de mediados de la década de 2000. Antes del nombramiento de un nuevo entrenador de rendimiento, Dave Brailsford, el equipo de ciclismo británico había soportado 100 años de mediocridad.

Desde 2007 hasta 2017, los ciclistas británicos ganaron 178 campeonatos del mundo, 66 medallas de oro en Juegos Olímpicos y Paralímpicos y 5 victorias en el Tour de Francia.

¿Cómo se consiguió esta racha de éxitos en la historia del ciclismo?

Mediante la acumulación de “ganancias marginales”, es decir, la mejora continua. Esto significaba buscar un pequeño margen de mejora en todo lo que hacían: desde la alineación de los asientos de las bicicletas, pasando por el frotamiento de los neumáticos con alcohol, hasta las pruebas de diferentes tejidos para la aerodinámica y más allá.

Brailsford y su equipo fueron implacables en la búsqueda de “mejoras del 1%”, aunque el impacto no se notara, la suma de estas mejoras marcó la diferencia, además de mejorar la psicología del equipo.

¿Quizás más empresas de iGaming estarían mejor servidas si buscaran internamente ganancias marginales en lugar de “ir por la W” con una innovación líder en la industria (que pronto será copiada)?

Probablemente ambas cosas sean ciertas, pero, como ya se ha dicho, puede ser difícil introducir cambios en el statu quo. Puede haber muchas barreras internas que superar. Un posible enfoque para ofrecer innovación en el sector del juego es comprender que no todos los cerebros están en el negocio. Cada vez son más las empresas de iGaming (como Microgaming e Yggdrasil) que se han puesto en contacto y han establecido relaciones con otras empresas más pequeñas o de nueva creación (con menos barreras / más apetito de riesgo) para ofrecer productos o ideas innovadoras.

En Digitain consideramos que ésta es una estrategia válida y, a través de nuestra iniciativa Digitown, invertiremos en los jóvenes de Armenia para apoyar la innovación. Digitown es un campus tecnológico que se está desarrollando en Ereván y será el nuevo hogar de los equipos de Digitain, además de ofrecer cierto grado de alojamiento gratuito y apoyo de mentores a las nuevas empresas tecnológicas.

Creemos que esta iniciativa beneficiará a Digitain en términos de innovaciones potenciales generadas por la relación, además de desarrollar la identidad de Ereván como centro tecnológico de excelencia.

Como señaló Maquiavelo hace unos 500 años, el cambio puede ser difícil y no siempre bien recibido, y puede necesitar determinación y empuje para conseguirlo.

Hace unos años, un grupo de científicos especializados en gestión de empresas llevó a cabo un estudio para determinar cómo la composición de los grupos de trabajo podía influir en la productividad y el rendimiento.

Reunieron a un gran grupo de directivos con experiencia y los dividieron en 10 equipos de cinco personas.

A continuación, asignaron a cada grupo una serie de tareas idénticas, que podían tener resultados medibles pero variables. Lo que los directivos de los grupos no sabían es que en la mitad de los grupos uno de los participantes era una planta. Su trabajo consistía en cuestionar cada decisión -de forma educada- pero ser implacables durante todo el proceso.

Una vez completadas y puntuadas las tareas, los resultados fueron interesantes. En todos los ejemplos, los equipos con la planta superaron a los demás equipos por una distancia significativa.

La tensión creativa provocada por las acciones de la planta que cuestionaba cada decisión había dado lugar a un mejor rendimiento general del equipo.

Los otros equipos se habían formado, asaltado, normado y rendido, pero en menor medida que los otros grupos, que se habían formado y asaltado (no normado) y rendido más.

Sin embargo, cuando se preguntó a los grupos, de forma anónima, si querían cambiar la composición de sus grupos, ¿adivina qué ocurrió?

En los grupos que habían tenido un rendimiento inferior, todos querían mantener a los mismos individuos juntos, ya que se sentían cómodos juntos.

En los grupos con mejor rendimiento, la decisión fue unánime: a pesar de su claro éxito, todos querían deshacerse del miembro realmente molesto que seguía cuestionando todo lo que hacían.

Así pues, la lección para todos nosotros…
Impulsar la innovación y el cambio,
Evitar el pensamiento de grupo, no cegarse por el statu quo y no estar demasiado enamorado de sus propios productos.
Tome decisiones basadas en datos y escuche a los demás, especialmente a sus clientes.

Y por último…
Recuerda que el progreso depende de la sinrazón. La tensión creativa (no el conflicto) es algo bueno: obtendrás mejores resultados. Fomente también las ideas y la innovación de toda la empresa.

Añadamos la palabra clave “y otros proveedores de juegos de casino online”.

No tiene sentido – decir como – es bastante específico

Argentina is one of those countries where athletes are worshipped as gods. This is especially true for football, but we shouldn’t take Argentina’s success in other sports lightly either. The country has been one of the superpowers in basketball as well, and they also have a couple of great tennis players.

Needless to say, the citizens of Argentina are equally passionate about sports betting, making their country very lucrative for various betting operators.

Is Sports Betting Legal in Argentina?

Ever since the 90s, the gambling industry has been thriving in the country, bringing more than $4 billion annually to its budget from taxes. Online casinos and sportsbooks have also been available for a long time, but their legality depends on the province.

Given the size of this Latin American country and the population living there, it comes as no surprise that Argentinian iGaming jurisdictions haven’t still managed to regulate this form of gambling on a state level. Therefore, you can bet legally in Argentina if you happen to be in the part of the country where this type of activity is legalized.

What Does the Licensing Process Look Like?

Argentina has an official gambling commission called The Provincial Institute of Lottery and Casinos (The Instituto Provincial de Lotería y Casinos Sociedad del Estado) (State Managed) and offers four legal licenses.

Therefore, if you want to apply for a sports betting license, you need to keep in touch with individual provinces which all have separate bodies that regulate the market in their jurisdictions. The problem is that the licensing process can get somewhat difficult, as Argentina still has to fix numerous issues in order to improve regulations.

For example, many of these provincial regulators don’t offer any kind of player protection, meaning that many punters from Argentina feel that it’s safer to place bets on offshore sportsbooks rather than the local ones.

Things Are Looking Good

Regulators in Argentina are well aware that they are losing the battle against offshore casinos and sportsbooks, and that’s why they are pushing forward the idea of regulating online gambling on the federal level. That way, the main gaming commission will have more power and more control over the market. The only way to stay relevant on the market in Argentina is for all provinces to join forces into one regulatory body.

Their efforts have proved futile so far, but that’s another good reason why many officials are insisting on speeding things up. It’s only a matter of time before Argentina regulates the online gambling market on the federal level and improves the gambling industry.

What Drives the Argentinian Sports Betting Market?

Despite the inability to regulate the market, Argentina still generates millions of dollars through taxes imposed on gambling. Argentinians have always shared an amazing passion for all sports, so it’s hardly a surprise that betting is one of their favorite pastimes.

Just like in Brazil (and pretty much all the South American countries), people in Argentina are completely mad about football (or soccer). In fact, one of the best players ever in this sport is Argentinian — Diego Armando Maradona. Moreover, the current Argentinian national team features several football superstars, including Lionel Messi who is the biggest pretender to the throne of the Greatest of All Time.

Moreover, the residents of Argentina love watching club football, including their own Superliga Argentina where legendary clubs such as River Plate and Boca Juniors are often the main reason why people place bets.

Conclusion: Argentina Has Huge Potential

As you can see, punters in Argentina love betting, and football is definitely one of the sports that generate the greatest revenue from bets. However, the country faces a struggle when it comes to regulating online casinos and sportsbooks, as it currently lacks strong federal legislation that could improve the state of affairs.

Despite all the entangled uncertainty, Argentina is still a huge country with millions of people who make up the sports betting market. With such power in their hands, it is only a matter of time before the officials are going to sort things out and allow the Argentinian landscape to flourish further, paving the way for more opportunities.

If you are into the online gambling industry, you probably have already noticed one interesting fact — many casinos and sportsbooks are licensed in Malta. Why’s that?

Malta has been offering offshore licenses for gambling platforms for some time now. The Malta Gaming Authority is one of the most popular governing bodies that regulate online gambling sites, as it is a trustworthy and independent body that makes sure you’re not playing games or betting on a scam platform.

However, what many don’t know is that Malta is also home to several beautiful casinos and sports betting venues that attract thousands of tourists.

So, what’s the current state of affairs with sports betting, and how does it affect the country of Malta, its economy, its citizens, and more?

Is Sports Betting Legal in Malta?

Here’s the shortest possible answer for you — yes. Malta was a pioneer country to recognize online gambling as a legit form of gambling, and one of the first jurisdictions of the iGaming framework. This also included sportsbooks.

Needless to say, the citizens of Malta were immediately able to enjoy a great offer of both sports betting services and online casinos. However, making everything legal on the web paved the way for the regulators in Malta to come up with their “offshore” regulator concept that was one of the first of its kind. In other words, no other country in Europe was able to sort out the whole “online gambling thing” approximately two decades ago, but Malta wasn’t waiting around and offered a great solution.

The licensing procedure began with a piece of legislation called Public Lotto Ordinance. However, not long after that, the Lotteries and Other Games Act prevailed and made all possible types of gambling legal. Mind you, this was the year of 2001, so Malta was very quick to act.

A couple of years after that, in 2004, the country updated the regulations with a legislative piece simply called Remote Gaming Regulations. It recognizes four types of licenses that operators can apply, and what we are most interested in is the Class 2 license which is connected to sports betting.

From Malta with Love

The Republic of Malta is an island country located in the Mediterranean Sea. It’s a rather small country, so it alone cannot really make a market big enough to support the gambling industry.

However, Malta is now a part of the European Union, meaning its market is substantially larger. In other words, Malta positioned itself as the gambling capital of the EU, not only because it is a sort of tax haven and offers offshore licenses, but also because it has managed to build a rich tradition in gambling.

Would it be an overstatement to say that Malta can be considered Las Vegas of Europe? Probably yes, as the number of entertainment options is far more extensive in Sin City. The common denominator between these two gambling centers is that they are both exceptional at what they do — provide a safe and legitimate place for people to have fun and gamble.

Make no mistake — the country’s rich history and unique culture have been one of the main reasons why people love visiting it. However, its officials decided that they can raise tax revenue by even more if they offer visitors various types of entertainment, including land-based casinos and sportsbooks.

What Does the Future Look Like for Sports Betting in Malta?

Sports betting, just like casino gaming, has become an integral part of Malta’s identity, and its popularity will rise exponentially in the following years. The residents and visitors of Malta can enjoy betting on various sports (and non-sports) activities around the globe in online or land-based sportsbooks. The industry has been thriving, thanks to those officials who were quick to regulate the online market and position country as a pivotal player in the online gambling industry.

Therefore, Malta is a great place for both operators seeking to regulate their sportsbooks and punters who are looking for sports betting options. It’s one of those places that is open to gambling of all kinds. Perhaps that’s why it is doing so well.

Sportsbooks are definitely more popular than ever, especially ever since online variants of their services successfully transitioned to the web. Why’s that?

Sports betting has always been there side by side with sports. Ancient Romans allowed betting on gladiator fights, and even civilizations before Rome left some traces of their knowledge and luck by placing bets on various activities.

However, it’s online sportsbooks that revolutionised this activity, and Digitain’s sportsbook software is at the forefront of this revolution.

The Online Revolution

Nowadays, the sports betting industry is thriving worldwide, and people are more eager than ever to place bets on their favourite sports. There are two reasons for that.

First of all, there is a huge number of sports and an increase in the data available to sportsbooks. Take basketball, for example — you can make over/under bets on individual players, make handicap bets (spread bets), guess the final score, and much more. All of that is possible because of the data that can be “harvested.”

The other reason is simply that sportsbooks are one click away. Therefore, we only need to connect to the internet and we will be able to enter the exciting world of sports, games, odds, and much more.

But there’s one thing that you need to keep in mind — the internet is vast and full of platforms that are not worth your time or money. If a sportsbook is not properly catering to users’ needs, you need to avoid it.

One of the reasons why Digitain is so popular is that its major product is flawless sportsbook software.

Digitain Sportsbook Software Is the Answer

As you may know, in order to run properly, every online sportsbook or platform that offers sports betting services needs proper underlying software that will make betting possible.

However, simply making sports betting available is not enough. The underlying code is a complex product that needs to make every visitor happy by feeding them with proper information regarding sports, odds, and more.

At the moment, Digitain offers one such product that uses API technology and offers cutting-edge performances. It’s perfect for the people who want a full sports betting experience, providing various sports data, stats, odds, live betting, and more.

The Digitain Software Does All the Math

Sportsbook software nowadays is expected to be the force that drives the entire betting service on various platforms, and that’s exactly what Digitain’s product does.

First of all, by using this product, operators who want to incorporate a sportsbook will gain instant access to more than 35,000 real-life monthly events, as well as more than 40,000 pre-match monthly events.

There are dozens of different sports out there, and Digitain is committed to covering them all, offering more than 65 sports already, as well as 3,000+ betting markets.

Apart from the standard offer of sports betting options, Digitain’s product is available in several languages and supports several currencies as well. On top of that, it offers great risk-management tools and native mobile apps.

How to Connect to Digitain Sportsbook Software?

Digitain’s sportsbook software is based on two APIs — iFrame API and Bespoke API. The former allows you to quickly create a navigation interface and rebrand it to suit your platform, without actually including additional front-end developers. In other words, this API saves you both time and money if you are a business looking to incorporate sportsbook software into your offer.

On the other hand, the latter API, called Bespoke, is crucial for sportsbook integration to your system. However, what makes it special is that it is built in such a way to leave room for additional modules to be attached.

This means that if your platform needs to increase product revenue, you can attach modules for online casinos, live dealer casinos, and virtual sports.

Simply put, sportsbook software made by Digitain offers one comprehensive and high-quality product that is highly customizable, yet user and beginner-friendly. By connecting it to your business, you will be able to enter this multi-billion dollar industry and offer state-of-the-art betting services to online users.

Sitting atop Africa’s North Western tip is the continent’s largest country – Algeria. All forms of gambling, including online, are illegal in the world’s tenth-largest nation. Over 98 percent of Algerians are Muslim, and the country’s legal system is based on Sharia law. Indeed, gambling is strictly forbidden by the Quran, and therefore by Algerian law.

Online Gambling in Algeria

However, state-sanctioned lotteries and sports betting are used for funding social welfare and public projects. In fact, there’s a 40% tax on all winning and even the occasional instances where betting is permitted are closer to charity than gambling. The country has no licenced gambling sites of its own, nor are there any foreign web-based gaming services hosted within its borders.

Not satisfied with simply restricting gambling services, in the last decade government officials have also tried to censor any website at all that encourages ‘moral degeneracy’.

The best option for Algerian gamblers is therefore to use international operators who accept players from all corners of the globe. Although such providers are offshore for Algerian residents, they are regulated by local authorities to ensure a fair gaming experience. Given that the country’s restrictive betting laws focus on providers, rather than players, Algerians can enjoy playing without fear of legal reprisal.

As ever, though, caution is advisable. While Algerian gambling regulations don’t specify punishments for individual punters, the authorities can simply use other laws to press charges against them. Thus far, however, they have shown no intent to do so.

Online Poker and Online Sports Betting

Although poker is forbidden by Islamic law, there are some foreign sites accessible to Algerian players. Among these exist a variety of international operators, many of them French. France’s gambling laws prohibit citizens from using international poker sites, but players residing in other countries can play on French websites.

Surprisingly, Algerian regulations around sports betting are less stringent. Moreover, the country has hippodromes where horse racing is organized. Betting on them is illegal, of course, but sports gambling often happens regardless.

Both online casino and sports betting are prohibited by law, and websites are typically blocked, but individuals are very rarely prosecuted. 

Potential Regulatory Changes

Clearly, Algerian gambling enthusiasts already play in a highly restrictive regulatory environment. They have little reason to be more optimistic about the future. Lawmakers are considering closing some of the loopholes enjoyed by gamblers. If they do, using a VPN gateway to access foreign sites will be the least of any player’s worries. Indeed, the state is considering criminalizing the evasion of government filters.

However, iGaming is very popular in Algeria, and there is hope that the positive industry landscape in many South African states will inspire their fellow Africans on the other side of the continent to follow suit. If they do, Algerian gamblers may finally have something to cheer about. 

With most of Western Europe’s iGaming industry remaining fragmented, and the United Stated being only at the beginning of approving iGaming on a state-by-state basis, many operators and online gaming software developers find South Africa to be very welcoming to international iGaming brands, while also very hospitable for the growth of local organizations too.

In fact, if we look at regulations, it seems that Africa might have a stronger awareness of tackling issues such as money laundering and other severe links usually found between gambling and crime than most other continents.

A Favorable Landscape

There are many reasons why South Africa is in the focus of many iGaming companies. One of which certainly is the fact that almost two-thirds of the population is aged 24 and under, which of the main target demographics.

This presents an immediate advantage for the iGaming companies looking to set up shop. Increased smartphone use is even faster than the adoption of Internet connectivity, which can help the industry gain a better reach and offer its diverse range of mobile games to an even larger young audience.

Industry reports show that Africa and the Middle East have the highest growth in mobile gaming. These two continents has achieved 26.6% year-on-year growth and demand for gaming titles. But iGaming operators must remember that smartphone technology adoption in Africa is still somewhat behind the devices used in the Western world. So operators and iGaming software developers need to prepare themselves for the challenge of tailoring state-of-the-art mobile games to older devices.

Mobile Gaming at the Center

Another reasons why iGaming operators and software providers are turning their attention to South Africa are the nation’s growing economic power and the regulators ability to keep the industry under control. Africa tries to tackle the iGaming jurisdiction head-on by adopting the global best practices and putting them to work for African consumers.

The African countries have great appetite for gaming. Some of the primary gaming destinations include South Africa, Kenya, and Nigeria. But there are also other projects in Lesotho, including the revamp of the land-based casino.

Rising Revenues

Another important factor are the constantly rising revenue numbers. Back in 2015, the PwC manager for South Africa reported in the annual gambling outlook that revenues are expected to make a substantial rise to R30 billion ($2.17 billion) in 2019. Reports in the following years stated that predictions rose to an even higher number of R34 billion, that shows that the gaming industry is growing faster than expected. But the newest edition of the Gambling Outlook is still not publicly available, there are still no indications on what are the factors that account for the industry’s rapid growth.

Another report – Latest Gambling Stats, by Gauteng Gambling Board, published in November 2018 shoes one indicator that stands out about the others. The number of LPM’s (gaming machines) at registered route operators went up, from 1394 to 2266 machines in April 2017. If the similar trend was experience across all provinces in South Africa, the new sites and machines introduced to the market might be why the predictions for 2019 increased by an extra billion rand in 2017.

Last Words

Despite the slow economic growth on the continent, gambling revenues continue to rise in Africa. And entering this market is most certainly a smart decision for any service provides, gambling software developer or operator. But they need to keep in mind that sports betting is also very big in South Africa, with cricket and football being the most popular sports.

However, South Africa is a complex market that requires substantial amount of research, information, planning and networking before making the leap. But the operators, software providers and sportsbooks that put down the necessary groundwork can be handsomely rewarded in the years to come.

Customer Relationship Marketing (CRM) is an important business practice today. As competition increases, and customer bases and markets grow larger, it is becoming increasingly important for online gaming operators to get more information about their customers in order to maintain (and potentially grow) their market share and build customer lifetime value. The gaming industry has championed the practice of customer relationship management – in fact, casinos have been keeping track of customers for years. But with CRM, they can take the customer relationship to a whole new level.

The Importance of CRM in the Gaming Industry

Casinos have been at the forefront of realising the enormous value of truly detailed customer information and using this information in managing their customer relationships. For several years, almost every casino’s information system has already contained data on player statistics, such as average bet, duration of play, and win/loss – using a CRM software now serves to centralise data gathering and analytics efforts even further.

Usually, CRM systems are designed to collect customer information across multiple channels and contact points, while also holding the potential to be equipped with customer-facing staff armed with exhaustive information on customers’ personal preferences.

The main goal of CRM is to help companies to:

• gain a better understanding of their customer behaviour
• develop stronger customer relationships by customisation of customer service
• improve their marketing and engagement efforts
• be more efficient customer acquisition and retention
• reduce churn rate
• more effective cross-selling
• automate repetitive tasks to enhance marketing efforts
• increased measurability of marketing efforts and campaigns
• refine audience segmentation for more focused targeting
• improve cost management
• increase profitability.

Casinos have been masters of CRM for years, utilising complex customer data on a larger scale, from sources such as socioeconomic databases, loyalty cards, and cross-matching of credit cards with other files. Truth is, what casinos and gaming platforms are doing is nothing new compared to what other businesses are doing – but are more sophisticated about it. This is especially the case given the unforgiving conditions in which the technology has to perform. Casinos and gaming platforms operate 24/7, so there is no time to make database updates or backups. In iGaming, the use of CRM is immediate – employees need customer data as soon as possible – while the customer is ‘standing’ in front of them.

Successful CRM Implementation

There are serious advantages over rival that come from a successful CRM implementation. In using CRM tools, gaming companies can take an analytical approach in using their information. All customer data is stored in one data warehouse which is accessible to marketing managers so they can analyse the data and harness predictive modeling. At the same time, customer service representatives can also access these records to improve communication and answer customer queries with personalised responses and offers.

The true power of CRM systems lies in their potential to minimize risk of failure by leveraging the true potential of their data wealth which is stored and consolidated in a structured manner and yields comprehensive insights into players’ preferences and needs.

Impact on Business Performance

Implementing a CRM solution requires thorough planning and careful execution. In the long run, it pays to have the support of an experienced team that can help the process of setting up and using the CRM system.

A word of warning however, attention to current resources that are readily available are far more important to success than the amount of money spent on robust CRM systems. It is what you do with the information you collect in order to benefit from implementing a CRM system that will truly define your return on investment. CRM cannot fail if you plan accordingly.

It is crucial for online gaming businesses to fully recognise the value of customers over time. And even though technology plays a key role, the focus should be on the business practice. Even though you need top-level support for CRM implementation, the future (and success) of CRM lies in the hands of the employees that use it on a daily basis to ensure the customers are truly catered to. CRMs help gaming companies change the way they work, leading them to change their focus from serving the general public to catering to single customers. Thus, building stronger relationships and increasing retention rates and profits – which in turn, pave the way to success.

As more and more countries change their legislation in favour of online sports betting, sportsbooks are beginning to lose their traditional advantage of tapping unexploited markets.

Unsurprisingly, the need to seek a technological edge over the competition to gain advantage is now more important than ever. As technological advancements and their industry-wide adoption grows faster, companies that leverage those innovations have it all to gain.

Technology Drives Sports Betting Further

The introduction of disruptors such as blockchain-based sports betting, as well as VR technology are just a small part of the extensive innovations we are expecting to see in the industry over the coming years. Of course, when it comes to collaborating on these technologies, there’s no better place than Betting on Sports to talk about the latest industry news and tech disruption.

Taking place on 17-20th September in London, it’s a headline event in the sports betting world, with more than 3500 delegates from around the world coming to participate, do business and network with senior executives from the industry’s largest betting and gaming companies.

Digitain on Betting on Sports

This year, Digitain is set to participate, displaying its latest in tech and innovation, as well as discussing business opportunities with its friends and future partners.

Some of the more outstanding products in Digitain’s offer include the Digital iGaming Platform, Sportsbook software, payment gateway, casino aggregator, skill-based games, and much more.

The Digital iGaming Platform is developed using cutting-edge technologies to provide a novel approach and boosted services. It also enables monitoring and management of players’ accounts, a thorough behavior analysis, and tracking online revenue for lifetime player value optimization, by supporting online and offline channels.

Digitain’s sportsbook software is developed to cater for the needs of international, European, American, African and Asian agent-based operators. It also provides comprehensive support, and a customizable interface that can be easily integrated with an existing platform through the API.

Alongside, skill-based games and bet on games are always a staple fixture in the gaming community. Digitain offers their partners access to the latest skill-based games which enable brands to reach a wide variety of player demographics. All of Digitain’s P2P games are not only easily integrated, but they also provide a hassle-free frictionless accessibility to more content. P2P games two-player games that start with one player creating the game and the second one joins.

As part of its extensive portfolio, Digitain offers the following skill based games: Belote, Backgammon, Dominoes, Game 21, Pasur. And for bet on games, Digitain has: Keno, Crash, and Hi Lo.

Create the Future

The upcoming decade will see sports betting businesses face a raft of changes and challenges, and those that fail to adapt to the latest in innovation that their customers expect will fall behind. Staying ahead of the game is crucial, and there’s no better place to do it than Betting on Sports. Providing operators, sportsbook developers and iGaming software with the latest insight into industry trends and innovation is one not to be missed. So, mark the date, join Digitain there and we’ll help you stay ahead of the competition!

Online casinos have many advantages over land-based casinos. For one, they don’t have space restrictions and can feature hundreds of games. This is great for players, except when they need to choose one casino and one game to play. When you go to a land-based casino, you can ask for a tour, or you can ask other players for advice. But, how do you do this online?

Tips for Choosing the Right Casino Game

In many online casinos, that are powered by extensive solutions, like the Casino Games Aggregator, you can go through the complete game offering by checking the casino lobby. Even then, you will find that each game has its own unique advantages. Choosing one remains a matter of personal preference.

Here are five things you need to consider before deciding on a specific game.

#1 How Long Do You Intend to Play?

Online casinos don’t have time restrictions. You can play any game at any time of day, every day. And you can play as long as you like, even if you are on a small budget. What’s even better, many online casinos offer welcome bonuses to players who sign up so they can play online for real before spending their own money. But if you plan to play for a longer time, be aware of the minimal betting requirements. They are not the same for all games, so you’d need to check them beforehand.
Some games you can play for a long time with lower bets include video slots, video poker, blackjack or roulette.

#2 Do You like Quick Games?

Different casino games have different tempo. Some games, like traditional table or card games, take a while. But online casinos offer a wide variety of games, including quick games, such as video slots or classic slots. To speed things up, you can also pick the ‘auto play’ option with most slot games, and bet the same amount for several rounds.

If you are unsure of the duration of a game, one of the best ways to figure it out is to play a free round.

#3 Do You Prefer to Play Alone or With Others?

Online casinos are great for player that want to enjoy their favorite games alone. There are many automated games where players don’t need to interact with anyone, not even dealers. And of course, there are games that offer joining ‘rooms’ or ‘tables’ and playing with live dealers and real players and enjoy a nice game of poker or blackjack from the comfort of their homes.

#4 Do You Want to Bet High or Low?

Betting low is a good tactic if you want to play for a longer time, are on a budget or you simply don’t want to test your luck. Players who prefer to bet low in classic card games are called ‘low rollers’. In addition to betting low in card games, the wide variety of slot games makes classic and video slots a popular choice. This game is available in every online casino. And in some, can be played even with bets as low as 1 cent.

If you are looking for thrill, want to spend more money, and join the ‘high rollers’ club, classic table games such as blackjack, poker, baccarat or Punto Banco, and roulette usually have the option to join a table that allows (extra) high betting. Usually, those are the VIP tables.

#5 Are You Looking for an Intellectual Challenge?

Slot games are games of chance and require no skill. On the other hand, card games don’t rely solely on chance. Some card games are intellectually challenging, and leave room for learning and improvement. In those games you can actually implement a game plan and a winning strategy. Blackjack and poker are great examples of this. Since there are numerous variations, you need to constantly look for ways to adapt your strategy. The more you play, the more you know. But before you start playing for money, it would be wise to practice a lot. There are many free casinos where you can do that – get better without risk.

If you are looking for a different mental challenge, you can also look for sports betting opportunities. Sports betting is great for sports fans that want test their knowledge, have some fun, and earn money.

Having fun and taking risk are the two main drivers of casino gaming. And the best way to decide which casino game suits you the most is to play different games. But keep in mind that no wins are guaranteed. So make sure to use the practice mode first. Bet carefully, and only ever play with money you can afford to lose. Happy playing!

The past few years, the iGaming industry grew in popularity and had consistent growth. The technological innovations that drive the industry have also resulted with the development of various alternative payment methods, created to accommodate the ever-changing rules and regulation, as well as players’ needs. But one thing is constant through it all – operators must provide multiple and safe payment systems, including e-wallets, contactless payment, mobile payment, and even cryptocurrency.

The list of alternative payment methods constantly grows and evolves. And online gaming operators must be aware of the new trends and choose the ones that are most suitable and preferred by their clients. Here are the most prominent alternative payments in the iGaming industry, making for more secure and transparent relationships between players and iGaming merchants.

Cryptocurrencies

Even though online gaming and online casino platforms continuously upgrade their safety and security measures, many players still feel uncomfortable sharing personal information like debit and credit card numbers. That’s why, many of them prefer using cryptocurrency payments to play. Everything that both parties want, online gaming operators and players, is provided by cryptocurrencies based on Blockchain technology, like bitcoin, litecoin, and ethereum. Including identity theft protection, everyone access and use it, its decentralized, transparent, secure, cost-effective and recognition at the universal level. So it seems that the iGaming industry and cryptocurrencies are a match made in heaven.

Blockchain Technology and Tokenization

Another way players can make deposits and withdrawals without using personal information is by using of tokenization. Tokenization is the process of replacing sensitive data with unique identification numbers. And usually, these transactions happen over the blockchain technology. The tokenization payments which use Blockchain offer a high level of security, while remaining transparent, yet anonymous. This alternative payment method is very important for the iGaming industry because it gives players the confidence to log in and play. Ensuring them, they will stay safe, secure, protected and anonymous even in the case of a data breach.

Wearable Payment Tech

Wearable devices are slowly becoming the new standard. From simply tracking your vitals and results during physical activities, to receiving smartphone notifications or making calls. And now, they are slowly entering the payment industry.  Wearables, such as smartwatches, allow for making contactless payments, which adds a layer of convenience and security. Therefore, making wearables a real game-changer for players and online gambling providers.

Artificial Intelligence in Payment Processing

Another technological advancement that makes its way into the world of payments is artificial intelligence (AI). This tech already has a wide application in the gaming industry. More specifically in instant cross-platform payments, fraud analysis, customer payment risk, data protection and privacy, and more. The use of AI help operators and iGaming providers understand users’ issue, monitor and understand how players interact with games in different environments, and track their behavior. That way they can offer player games that are more suited to their preferences, making them want to play more. But, the use of AI in payments can also lead to enabling even more convenient payment methods that protect the safety and security of players and operators. AI can be a huge game-changer for the industry, in every way, and operators must keep their eyes on any further advancements and applications.  

Eliminating Credit Cars and Opting in for Alternative Payments

Most players are increasingly concerned about the safety and security of their personal information. As a result, many of them choose to use alternative payments that don’t require the direct use of debit or credit cards.

This preference pushes operators to look for other, better-suited alternatives that can accommodate the needs of the players. And with iGaming facilities spread across multiple geo-locations, it is important to identify the payment alternatives that are best fit for each region. Oftentimes, this means offering different solutions to different regions.

Hopefully, the new alternative payments such as cryptocurrencies and tokenization can help operators overcome such complications and provide a one-stop solution that can accommodate all their needs in one place. While at the same time, allow players from all over the world enjoy their favorite games without having to worry about currency acceptance or data safety.