Habanero is set to play an important role in next week’s  CasinoBeats Summit 2022 conference and exhibition in Malta, where the studio will be showcasing its latest releases and hoping to triumph in the CasinoBeats Game Developer Awards, having been shortlisted in four categories. 

Ahead of the Summit and Awards, we spoke to Habanero’s Head of Business Development Arcangelo Lonoce about what he is expecting in Malta and the key trends influencing the company’s development of new titles. 

CasinoBeats: With Habanero set for its first CasinoBeats Summit event, what are your team excited about for the show? 

Arcangelo Lonoce: Of course, it’s always great to touch base with the wider industry and our contacts. As one of the biggest shows in the igaming calendar, there will be considerable buzz and anticipation surrounding it, and we are so excited to be there.

That said, we’re most excited about the opportunity to take home awards, with Malta being one of the most attractive markets in the igaming space. The hub serves as a gateway to a lot of fantastic opportunities with operators across Europe and beyond and is a key component of any leading operator’s portfolio.

There’s an enormous number of licensees operating across multiple jurisdictions that serve Malta, and with our MGA licence opening the doors to these exciting opportunities, the sky really is the limit.

CB: Habanero celebrated its MGA licence last year to plenty of fanfare; how key do you see Malta as a base for your European operations? 

AL: Building on from our first answer, Malta is key as it’s a gateway to endless opportunities with valuable operators. As the world’s main igaming hub with over 200 leading businesses based there, Malta has been at the centre of everything for the past decade. 

An MGA licence is an absolute must-have for frontrunners that want to enter partnerships and collaborate with the big-name suppliers.

CB: Looking at European and indeed, North American online casino, what do you see as the key gaming trends that will shape slot development during this year and next? 

AL: We’re seeing a shift towards a balance between innovation and the traditional types of gameplay that players expect, with successful titles providing excitement but also the familiar environment that slot players are known to enjoy. 

The digital environment has grown exponentially over the past couple of years, and we’re now at a point where any major supplier needs to cater to the habits and expectations of modern players that populate these spaces. 

Requirements change faster than they ever used to, and are very much based on the Amazon, Spotify and Netflix model of catered content. Players expect innovation and excitement as the bare minimum, and it is the job of suppliers, developers and operators to identify the expectations of their audiences and deliver suitable products. In short, what I’m trying to say is that a slot needs to remain a slot, but it does need new developments to build excitement amongst players.

CB: Habanero’s also been shortlisted for a number of categories in the CasinoBeats Game Developer Awards. What do you believe has set Habanero apart from other finalists?

AL: It’s all about the maths for us, and this is one of the things we are renowned for. Being considered for these awards pits us against some of the best slots in the industry, and we’re thrilled to be battling it out with some of the most prominent studios in the world. 

In terms of what truly sets us apart, it has to be the ability to create fantastic entertainment products with really strong mathematics that inspire players to return time and time again. With regards to our customer service, our feedback suggests that we’re absolutely the best in class, and I’m incredibly proud of our reputation in this regard.

We really go above and beyond to ensure that we’re fast, efficient, and integrate our product seamlessly to support our customers’ every need. We also boast fantastic marketing tools and an extremely flexible patented jackpot solution, Jackpot Race, which provides operators with the ability to configure as many winners as they please, depending on the promotion they are running.

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Organised by SBC, the CasinoBeats Summit 2022 conference and exhibition will take place on May 24-26 at the InterContinental in St Julian’s, Malta.

The summit features a conference agenda that focuses on igaming industry leadership, the next generation of slots and live casino games, emerging markets, the impact of wider technological developments on the gaming industry, and marketing strategies. Delegates will also have access to a programme of networking events and an exhibition featuring the latest innovations and games releases from leading suppliers.

Find full details, including how to book a pass, at the CasinoBeats Summit website