As new igaming markets continue to launch and established markets regulate and evolve, operators must offer content to suit unique regulatory requirements, user preferences, and technical infrastructures. Stian Enger Pettersen, our CEO of Casino, believes operators must leverage existing technology, knowledge and expertise to create a market-specific content strategy that really delivers on what players want.
Igaming operators are seeing emerging regions like Africa and Latin America (LatAm), which currently capture a share of 3.4% and 4.7% of igaming global gross win respectively, as key markets for growth. Driven by regulatory changes and increasing digital and mobile adoption, countries including Brazil, Colombia, and Peru present new and exciting opportunities for local and international companies.
Enger, however, points out that alongside opportunities, new markets bring challenges. “Regulatory frameworks and content availability are just part of the challenges operators need to mitigate. Competing with already established brands requires a well-rounded approach, including player account management solutions, responsible gaming tools, business intelligence, ERP, CRM, and regulatory compliance services, alongside top-tier gaming content”.
Research conducted in conjunction with EveryMatrix, which is based on 1,903 games available to its clients in LatAm markets, shows that the average bet size for the top 20 games in Colombia is €0.34. Only 5% of the games on this list, however have an average bet of more than €1 therefore operators can leverage the aggregator’s existing knowledge to hone their content strategy and offer specific titles that could potentially triple bets and increase their respective profits.
“In LatAm markets, players tend to favour sports betting and are less familiar with European providers and games,” Enger explains, “For brands, this means placing greater emphasis on educating players about this content. Implementing cross-vertical solutions, such as tournaments and challenges, can also encourage players to explore and engage more with the casino experience.”
EveryMatrix figures in Brazil show an average bet of €1.04 across the top 20 games, however, the average bet on three high-volatility games from the top 20 list is eight times higher. It is access to this data that can give operators the tools they need to localise their content to fit the needs of each specific market.
“As the largest aggregator in the industry, we have comprehensive data on player behaviour and trends, enabling us to offer exclusive insights. Data guides us to develop solutions to further enhance player engagement and loyalty.”
While local operators already have a presence in emerging markets, international entrants must leverage the local knowledge, relationships, and expertise of suppliers like EveryMatrix to hit the ground running. Case in point, EveryMatrix was one of the first igaming suppliers accredited in Peru in March 2024, laying the groundwork for its customers to launch operations as soon as regulation allows.
Enger emphasises the importance of understanding the local landscape: “In regions such as LatAm, you’ll be competing with operators that have more market experience, so it’s crucial to understand local player preferences —whether they lean toward sports betting or casino games, and if they are converted bricks-and-mortar players (generally older players) who can be more sceptical about game types beyond the slots they’re familiar with from physical cabinets, compared to younger players who are often more comfortable with online platforms.
“It’s here you will find more dynamism, growth potential, and more flexibility for creativity in content and gamification, but there’s a strong preference for sports betting, and players may need guidance to explore online casino games and European slot providers.”
EveryMatrix offers its operators seeking to enter the Peruvian market a competitive edge through invaluable knowledge and insights from the data it collects, including the top slot games (Big Bass Splash and Cosmic Cash topping the list at first and second places, respectively) and the most popular software providers in the region (Pragmatic Play followed by Microgaming, which are both also available on the EveryMatrix aggregation platform).
“When entering a new market or expanding operations, the first challenge is competing with well-established brands. In our experience, many operators focus solely on content from the most well-known vendors. While this approach has value, it is not sufficient for success,” Enger explains.
In Peru, for example, EveryMatrix’s top-10 content provider list includes both tier-1 and smaller game developers that perform well in the region, like Wazdan and High5Games.
A study conducted in 2023 across 3,400 online casinos saw year-on-year growth of 18% in content providers, with more than 744 game studios serving a market with 46,642 unique igaming titles. With tens of thousands of games available and hundreds of new releases every year, how can operators find the right content to appeal to local players in an emerging market?
Enger admits that no single aggregator covers every provider, and new content suppliers are constantly emerging, however, he recommends choosing a content aggregator that not only provides a comprehensive gaming portfolio for the initial launch, but also offers support in expanding into new markets.
“Our productivity platform, CasinoEngine, for example, integrates content on demand, and we do it quickly – in just 35 to 40 days. So, it’s not just about the current portfolio; it’s about having the flexibility to meet your future needs as well.
“To support our clients, CasinoEngine integrates 35-40 new vendors each year, currently providing access to more than 31,000 games from 170 vendors and 330 game studios, giving our partners a significant competitive advantage.”
Content localisation is key to success for an operator in any market, but Enger sees localisation as more than just understanding player preferences and trends. He believes there is a vast amount of knowledge and effort required to marry local preferences with the right content, and it should be done by selecting the right vendors and games while ensuring compliance with local regulations.
“For instance, European markets are more stable, but they come with stricter regulations on content features and gamification. Here, the challenge is to carefully curate your offering to remain compliant while still delivering engaging player experiences at the same time as driving revenue.
“To ensure compliance and help our clients maintain their social responsibility standards, we’ve developed solutions such as cross-provider game round details, that can be exposed to players for full transparency. Another example is a solution that gives operators full control of the game window, allowing them to add elements such as quick deposit, responsible gambling functionality and gamification.
“One of our customers, the Norwegian state lottery Norsk Tipping, display a button in the game window and across all providers, allowing players to take a 24-hour time-out from playing casino games.”
Enger says the numbers speak for themselves when it comes to analysing what players want in each region. He gives examples from LatAm markets: “When we analysed tournament performance over five weeks, we saw a 9x increase in the number of rounds, a 5x increase in real money bets, 9x more players engaging during the tournament, and a 19% increase in real money GGR.
“What’s more, in terms of challenges, we’ve seen a 15% increase in the number of rounds, a 20% increase in the number of players, and a 4% increase in the number of bets.”
He also highlights jackpots as a tool for operators to appeal to players and gain a competitive edge: “Operator-funded jackpots, for example, provide an extra layer of excitement and value, significantly improving the player experience while helping operators stand out from the competition.
“We are already doing this through our JackpotEngine solution that offers operators the possibility to create multiple jackpots with different pool sizes and hit frequencies so operators can appeal to a variety of player preferences while maintaining their unique brand identity.”
Upon entry to a new, emerging igaming market, a large part of the operator’s budget must be allocated towards bonuses and sign-up offers that entice players to sign up and try the new casino. However, once players are acquired and make their first deposit, retaining them as returning loyal customers can be even more challenging and costly.
Enger explains how EveryMatrix supports operators in emerging markets to build and retain a loyal customer base: “While igaming operators invest large sums in enticing new players to sign up, LoyaltyEngine features clear progression paths with attractive rewards to motivate players to climb the ranks and unlock new benefits.
“It seamlessly integrates with our portfolio of 31K+ games and 330+ game studios and uses advanced algorithms to offer personalised rewards, including bespoke bonuses, tailored promotions, and exclusive VIP perks, ensuring players feel valued and engaged.
“In markets where bonuses are restricted or prohibited, operator-funded jackpots offer the ideal solution—players get more value without needing to stake more, enhancing their experience while enjoying their favourite games.
“Benefiting from real-time access to analytics and insights into player behaviour, operators can go the extra mile to understand what drives engagement, identify high-value players, and make data-driven decisions to optimise their loyalty strategies once they enter a new market.”
To summarise, Enger emphasises how EveryMatrix’s knowledge serves as a cornerstone for operators entering emerging markets: “This knowledge should guide your initial strategy. From there, you can select popular providers and games to launch with ensuring a solid start. To maintain player engagement over time, diversifying your portfolio will be essential.”
The original version of this article was published by iGamingBusiness.
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