BetGames’ Ian Catchick about game types, markets, player demand, and technologies

We talked to Ian Catchick, chief product and business development officer at BetGames, to find out how the brand views current trends in gaming content, player preferences, target markets, and innovations, as well as BetGames’ plans for the future. Read on to learn more.

 

SLOTEGRATOR: BetGames has a strong legacy in TV games. What inspired the shift toward crash and slot games?

 

IAN CATCHICK: BetGames is in the business of crafting entertaining gaming experiences. While the focus has primarily been on live casino content, we always viewed the transition into RNG products as a natural brand progression. The process has been taking place over the last couple of years. It will culminate in the eventual development of a full suite of RNG products, including slots, crash games, tap games, and more experimental and innovative content and concepts.

 

We continuously seek insight from operators to ensure we deliver maximum value to their platforms. Branching out into slots and RNG games enables us to provide a more comprehensive array of products that cater to various player preferences. Innovation is in our DNA, and balancing building great games with driving innovation in the RNG vertical is a huge part of our culture. Here, it is far easier than with live games to quickly launch and learn, fail fast, and get behind winning formulas, all to the benefit of our players and partners.

 

S: You’ve launched 10 new games, with plans for a dozen more this year. Can you share the key focus areas for these upcoming releases?

 

IC: We will continue to create products that cater to local markets, including utilising various themes, mechanics, and volatility levels to address specific preferences. While this player-centric approach is integral to our operations, we also create bespoke products tailored directly to operators on occasion. Bespoke products place an operator or region at the heart of the action, amplifying brand visibility and ensuring the content stands out.

 

S: You provide content globally, with Africa being one of the top regions. What makes these markets particularly attractive for BetGames?

 

IC: We have a product that works well globally. Still, some of the key components to the success of our products in markets such as Africa, apart from the trust that players have in the BetGames brand over the past few years, are the speed, simplicity, range of betting options, and entertainment value that our games provide. We make it a golden rule that a player should be able to play our games without having to search through game rules and instructions to understand how the gameplay works.

 

Easy-to-follow gameplay, alongside our enhanced user interface, enhances the gameplay session while offering players more control over their gaming experience. For example, in our classic live games portfolio, we have a betslip interface similar to that of a sports betting product, which provides a much wider range of markets than a standard provider, so this offers a familiar feel for a sports bettor. The benefits include easy, low-cost cross-selling opportunities, meaning operators can help players transition from pure sports bettors to sport-and-casino players.

 

However, we also provide choices by providing an alternative interface for players to place bets with a more traditional chips-based interface for those wishing to have a quicker, slicker play option. Therefore, our product suits both expert and novice players, ultimately driving recreational play, which translates well in most markets globally.

 

S: You recently obtained certification in Brazil. How do you see this market evolving, and what opportunities does it present?

 

IC: Brazil has probably been the hottest word on the lips of most suppliers for the last 12 months or so, and with good reason. It is a dynamic and rapidly expanding market with immense potential for growth in the online gaming sector. A vast country, it presents a huge opportunity and a diverse player base for our expanding range of products. Verticals like tap and crash games are proving incredibly popular, and Skyward and the recently released Penguin Rush are perfectly poised to leverage this trend.

 

S: How do player preferences differ across these key markets? How does BetGames adapt its content accordingly?

 

IC: We prioritise local knowledge and tailor games to resonate with local audiences’ preferences. Based on that research, we incorporate region-specific language support and adapt game mechanics to account for cultural nuances.

 

That said, there are also new product trends that are as popular in Brazil or Africa, for example, as anywhere else. Subtle tweaks to established verticals are often required, with theming and features needing only marginal adjustments to suit each region.

 

From our extensive heritage, we have vast experience developing class-leading Live Casino games. We use that insight to create RNG products that bridge the gap between sports bettors and casino games. We are cultivating a portfolio of straightforward, easy-to-understand RNG content that has been proven to drive results within this segment of players.

 

S: Crash games have become a major trend in iGaming. What key elements make a crash game successful, in your opinion?

 

IC: This genre has been trending for some time, and players globally enjoy it. The beauty of crash games is in their simplicity. The basic mechanic is both straightforward and fast-paced, allowing players to bet on a multiplier that increases from 1x before it eventually crashes. While they watch and hope to win, players experience a building anticipation as their avatar soars upwards. It’s easy to see why it’s so engaging.

 

S: With the growing competition in crash games, what unique elements makes BetGames stand out?

 

IC: Our take on the genre, Skyward, has been an exciting launch for us. True to its name, Skyward is inspired by aircraft, but we’ve also integrated popular features like Auto Play, Auto Bet, and Cashout within a single user interface. This enhancement makes the player experience more seamless and engaging. We will also be developing a new version of the game this summer that will have an even richer feature set, with some exciting new innovations being introduced to the product for our players.

 

BetGames has a long tradition of adding a unique touch to its products, and the same applies to Skyward. Crash games are here to stay, and we’ve seen them establish themselves already, with players returning to what they know and trust.

 

Skyward uniquely addresses market preferences and partner branding initiatives by offering customized gaming experiences. Our focus remains on developing distinctive games that align with partner branding strategies and cater to the specific needs of targeted markets, thereby enhancing player engagement and retention.

 

S: How do regulatory changes across different markets impact your expansion and development plans?

 

IC: Whenever something new is introduced, there is always uncertainty. If the new legislation fails to address all areas of the industry, a significant residual risk remains. As is common in newly regulated markets, the success of the implementation is crucial. There is concern that excessive taxation may encourage a rise in the black market, making it difficult for legitimate operators to comply.

 

Fair legislation is essential for nurturing a healthy industry while considering tax revenue and ensuring a responsible gambling landscape for players. If the market becomes prohibitively costly for serious operators, it will inevitably create a lose-lose scenario.

 

We’re always laser-focused on considering the implications of all existing and impending regulatory changes before entering a new market or evolving our established presence in a region.

 

S: AI is increasingly being used in game production. How does BetGames integrate AI into its development process?

 

IC: While we can’t reveal our development process, the meteoric rise in the sophistication of artificial intelligence has unlocked new doors in game production. From speeding up prototyping by multiples to analysing player behaviours and deriving game mechanics from it autonomously, this enabling technology can’t be ignored. While regulation remains a burden, the opportunities afforded by AI are boundless, and those agile enough to harness its potential will position themselves to reap the rewards. We use a mix of manual and AI solutions to really optimize and enhance the development process and end-product, with the results clearly showing that we have the right balance to delight players.

 

S: Are there any new technologies or innovations you’re excited to explore in your upcoming releases?

 

IC: BetGames remains committed to outstanding visuals, exciting features, and high entertainment value. We are broadening our slot offering, aiming to release several dozen by the close of 2025 while pushing boundaries in the experimental content sector. The rising popularity of tap and crash games, alongside the success of our own title, Skyward, has motivated us to delve deeper into this niche. We also have a few innovative product launches coming to the market throughout the year.

 

S: What’s the long-term vision for BetGames? Do you see the company expanding into other game categories in the future?

 

IC: We have increasingly noticed the merging of traditional entertainment verticals with other categories, from basic crossovers like live game shows featuring RNG bonus rounds to more complex social gameplay that integrates streaming and similar features. A notable example is our own Penguin Rush, which blends the simplicity of tap games with multiple difficulty levels and escalating multipliers, delivering dynamic gameplay that prioritises strategy while rejuvenating the Frogger mechanic.

 

S: Looking ahead, what trends do you believe will shape the future of iGaming in the next few years?

 

IC: BetGames has introduced branded skins for all new titles, enabling the company to harness the increasing demand for customised content. Watch out for our RNG suite – exciting developments are ahead as we combine established content with fresh innovations to craft engaging games that appeal to recreational players.