Ahead of speaking at the upcoming SBC Summit in Lisbon, Laura Petrauska, Head of Casino at BET99, sat down with CasinoBeats to share her excitement over why the region could become the next igaming hub.
Petrauska also underpinned her belief that player trends will remain authentic and why AI can continue to accelerate its evolution into the mainstream.
CB: What strategies must an operator take to ensure that they are offering a well-balanced online casino offering?
LP: That is a great question. I think that the word balance here is key. How do you offer sustainable entertainment in today’s competitive online gambling space? From an operator perspective, we provide a wide variety of casino content, allowing players to find the right content for their individual preferences.
From high volatility slots and slots with bonus buy features to medium variance games, crash games and live dealer casino games, our game selection caters to a modern day player.
Of course, we can’t talk about sustainability without mentioning responsible gaming. At BET99, Responsible Gaming is of utmost importance, and we provide our players with responsible gambling tools and information about local support resources.
CB: Since we’ve looked at how player preferences have changed in the past year, how do you think they could change in the next 12 months?
LP: I think that player preferences will continue to remain authentic to the current trends we see in gaming. To start off, I’m confident players will continue to seek slots with high volatility and large winning multipliers. I’d even add that this trend is not exclusive to only slots – which is why live dealer games like Xxxtreme Lightning Roulette and Crazy Time are consistently amongst players’ favourite titles.
At the same time, with so many options in slots offerings, players may oftentimes feel overwhelmed. That’s why many players stick to slots they are familiar with, with classics like Book of Dead, Starburst and Gates of Olympus taking the lead. Additionally, it’s no secret that crash games have become quite popular and I foresee this trend to grow even further.
“the market is saturated with slots that offer gameplay that’s way too simplistic”
Laura Petrauska, Head of Casino at BET99
CB: Ahead of last year’s event, you referred to AI as the next technological step that could sweep across the online casino industry. How have you seen AI’s impact on the igaming space increase in 2024?
LP: I think it’s safe to say that AI has become a part of our daily lives and its potential is uncapped. When it comes to igaming, AI can be an incredible resource if used correctly. For example, using a virtual customer assistant to speed up the customer waiting time in live chats.
Also, AI generated casino lobbies can help tailor casino content not only based on a specific market, but individual preferences. These two are the areas I’ve seen AI’s impact the most in the gaming space. I believe that AI will continue to play an important role in automating data-driven tasks to help casino operators with daily operations while allowing them to focus their human resources in other areas. However, in my opinion, a casino product – whether we’re talking about slots, table games or even live casino games – is a product of art, and I hope that it won’t ever be replaced by AI.
CB: As an operator, do you prefer to see slots with fresh and innovative features, or slots with more straightforward gameplay, what impact do both have on player retention?
LP: I believe that everything in life should be in balance. As someone who’s seen the gaming industry evolve throughout the last decade, I’m always excited to see what new concepts and innovations game studios can offer with their games. However, there’s a tight line where too complex features can take away a games’ true appeal. At the end of the day, our players play slots to gain entertainment, which gets lost while reading pages upon pages of game rules.
That said, in my opinion, the market is saturated with slots that offer gameplay that’s way too simplistic, which doesn’t leave too much excitement for players. As an operator, we’re looking for the right balance in our offering – slots with engaging features while not having overly complicated mechanics.
CB: Can you tell us what you are looking forward to and why the SBC Summit in Lisbon is such a key event in the calendar?
LP: I have to be honest – I’m really excited for this years’ event in Lisbon for a number of reasons. I’ve had the pleasure to attend a few SBC Summit conferences and my experience has been nothing but delightful. Events like these allow me to meet my fellow igaming colleagues and partners, and it’s also the perfect opportunity to create new synergies. What I also really enjoy about the SBC Summits are the different panels led by other industry experts. It’s a fantastic way to gain new knowledge and delve into various exciting igaming topics. Besides, with SBC moving to Lisbon, I think it opens fantastic opportunities for Lisbon to become another igaming hub.
Furthermore, I think that the SBC Summit in Lisbon is the perfect event to close out the summer season and catch the last glimpses of the Mediterranean sun before heading into the fall season. I, for one, can’t wait to explore the beautiful streets of Lisbon and learn about its history.
Operators and affiliates looking to attend SBC Summit can apply for free passes to the event. If you are an operator, you can apply for a free pass here, if you are an affiliate, you can apply for a free pass here.
Everyone else can secure their spot at the upcoming SBC Summit with a special offer granting access to all three core days of the event, including the exhibition floor, conference content, and evening networking parties, all for the discounted price of just €300.