Itai Zak, Digicode’s Executive Director of iGaming, talks about bridging the gap between clients and their unique business needs. What sets the firm apart, he believes, is the combination of “a superior product, excellent service, proven technical expertise, and – most importantly – our innovative business model”.
CasinoBeats: Hi Itai, for those among our audience who might not be familiar with Digicode, tell us about the brand and its constituent parts.
Itai Zak: Headquartered in the US, with a strong presence in Europe, Digicode has been a trusted partner for igaming operators and suppliers since 2008. Our team of over 400 skilled professionals leverages extensive experience and cutting-edge solutions to serve our clients effectively.
Our collaboration with top-tier igaming companies, as well as our partnerships with some Fortune 500 companies, shows how serious we are about being excellent. We are a certified and platinum partner of some industry giants like Microsoft, Google and Amazon, something which provides us with the expertise and resources to innovate and build smart, cost-effective solutions for our clients.
What sets Digicode apart is our ability to bridge the gap between the unique business needs of our clients. Whether it’s well-known B2C operators navigating the complexities of multiple jurisdictions or tier one suppliers needing to deliver innovative games to various operators, we provide tailored solutions.
Our unique and highly experienced team of product and business experts, combined with our powerful army of 400 skilled technical professionals, allows us to successfully deliver complex projects. We have deep expertise in various technologies, enabling us to significantly reduce IT costs for our clients by optimising their cloud infrastructures and platforms.
Over the last 20 years, we have worked with multiple clients in different jurisdictions, gaining a thorough understanding of the unique technical requirements of each. This extensive experience, combined with our technical prowess, creates a winning team capable of meeting any challenge.
In response to the growing demand for our products and solutions, we established the igaming division of Digicode at the beginning of 2024. This division centralises the brightest minds in technology, product development and business strategy to provide even more effective, powerful and cost-effective solutions to our igaming clients.
CB: By way of a recap, how has trading been in the first half of 2024 and what have been the highlights so far?
IZ: The first half of 2024 has been exceptionally positive for Digicode, building on the strong momentum from the end of 2023. The demand for our services continues to grow, with more clients recognising the benefits of partnering with Digicode as their trusted technology partner.
In the past six months, we have secured several significant new deals. One highlight is a long-term contract with a leading B2B game developer, which will utilise our powerful and experienced game design and development team to establish a large production line as an extension of their development efforts.
We have also welcomed new clients from the sportsbook and casino sectors. These operators sought our expertise to maintain their legacy platforms and conduct in-depth technology assessments. Our assistance in upgrading their platforms to incorporate the latest technologies will provide their businesses with greater agility and flexibility.
Additionally, we’ve seen an increasing demand from clients needing help to quickly and effectively integrate new third-party content providers and payment providers (PSPs) into their platforms. To address this, Digicode has developed a dynamic and flexible integration hub. This solution significantly simplifies and enhances the process of modifying and adding third parties to our clients’ core systems, addressing a common pain point in the industry.
CB: Moving on to product specifics, what makes your igaming platform so unique in the marketplace?
IZ: What sets Digicode apart is the combination of a superior product, excellent service, proven technical expertise and – most importantly – our innovative business model. We focus on developing innovative solutions to address key industry challenges. Our expertise allows us to design and implement state-of-the-art platforms – flexible, adaptable, cost-effective, and efficient – for casinos, sportsbooks, lotteries, payment gateways, or any other igaming vertical.
Our igaming division has adopted a client-centred approach to costs, transparency and intellectual property ownership.
Digicode distinguishes itself in the industry by avoiding the prevalent revenue share model. Instead, we implement a business model centred around pre-defined costs tailored to the specific needs and complexities of our partners. This unique approach allows us to support our clients as a reliable, trusted and independent technology partner.
Unlike other providers who merely license their products and systems to clients, Digicode ensures that our clients have full ownership and control over their products. We believe in safeguarding our clients’ intellectual property rights, ensuring that any innovation they develop will always remain their intellectual property. With Digicode, clients do not need to compete for priority over a shared licence system with other clients.
This client-centric approach, combined with our technical expertise and commitment to innovation, makes our igaming platform truly unique in the marketplace.
CB: You offer bespoke solutions in game design and development. Can you talk more about that and how clients can benefit from the service?
IZ: Digicode partners with some of the tier one giants in igaming to assist them in developing unique, appealing and engaging content for various markets and clients. Our team consists of over 100 professional designers and game developers with proven expertise and a track record of creating some of the best games in the industry.
We offer a range of operational models and structures tailored to best fit our clients’ needs. Digicode can establish an independent, self-managed team that receives high-level business requirements and takes control from A to Z. This includes everything from the initial game concept to detailed design, development, mathematics, testing and quality assurance.
Alternatively, we can seamlessly integrate into our clients’ existing development cycles. For instance, we can focus on the front-end side of game development, ensuring that the user interface and experience are top-notch. Some clients seek our help in porting their successful land-based games to online platforms, while others look to us to create bespoke games for specific operators, often for marketing and promotional activities.
Digicode’s extensive technical expertise spans various technologies, frameworks and platforms in game development. By partnering with Digicode, clients gain access to a wealth of experience and innovative solutions that enhance their game offerings and drive business growth.
CB: What new innovations can we look forward to from Digicode?
IZ: As we look ahead, several exciting initiatives are on the horizon. One of our key projects is the development of the Digicode Integration Hub (DIH). The DIH will facilitate the seamless integration of third-party value-added services, including content providers, payment processors and marketing systems, into our clients’ core igaming platforms. This robust and dynamic integration hub is designed to enhance operational efficiency, allowing our clients to integrate new services intuitively and swiftly, thereby maintaining their competitive edge.
Additionally, we have started recently a collaboration with a leading online gaming brand to develop an array of exciting new slot games and innovative crash games. Our professional and experienced team is working tirelessly to create engaging, high-quality content that captivates players and elevates the gaming experience.
We recognise that in today’s competitive market, differentiation is key to growth and increased market share. To support our clients in achieving this, we are placing a significant emphasis on UI/UX design and content personalisation.
Moreover, we are exploring the potential of artificial intelligence to revolutionise the production and distribution of content. Our AI-driven initiatives aim to streamline these processes, enabling quicker turnaround times and more efficient content management.