Latin American jurisdictions have become prime candidates for expansion for many igaming incumbents in recent times, something that is also the case for BGaming, a casino games provider born out of the SoftSwiss software group.
With this in mind we spoke to Claudio Stagno about continuing its success story as a standalone company, building from strength in Eastern Europe to target more active territories – particularly in LatAm – and why licensing in Malta will open the door to more regulated markets.
CasinoBeats: Can you tell our readers a bit more about the setup at BGaming? When was it decided that a proprietary casino games division was needed alongside the SoftSwiss platform?
Claudio Stagno: In 2012, SoftSwiss started building a new development team to design and create online slots and table games. Then a year later, it launched its first online slots with Aztec Magic Book of Pyramids, as well as various table games including European Roulette, Texas Hold’em and BlackjackSurrender.
After six years forming part of the SoftSwiss family, BGaming was launched in 2018 as a stand-alone company to continue on its remarkable success.
CB: And where did you fit into this?
CS: A year after the BGaming launch, just over 12 months ago now, I joined the company as head of the sales division to focus on expanding our active territories, and specifically to introduce our games to operators across Europe and LatAm.
CB: Has the BGaming brand developed as you expected it to?
CS: Even though I only joined the company last year, we have continued to develop new titles like All Lucky Clovers and Elvis the Frog (named SOTW by SlotBeats this week) to keep up with market demands.
One of the changes I have seen in the last 12 months is the attention to detail that our team now places on producing player focused games together with exceptional music, while maintaining the same entertainment factor.
CB: What are you working on right now? Which casino platform providers and game aggregators will be integrating BGaming content before the end of the year?
CS: We are currently exploring new LatAm markets where we are very pleased to launch in Q1 2021 together with platform providers such as Salsa Technology. We are also currently integrating with EveryMatrix, BetConstruct, SoftGamings and iSoftBet.
“I don’t see the stricter licensing conditions impacting company culture”
CB: And what about 2021? How does this look for BGaming, particularly given the obvious benefits for slot creators as major gaming countries return to lockdown?
CS: Every year we are always looking into launching our games for new markets. And 2021 is no different, so we will be looking to add our games to the Danish and Italian market.
While other industries are struggling in 2020 because of COVID, we have – like many other igaming companies – experienced an increase in revenue for our casino games. It is up to us to retain this growth together with our operators. Our exceptional account management team is constantly assisting our operators with various promotions.
CB: But how can you make best use of this window of opportunity? Can you outline any product features unique to BGaming content?
CS: We offer various game features, but one of the most unique is that BGaming is the first major igaming provider to introduce ‘provable fairness’ feature where – with the help of cryptography – players can easily verify that all results are indeed unbiased and random.
And, not a feature, but in keeping with our ‘we’re not innovators, we’re game changers’ motto, we have launched our first multi-slot game with four games, All Lucky Clovers.
CB: How important is extra certification and licensing to your future plans? What are the key markets you are looking at?
CS: As B2C and B2B companies become more focused on regulated markets, BGaming is no different. We have to continue to expand our games into existing regulated markets while constantly looking at market trends.
CB: And finally referencing your pursuit of a Malta Gaming Authority licence, do you think its stricter conditions will impact your company culture, increasing your accountability for compliance processes?
CS: I don’t see the stricter licensing conditions impacting company culture. But as Malta continues to be the hub for this amazing industry, it is very important for BGaming to obtain this licence. It will open the door for new regulated markets and help us to establish ourselves as a major player.
