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Thought Leadership/Q&A with Thomas Aigner head of business development at Ibex.ai discussing the future of CRM
Thomas Aigner, Head of Business Development at Ibex.ai discusses the changing landscape of CRM processes and how the development of artificial intelligence is altering the future of CRM.
How does Ibex see the future of iGaming CRM developing in relation to AI and how will this benefit operators?
What does the current landscape of iGaming CRM look like- what changes are you expecting over the next few years?
Currently, we are seeing more and more investment in AI solutions as operators and suppliers look to gain an edge in the increasingly competitive iGaming market, however, I think as an industry we have only just begun scratching the surface with significant changes to CRM forthcoming. There are some obvious, well-known CRM suppliers in the market, such as Optimove and Fasttrack as well as a lot of promising rising stars entering the space. We have already seen examples of acquisitions of these newer companies through recent deals involving Optimove acquiring Graphyte, and I’m expecting to see more of these types of partnerships moving forward.
Most of the ongoing innovation has been structured in a traditional linear way, to optimise the current CRM processes and how those teams work, essentially helping them better segment players or create rule-based systems (gamification or customer journeys). Once built, they send automated communications, but much in the same way as the term personalisation is often misused, automation is also because businesses still need someone to constantly create new target groups, campaigns and rules for new journeys. This increases overheads through the cost of labour to manage these systems whereas using an AI that offers true automation reduces these costs. The future of CRM is AI – creating full automation and developing a self-driving system is paramount, and this process is at the core of what Ibex.AI stands for.
As AI becomes increasingly integrated into the CRM process, we will see fundamental differences in how companies operate daily. CRM teams will begin moving away from segmentation and average campaigns for target groups and pivot towards 100% personalisation. We will see less human error through data analytics, and close to perfectly accurate execution.
What does the advancement in AI technology mean for jobs going forward?
There’s always a sense of fear of the unknown when it comes to innovations, especially surrounding Artificial Intelligence. The real aim here is for AI to assist companies by automating the process, reducing the amount of legwork that is currently done by humans, with these job roles adapting to focus increasingly on creativity, strategy and giving more commercial responsibility to people. It could mean that CRM and Retention Managers can grow more into the role of Brand Managers, gaining more responsibility and taking care of bigger markets. AI also creates the opportunity to help start-ups without the budget for their CRM team, as well as those brands looking to enter new markets.
How will changes to CRM affect issues surrounding bonus abuse and player retention?
Bonus abuse and player retention have been a cause for concern within the industry and AI can solve many of these issues through the use of deep learning algorithms. AI can predict the LTV of each player under many different scenarios, only executing an action if it will return a profit. As a result, those models can also identify bonus abusers and would limit or even stop bonusing these players because it has become unprofitable for the business.
Real personalisation will play an important role in player retention moving forward – albeit not in the way it is currently used – all companies say they personalise but in fact, just get more granular when setting up target groups or building more and more rule based customer journeys. This relates heavily to retention, with players receiving a far greater personalised experience from campaigns and activities that are aimed specifically towards them, as opposed to an average group of people, further connecting customers to the brand.
How does AI allow operators to affect player behaviour- does it differ from the standard CRM approach?
AI can fundamentally change the standard CRM approach and how it functions as it reduces the workload of marketing teams and the CRM process. A practice that can in many cases have six major steps to it can be shortened to one or two, those being checking on the performance of the machine and coming up with new and creative ideas that AI can then execute and optimize. This focus on new creative ideas goes on to change players’ behaviour by diversifying how operators are reaching out to players. Additionally, AI is affecting each player by analysing them as individuals and constantly improving what is best for them, a process which would take far too much time using the standard CRM approach.
Are there any specific markets you believe will get an added benefit from advancement in iGaming CRM?
Obviously, the majority of innovative ideas originate in mature markets in Europe and the US, but I think that, especially in LATAM and Africa, there is a great opportunity to grow and help operators there to make a difference and to scale more quickly while developing the overall market. This can only be a positive. If we can raise the overall betting experience for players in these markets and allow the companies to free up time and focus on other areas of business as they grow, then I think that is a great outcome.
What is the future for AI?
I believe in the future we will reflect and struggle to understand how we could have lived without the support of AI to be able to offer the best entertainment to each player. AI will be integral to the iGaming market and it is only going to continue to grow and develop as more people within the industry come to understand how machine learning is now proving an invaluable asset to retention teams. Everybody will use at least some and in some cases a greater number of AI tools and will be developing their teams to understand and work effectively alongside this innovative technology.

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Pragmatic Play Launches 40,000x Jackpot Spellmaster Slot
iGaming software studio, Pragmatic Play, has unveiled its latest online slot, Spellmaster.
With its wizard-themed gameplay and 40,000x maximum jackpot, it will likely appeal to a broad audience, including big prize hunters and lovers of arcane fantasy.
Launched on August 18, the game is played on a 5×3 grid with 50 paylines. Reels are filled with card ranks as well as magical sceptres, spell books, potion bottles and wise owls.
Wild symbols feature the eponymous spellmaster wizard. Wilds can land at any time during the base game and feature in all but the far left reel.
The base game offers relatively standard fare. Basic symbols like the card symbols pay low prizes, which are enough to keep you in the game. Matching five premium symbols returns up to four times the original bet.
Respins And Jackpots
Players have the opportunity to win big prizes during respins. The game has different types of respin bonuses, depending on which of the three bonus orbs triggered the event. These bonuses are applied to money symbols that land during the spins.
Golden orb respins are played on a 5×6 grid. Golden orbs that land on the grid reveal one of five random jackpot names, and if the player matches three of the same jackpots, they win that prize.
Prizes range from the 12.5x Mini to the 1,875x Grand Jackpot. With red orbs, players receive multipliers between 2x and 10x any money symbols that hit, and the money symbols can be multiplied up to four times each.
Blue orbs multiply the value of randomly selected money symbols on the grid.
During the respins feature, if the entire grid is filled with money symbols, the player wins the impressive 40,000x jackpot.
Spellmaster offers bets ranging from 10p to £5 in the UK, although higher maximum bets up to €250 are available in other jurisdictions.
The game has a high volatility level, and RTP options include 94.5%, 95.5% and 96.5%. Interested bettors can play a demo of the Spellmaster game on the Pragmatic Play website.
The post Pragmatic Play Launches 40,000x Jackpot Spellmaster Slot appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Endorphina Releases Electrifying New Title – Thunder Crown
Endorphina, a leading B2B iGaming provider, has announced the release of its newest electrifying title, Thunder Crown, which will be available to players in online casinos starting on 21 August.
Featuring a dynamic 5×5 grid, 50 fixed paylines, and a suite of powerful features, the new slot is designed to deliver a captivating and full-sensory gaming experience.
The game invites players into a realm where the legendary Thunder Crown awaits. As lightning strikes charge its crystals, the very reels and symbols are infused with the storm’s raw power, creating an electrifying atmosphere that builds with every spin.
Thunder Crown combines classic slot mechanics with lightning-charged features, including Free Games with a guaranteed Wild symbol, a Thunder Hold Bonus Game with multipliers up to x30, Column Jackpots from 50x to 1000x total bets, and Endorphina’s Classic Risk Game to double winnings up to 10x.
The release of Thunder Crown reinforces Endorphina’s commitment to crafting memorable and visually stunning games that appeal to a wide range of players.
Will you be the one to unlock the Crown’s full power? Try the Thunder Crown demo: demo.endorphina.network.
The post Endorphina Releases Electrifying New Title – Thunder Crown appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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NODWIN Gaming Acquires Sony Interactive Entertainment’s Stake in Evo; Becomes Majority Holder
EVO ANNOUNCES NEXT PHASE OF INTERNATIONAL EXPANSION
Multi-year partnerships with Qiddiya and Sony Interactive Entertainment, and new ownership of Evo by NODWIN Gaming alongside existing shareholder RTS, will fuel the global growth of events, content, and experiences
The future for Evolution Championship Series (Evo) takes a major step forward today as the world’s largest and longest-running fighting game festival enters new ownership and multi-year partnerships. Strategic agreements with NODWIN Gaming, Qiddiya, Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE), and RTS will drive Evo’s international expansion, engaging content, and immersive experiences through 2028 and beyond.
SIE has sold its stake in Evo to NODWIN Gaming, a company backed by SIE’s parent, Sony Group Corporation. SIE will become a new global sponsor of Evo through 2028, and will continue its commitment to the fighting game community through the PlayStation Tournaments platform and key products currently in development that appeal to fighting game players.
“When SIE acquired Evo alongside RTS in 2021, our goal was to help the Evo community grow and spotlight the skills and passion of fighting game fans on a global stage,” said Phil Rosenberg, SVP and Head of Global Partner Development & Relations at Sony Interactive Entertainment. “As SIE transitions to become an Evo sponsor, the momentum for Evo has never been stronger, following a successful Las Vegas event and upcoming expansion to new regions. We look forward to supporting the continued growth of Evo globally.”
New co-owner NODWIN Gaming is a leading name in the South Asian gaming, esports, and youth entertainment industries, with Evo complementing its wide range of properties.
“Evo was built by a team whose authenticity and passion for the fighting game community are unmatched,” said NODWIN Gaming Co-Founder and Managing Director Akshat Rathee. “We will continue SIE’s great work and honor the legacy of everyone who has made it what it is today, while opening the door for a new generation to experience the spirit of Evo.”
Qiddiya, which became a global partner of Evo in 2024, announced today that the company is investing in RTS, co-owner and operator of Evo, and will extend its global partnership with Evo through 2027.
“Teaming up with Qiddiya strengthens the future of RTS and what we’re building with Evo, an event that lives up to its name by driving real transformation in the fighting game community through new opportunities, deeper connections, and meaningful growth,” said Stuart Saw, CEO of RTS.
The realignment and new partnerships will also support Evo’s vision for more original content to engage the community and continue to push the boundaries of creating more profound immersive experiences during the live events.
The popularity and global presence of Evo has continued to grow. Most recently, Evo’s flagship event in Las Vegas attracted fans and competitors from more than 60 countries and crowned champions across 16 fighting game titles. The festival show floor covered 14 acres, featuring major brand activations from Chipotle as the presenting sponsor, alongside AT&T, PlayStation®, Qiddiya, Nacon, Zenni, Red Bull, White Claw Zero Proof, Under Armour, Voodoo Ranger IPA, and Grand Archive TCG.
Beyond the US, Evo returned to Japan at Tokyo Big Sight and became the largest in-person tournament in the country’s history, with approximately 30,000 attendees. Evo will make its European debut at the Palais des Expos in Nice, France, on October 10-12, which has already broken a record for registrations. The event series is expanding to Singapore in 2027.
“In recent years, Evo hosted record-setting events in the USA and Japan, and our upcoming premiere in France is already breaking European records,” said Rick Thiher, General Manager of Evo. “These latest partnerships join the ongoing support from our global and regional partners in accelerating Evo’s expansion from hosting renowned live events to serving as a nexus point for fighting game culture worldwide.”
The post NODWIN Gaming Acquires Sony Interactive Entertainment’s Stake in Evo; Becomes Majority Holder appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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