Gaining a Malta Gaming Authority licence has enabled BGaming to strengthen its international position whilst also highlighting the company’s competitive advantages, according to Marina Ostrovtsova, Executive Director at BGaming.
Speaking to CasinoBeats, Ostrovtsova shed some light on the supplier’s global vision and the challenges that differing regulations pose.
CasinoBeats: Thanks for taking the time to chat with us! So can you give us a bit of an overview of the different markets that BGaming currently operates in?
Historically we have a strong presence and positions in CIS markets, but since 2021 we have been rapidly growing in MGA markets, adding new countries to our portfolio. Today BGaming performs on all the markets covered by MGA and Curacao licenсes.
Talking about the countries where certifications are needed, we cover all the technical and legal requirements of the local regulators. Our games were highly ranked in Latin America, and we are already taking steps toward exploring this region.
Crypto projects have always been our priority. The studio’s portfolio includes provably fair games and popular among crypto players fast games. BGaming’s online games currently support a broad listing of crypto and fiat currencies and virtual currencies used in social casinos to best appeal to players’ preferences.
We have recently added Crypto SNACK, the world’s fastest-growing igaming token, as a currency and will proceed to increase our currency portfolio. We see that NFT is gaining momentum and are interested in integrating it into our portfolio. Still, we are researching how to add more value to NFTs than just incorporating digital assets in the slots.
CasinoBeats: BGaming received an MGA licence at the beginning of the year – what new doors has this opened for the company?
Getting an MGA licence made us visible, strengthened our positions among other content suppliers, and helped to highlight competitive advantages. One of such advantages is, for example, our diverse portfolio which includes online slots, table games, multiplayer games, lotteries, and fast games, which are popular among crypto players.
The studio’s innovative solution of developing branded and custom games has become a valuable asset to increase partners’ GGR and was highly rated by big operators focused on building solid brands.
CasinoBeats: How has receiving an MGA licence helped solidify BGaming’s position as a leading games developer?
MGA licence is a must-have for the content provider and a sign to the market that you are ready to move forward. The licence brought some great names to our client portfolio and helped boost our market positions.
Still, the situation in the EU has changed a lot recently, and more countries are introducing their local licences to control all the players’ activities in their markets. The regulation became stricter and the MGA licence does not give as much opportunity as it used to.
CasinoBeats: Can you give us a sneak peak into some of the markets that you are considering for expansion?
Overall we have entered a stage of colossal transformation: getting new licences, entering new markets, and working on new products and services.
If we are talking more specifically about markets, Spain is the one we are entering soon. We also consider Italy a priority and will quickly be able to distribute our content there. The studio is now adjusting its system to comply with the local Italian requirements.
We used to have a Romanian licence some time ago and are now working on renewing it, considering this region a good business opportunity. Slovakia & Bulgaria are also in our focus at the moment. Much interest in our games comes from Latin America lately, which pushes our content integration to this market.
CasinoBeats: What would you say are the main challenges when it comes to entering a new market? And how has BGaming overcome these?
Knowing the requirements of a particular regulator is the measurement of how quickly and easily you can enter the market. Let’s call this homework. At BGaming, we built processes from the beginning and went through different stages – from a complete shortage of requirements knowledge to the full readiness to be audited, certified, and licensed. So we do our homework well.
Competition in all the markets is massive, and each igaming provider is trying to stand out. Our approach is to create high-quality, diverse games for players and respectfully listen to operators. We strive not just to integrate our games but also to consider local aspects and preferences by producing custom and branded games in collaboration with operators.
Analytics helps to make tendencies more transparent and helps us identify local players’ choices to provide relevant content. Ongoing experiments with mechanics, features, sound, and characters, together with high-powered data collection and analytics, help our portfolio to remain popular.
CasinoBeats: If you had to make a prediction, where do you see BGaming in five years time?
It goes without saying that we will continue growing. We are already trendsetters in some niches like crypto gambling and custom games development, and we don’t plan to stop here. We feel our strength in quickly understanding the market needs and helping operators capitalise on them. Whatever the market trends bring us, we will be flexible to implement them in the best possible way.
The current situation shows that obtaining more licences and certifications means playing by the rules. We will continue to expand our presence worldwide and strengthen it in our existing markets.
Speaking of the great future, I wish BGaming gained such a level of experience and trust where we could act as a consultant for an intercultural regulation.
