On 24 November, Pragmatic Play will release its hotly anticipated live casino title of the year, Sweet Bonanza CandyLand.

Following in the footsteps of one of its most popular slot titles, Sweet Bonanza, we spoke with Julian Jarvis, chief executive officer at Pragmatic Play, to find out more about this eagerly awaited title.

CasinoBeats: What was the inspiration behind Sweet Bonanza CandyLand?

JJ: As I’m sure you know, Sweet Bonanza is one of Pragmatic Play’s best ever performing slot titles. Even two years after launch it is still going very strong in multiple markets, which pays testament to the ideas and mechanics that went into the original game.

There are a few different sources of inspiration, one comes from the candy theme used in Sweet Bonanza the slot. We felt the bright colours and generally more relaxed aesthetic would translate over well to a live casino setting and would make a change from the standard and more serious ‘Vegas Style’ themes that players tend to be more familiar with.

Furthermore, over time we have upgraded our live casino technology, and so we believed the candy theme would be perfect for the enhanced audiovisual experience we are now able to create. So instead of just bringing players to a live casino table, we’re using our immersive audiovisual technology to transport them to an entirely different world all together.

CasinoBeats: Do you think the title will have crossover appeal?

JJ: We’re confident that the title will resonate with those players who loved the Sweet Bonanza slot which has been one of our best performing games. We’ve remained true to the important elements of the slot title while also ensuring the game offers an authentic live casino experience. We believe that many players will make the switch to live casino to engage with the title in a different way.

We think the game has widespread appeal and will be enjoyed by various player types in regulated markets across the world.

CasinoBeats: What does Sweet Bonanza CandyLand bring to your live casino offering?

JJ: We judge the strength of our portfolio not only through the number of games but the quality and variety that we can offer, and Sweet Bonanza CandyLand brings something entirely unique to our portfolio. 

As mentioned previously, taking the audio visual experience to another level is something that we will continue to emphasise in our Live Casino offering. The game will be broadcasted from our brand new studio in Bucharest where we mix physical elements with a virtual 3D world to give a truly immersive experience. In addition, the mechanics and features of this game should really excite players with 2 bonus games and extra features to keep players engaged.

We firmly believe Sweet Bonanza CandyLand will provide a live casino experience to players that they haven’t seen before.

CasinoBeats: How does the game work and what extra features can players expect?

JJ: The new game has 6 betting positions on the wheel:​

• 4 numbers – 1, 2, 5, 10​

• 2 bonus games with the opportunity for enhanced wins

As the wheel lands on the Sugar Bomb section, a random multiplier up to 10X will be awarded and a re-spin of the wheel will be initiated.​ 

There are also 2 bonus games to give an enhanced experience to players, the sweet spins bonus game and the candy drop bonus game. These bonus games have dedicated areas within the studios with their own interactive environments, adding another layer of variety to ensure players don’t become attuned to just one setting.

CasinoBeats: What sort of benefits does this title bring to operators?

JJ: Operators can benefit from showcasing a new game to players that is already linked with an iconic slot title, so from the offset, Sweet Bonanza CandyLand will be recognisable to many. Therefore, this title should be useful especially as it relates to cross-selling for operators which can be a difficult challenge. Of course, we have a comprehensive media pack containing all necessary design resources ready to go, which makes the marketing process more efficient for operators.

I would add that the vivid colours and unique theme of Sweet Bonanza CandyLand could enhance the acquisition efforts of operators as everything about the title is built to be eye-catching. Amongst a sea of other live casino titles with red and green tables and dealers dressed in black, we are aiming to turn heads with pinks, purples and yellows.

Sweet Bonanza CandyLand adds true diversity for operators in a live casino space that can often fall victim to oversaturation of the same concepts. The hype around this product is continuing to grow, and we have a lot of faith that this product will be a disruptor in the live casino space.