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BetGames: assessing the viability of a four-day work within igaming
The four-day working week is becoming an increasingly viable option for global businesses in 2024. While not compatible for some, it can be a tangible option for companies looking to improve efficiency and staff well-being and provide an edge in the ongoing talent search.
One of the first to take the step in the igaming industry, BetGames embarked on its trial of the much-vaunted working format in September 2024. CEO Andreas Koerberl and Head of HR Lina Pasiskevice share their thoughts on the success of the experiment, and offer their insight into how it has impacted the day-to-day operation.
CasinoBeats: What key trends push more companies, especially in igaming, to explore this model?
Andreas Koerberl, BetGames CEO
Andreas Koerberl: We consider ourselves somewhat of an underdog in a hyper-competitive environment, and since the COVID-19 pandemic our workforce has become global. A four-day workweek is an interesting experiment for us to become more attractive as an employer, by providing an invaluable incentive to our people.
Igaming still has a stigma, and just throwing more cash at people isn’t sustainable in the long run. The market for senior staff is still hot and developing areas like AI receive much of the available attention and investment, hence we as an igaming industry need to innovate in the field of HR first.
CB: What productivity trends have emerged since BetGames adopted the four-day workweek? How do you measure success in terms of both business outcomes and overall employee performance?
AK: We reached the halfway point of the pilot at the end of September, and we have measured over 30 KPIs across employee satisfaction and belonging, productivity (accounting for 14 on its own), mental health and motivation, partner satisfaction, employee retention and employer branding attractiveness.
It is still early days, and we must consider that July and August, two out of three months, were the peak vacation season. The big news is that, so far, we haven’t recorded a decline in most productivity KPIs – some teams thrive, some struggle and overall performance seems to have maintained itself at the levels we experienced before the trial. However, Q4 is always the busiest period of the year, so this will be the ultimate measure.
What we have seen is an improvement in cross-team alignment based on the qualitative KPIs (measured through interviews) we track – something that comes intuitively with having people back in the office.
CB: What lessons have you learned so far, and what advice would you give based on BetGames’ experience with the pilot?
AK: The beauty of social science is that the correct answer always is ‘it depends!’ Every company needs to acknowledge its position in the market – we are an underdog, and that isn’t necessarily a bad thing as it forces you to reinvent yourself periodically.
The office-based four-day workweek may not work for every igaming organisation, but the advice I would give is simple: understand what makes a positive difference for your people. In our example, I briefed the leadership team on three major aspects:
Fair compensation – meaning a competitive salary that we benchmark frequently with agencies.
Meaningful benefits – which in our case is a top-notch private health insurance for everyone and the four-day workweek.
Don’t tell them how to do their job!
In my 18 years working in the software business, I’ve never met a mid-level or senior person who stuck with a company because of great parties and free pizza. Of course, we celebrate and offer other benefits when commercial performance allows for it, but these are add-ons and won’t prevent attrition if numbers one and two are missing.
Long story short, make sure whatever you do is meaningful to your people. You don’t need 20 benefits. Do less, but make sure it’s done properly.
CB: What steps has the HR team taken to ensure smooth transitions and maintain a positive work environment during this pilot?
Lina Pasiskevice, BetGames Head of HR
Lina Pasiskevice: We actively involved our employees from the very beginning to ensure a smooth transition into the four-day workweek pilot. We collected input regarding office reshaping, workspace equipment, and office maintenance to create a comfortable and productive environment. Relaxation zones were also implemented to support employees during longer workdays.
Additionally, we introduced perks such as gym memberships, team-building budgets, an employee recognition programme, and a play zone in the office, which all contribute to fostering a positive work-life balance. To address potential challenges like stress or scheduling conflicts, we continuously track employee satisfaction through surveys and promptly act on any feedback to ensure a smooth process.
CB: Have there been any specific feedback or trends from employees that stand out?
LP – It’s still early in the pilot project to draw definitive conclusions, as the start coincided with the summer vacation period when many employees were out of the office. So far, we haven’t observed any major shifts in team morale or well-being, from the feedback we’ve received.
However, from what we’ve heard so far, employees are enjoying the additional free day, using it to pursue personal hobbies, recharge, or take advantage of longer weekends for getaways. The feedback has been constructive, and we anticipate a clearer picture as more employees return from vacation and settle into the new routine.
CB: Has the feedback from employees led to any changes or improvements in how the four-day week is structured?
LP – At this stage of the pilot, one of the key insights is the importance of regularly engaging employees and addressing their needs in real time. By sending out bi-monthly surveys, we have been able to stay in tune with employee satisfaction and quickly adapt where needed.
Although we haven’t made significant structural changes yet due to the timing of the project, we expect to gain more valuable insights as the second half of the project progresses, allowing us to make further refinements if necessary based on our analysis.
Interested? Let’s Talk:
iGaming in Africa: Why Localisation Remains the Industry’s Greatest Advantage
Africa’s iGaming market is one of the industry’s most dynamic growth regions, but success cannot be achieved through a one-size-fits-all approach.
In a recent article for iGaming AFRIKA, BetGames VP Africa & LatAm James Everett discusses how player behaviour varies significantly across the continent, influenced by factors such as market maturity, connectivity, payment infrastructure, and local gaming preferences.
More established markets often demonstrate longer engagement periods and higher spending patterns, supported by stronger regulatory frameworks and trusted payment ecosystems. Emerging markets, meanwhile, frequently favour shorter, mobile-first sessions and micro-betting behaviour shaped by practical considerations such as device capabilities and data costs.
These differences reinforce the importance of localisation. Beyond language translation, effective localisation includes adapting products, mechanics, payment methods, promotional strategies, and player experiences to align with local expectations and behaviours.
As African markets continue to develop, suppliers and operators that prioritise trust, accessibility, operational reliability, and locally relevant content will be best positioned to drive long-term engagement and sustainable growth.
Read the full article on iGaming AFRIKA for James Everett’s insights into the trends shaping the future of iGaming across Africa.
Custom Live Casino Environments
Custom Live Casino Environments Are Reshaping Player Engagement
Custom live casino environments are quickly becoming a core part of modern operator strategy, helping brands create more immersive and personalised player experiences.
In the latest issue of G3 Media, BetGames’ Chief Product & Business Development Officer Ian Catchick shares insights into how bespoke environments are evolving beyond simple visual customisation and becoming powerful tools for engagement, retention, and cross-game activity.
As player expectations continue to rise, operators are increasingly looking for ways to stand out in a crowded market. Tailored live casino environments allow brands to create experiences that feel more exclusive, familiar, and aligned with their identity — strengthening emotional connection and encouraging longer-term player loyalty.
Beyond branding, custom environments can also support broader commercial goals. Cohesive experiences across multiple products help operators introduce players to new games and verticals while maintaining consistency throughout the player journey.
However, scalability remains one of the industry’s biggest challenges. Traditionally, building bespoke live casino environments has required significant time, resources, and operational effort, making large-scale deployment difficult across multiple markets or brands.
New AI-powered technologies are beginning to change this. In the feature, Ian discusses how tools like BetGames’ AI-powered Casino Designer are helping streamline the creation process, allowing operators to launch customised environments faster and with greater flexibility.
As competition across the live casino sector intensifies, scalable personalisation and faster deployment are expected to play an increasingly important role in shaping the future of player engagement.
The case for connected play: why cross‑game engagement is driving retention
Player retention in iGaming is evolving beyond individual games and standalone verticals. As player behaviour changes, operators are increasingly recognising that long-term engagement is no longer driven by a single successful title, but by how seamlessly players move across an entire gaming ecosystem.
Today’s players expect platforms to feel connected, dynamic, and continuously rewarding. Rather than focusing on isolated products, they evaluate the overall experience — how naturally it evolves, how varied it feels, and how easily they can transition between different forms of entertainment.
As a result, cross-game engagement is becoming one of the key drivers of retention, session duration, and long-term player value.
From Individual Titles to Connected Ecosystems
Historically, operator performance often relied heavily on a single top-performing game or vertical.
However, this approach is becoming less sustainable as player expectations continue to evolve.
Players engaging with only one type of experience are more likely to experience fatigue and disengage faster over time. In contrast, players who interact with multiple products tend to remain active longer and demonstrate stronger retention patterns.
This is driving a broader shift toward portfolio-level thinking, where operators focus not only on the success of individual games, but also on how products work together to create continuous engagement.
Rather than asking which game performs best independently, operators are increasingly exploring how players move across the entire platform journey.
Why Variety Strengthens Engagement
At the core of connected play is something relatively simple: variety.
Different gaming experiences satisfy different player motivations and moods.
A player may seek fast-paced entertainment during one session, while preferring more immersive, social, or competitive gameplay during another.
Connected ecosystems allow players to explore these different experiences without leaving the platform, creating a more fluid and engaging journey.
This type of variety can support:
Longer session durations
More frequent return visits
Stronger emotional engagement
Higher cross-product participation
When transitions between games feel seamless, the platform itself becomes more immersive and engaging rather than feeling like a collection of disconnected products.
Designing Seamless Cross-Game Experiences
Encouraging players to move between products does not necessarily require overly complex systems or aggressive promotion.
In many cases, the most effective engagement strategies feel natural and intuitive to the player.
Cross-game engagement can be strengthened through:
Shared progression systems
Cross-game missions and events
Connected reward mechanics
Unified promotional journeys
At the same time, user experience plays a critical role in maintaining continuity across products.
Consistent visuals, recognizable interface patterns, and intuitive navigation help reduce friction when players transition between different games or verticals.
The goal is to make movement across the platform feel like a continuation of the same journey rather than a completely separate experience.
From Competitive Advantage to Industry Expectation
Connected digital experiences are already standard across many entertainment industries, including streaming services, mobile gaming, and social platforms.
As a result, player expectations within iGaming are evolving in the same direction.
Standalone experiences are becoming easier for players to abandon, while interconnected ecosystems provide stronger reasons to stay engaged over time.
This trend also aligns closely with the growing importance of gamification and personalization, where platforms increasingly adapt in real time to player behaviour rather than relying solely on static promotional campaigns.
Cross-game engagement is therefore shifting from being an additional feature to becoming a fundamental expectation within modern gaming ecosystems.
The Future of Player Retention
Looking ahead, retention strategies are likely to focus increasingly on the overall player journey rather than isolated product performance.
Operators will continue investing in systems that support:
Personalized engagement experiences
Real-time progression and rewards
Gamified cross-product journeys
Continuous player interaction across multiple verticals
At the same time, simplicity will remain critical.
The most effective engagement tools will be those that connect products intelligently while remaining intuitive and easy for players to understand.
As competition intensifies and acquisition costs continue to rise, connected play is rapidly becoming more than just a retention tool — it is emerging as a long-term strategic requirement for operators seeking sustainable player engagement and stronger lifetime value.
BetGames: Redefining Player Engagement in a Real-Time Gaming Environment
Player engagement in iGaming is entering a new phase — one shaped by real-time interaction, gamification, and increasingly personalized experiences.
Traditional loyalty programmes built around fixed rewards and tier systems are gradually evolving into more dynamic engagement ecosystems designed to keep players continuously connected to the experience.
As player expectations shift toward instant feedback and ongoing interaction, operators are rethinking how loyalty and retention mechanics are delivered across modern gaming platforms.
From Loyalty Programmes to Gamified Experiences
Historically, loyalty programmes followed a relatively straightforward structure: players placed bets, accumulated points, and unlocked rewards over time.
Today, engagement systems are becoming far more interactive and layered.
Challenges, progression systems, tournaments, and leaderboards are increasingly being integrated directly into gameplay, creating more immersive player journeys and additional engagement touchpoints.
Rather than relying solely on periodic rewards, modern gamification systems encourage players to engage continuously through evolving objectives, competitive mechanics, and personalized incentives.
This shift reflects a broader industry trend toward creating engagement ecosystems that feel more immediate, dynamic, and experience-driven.
The Rise of Real-Time Engagement
One of the key drivers behind modern gamification is the growing demand for immediacy.
Digital audiences increasingly expect experiences to react instantly to their behavior, and gaming environments are no exception.
As a result, engagement mechanics are becoming more responsive and personalized:
Instant rewards triggered during gameplay
Dynamic challenges and progression tracking
Personalized notifications and promotional messaging
By responding to player activity in real time, operators can create more continuous engagement loops that encourage longer sessions, repeat visits, and stronger interaction across multiple products.
This approach also allows promotional campaigns to become more integrated within gameplay rather than existing as standalone loyalty features.
Balancing Engagement and Simplicity
As gamification systems become more advanced, maintaining simplicity and transparency becomes increasingly important.
Layered mechanics, multiple reward structures, and progression systems can create richer experiences, but they can also introduce friction if the player journey becomes too complicated.
Players need to clearly understand:
How rewards are earned
What progression means
What value different mechanics provide
When gamification systems become difficult to follow, engagement can lose its effectiveness and begin to feel overly transactional rather than genuinely rewarding.
The challenge for operators is finding the right balance between depth and accessibility — creating experiences that are engaging without becoming overly engineered.
Building Long-Term Player Engagement
Real-time gamification ecosystems are proving to be powerful tools for increasing retention, session duration, and overall player interaction.
By introducing progression systems, competitive mechanics, and instant recognition, operators can create more engaging and rewarding player journeys across both new and existing products.
At the same time, long-term loyalty is not defined solely by the number of features available within a system.
Sustainable engagement depends on how clearly the experience is communicated and how naturally players choose to interact with it over time.
Looking ahead, the future of player engagement will likely be shaped by systems that combine:
Real-time interaction and personalization
Clear and intuitive progression systems
Transparent reward structures
Consistent and accessible user experiences
As the industry continues evolving, successful engagement ecosystems will be those that balance innovation with simplicity — creating experiences players understand, trust, and actively return to over time.