Bulgaria

EEGS(Eastern European Gaming Summit) interview with Nicolas Levi, key speaker of the THE POKER IN FUTURE panel

Published

9 years ago

September 16, 2015

Nicolas Levi is one of the most recognized figures in poker. World class player and long time ambassador for Winamax. In 2013 he co-founded RankingHero.com, the social network for poker and the largest results database. In 18 month they have grown to over 200,000 monthly visitors. His expertise includes player engagement, retention and reactivation; as well as gamification and ecosystem management.

Nicolas will be among the speakers at the Eastern European Gaming Summit, in the “POKER IN THE FUTURE” panel, which will include insights from mature markets in poker on how to create a sustainable ecosystem. Poker is more popular than ever in mainstream media, and yet in mature markets, online operators are finding it difficult to acquire and keep happy and engaged customers. This panel will analyze the different motivations of poker players and look at case studies to highlight what works and what doesn’t when devising strategies for a growing poker liquidity.

We have managed to catch up with Nicolas to get a sneak preview of what his session will be about and what are his thoughts on the future of poker.

EEG: Hi Nicolas, since you are one of the key speakers of the THE POKER IN FUTURE panel, we would like to have a sneak preview about what the discussion and presentation will be all about. We have read hundreds of publications saying and I quote this “online poker is dead”, however there is more to add to this topic to prove the contrary. Can you relate to this topic and maybe give 2 examples of striving online poker portals that are seeing growth day by day?

Nicolas: Actually I would agree that online poker as we know it is dead. The paradox lies in the fact that poker has never been so popular with mainstream players, in the media, and general public perception. Our live tournament database shows a significant increase both in unique players and gross revenues worldwide.

Online poker is being delivered wrong, as most platforms try to mimic PokerStars’ secret sauce, but that game is over: for “traditional” online players Amaya knows no competition. Yet the influx of new players in 2015 is not as much “gamblers” or “keen poker players” than it is “gamers”. New players come from mobile in majority. They want to have fun and love quick games like the so called “lottery SitNGoes”.

To satisfy these players, the poker sites have to work very hard to shift the way the product is presented. The goal should be to have fun, receive social gratification, and a beautiful user experience is key. In fact Real Money Poker would do well to take lessons from the Social Poker games as the two populations start to look more and more alike.

Brands like Winamax -who invented the lottery SitNGo- and Unibet -who moved last year to its proprietary gamified platform – are one step ahead in this change and well equipped to gain the hearts of this new breed of “poker gamers”

EEG: Poker players need to be on the edge every minute of their lives, this what makes this game so special, how do you feel about local celebrities engaging in different brand ads to attract local customer? Has this strategy proved to be of a positive impact to certain brands?

Nicolas: Unfortunately Poker has not reached the status of “Sport” or even “E-Sport”. Its best chance of ending up in the main press is usually when a particular story emerges, like that of Moneymaker. In that regard, celebrity support helps a lot.

When marketed right, poker is the one iGaming vertical that can conquer the mainstream media. Mature markets have all seen a transformation of poker’s traditional “cigars and guns” stereotype to become a more or less respected mindgame. When celebrities advocate the game they love, it makes this change faster and deeper reaching.

EEG: In your opinion, what is the key factor that keeps a player coming back to an online poker portal beside reload promotions?

Nicolas: There are two main types of players attracted to poker: “achievers” and “socializers”. Achievers will usually engage with an aspirational model, like pro players & leaderboards. This is the backbone of PokerStrategy.com’s success and something the poker industry has been able to leverage.

Socializers on the other end want to make friends, receive social feedback and feel good about themselves regardless of being a “winner” in the long run. This population is extremely important for the poker industry and often overlooked. It’s the reason behind the ‘HeroScore’ that we developed on RankingHero.com: a social ranking that can aggregate and rank millions of players to tell how influent they are in poker, thus acknowledging the accomplishment of engaged casual players as well as the most prestigious players in the world.

If you would like to get the unique opportunity to ask all your important questions and learn first-hand details about the future of poker, be sure to attend the Eastern European Gaming Summit in which Mr. Nicolas Levi shall give his expert opinion and to benefit from the presented gaming tips and strategies. For 8th consecutive year on 23 – 24 November 2015, Inter Expo Center in Sofia, Bulgaria will bring together under one roof world’s leading figures and companies from the industry to present and outline current market developments and future trends with global vision and focus on the Eastern European market

Zoltan "Hawkie" Tundik

With an experience of over 8 years in the online gambling industry, as an affiliate, later affiliate manager and consultant, I consider myself a veteran of the industry and can guarantee that you will be served with the most accurate information.

Prague Gaming & TECH Summit 2025 (25-26 March)

Bulgaria

SOFTSWISS Gets Certification for Its Jackpot Aggregator in Bulgaria

Published

2 months ago

October 15, 2024

George Miller

SOFTSWISS, a leading technology provider for iGaming, has further solidified its presence in the European market by securing certification for its Jackpot Aggregator in Bulgaria.

The iGaming market in Bulgaria is experiencing significant growth, attracting new businesses despite stringent domestic regulations. The market is projected to generate 168.70 million euro in revenue by 2028, with an annual growth rate of 5.42%. The number of users is expected to reach 377.3 thousand by the same year, further highlighting the sector’s momentum.

In line with this growth, SOFTSWISS announces that its Jackpot Aggregator has received certification from Gaming Laboratories International (GLI), ensuring it meets all technical requirements for use in the Bulgarian market. With the new certification of the SOFTSWISS Jackpot Aggregator, Bulgarian-licensed operators can integrate this advanced engagement tool into their casino offerings.

In May, SOFTSWISS successfully entered the Bulgarian market through a partnership with Topwin.bg, which implemented the SOFTSWISS Casino Platform, the Game Aggregator, and the Sportsbook.

“We are seeing a strong surge in interest in our jackpot mechanic, fueled by the growing demand for engagement tools in the market. That’s why we are committed to further developing the Jackpot Aggregator, enhancing its features, and expanding into new markets. Certification for the Bulgarian market is a clear testament to our ambition and drive for expansion. We are actively working on obtaining certifications in other jurisdictions,” comments Angelina Stasiuk, Head of Business Line at SOFTSWISS Jackpot Aggregator.

SOFTSWISS has several international and national licences and certifications, including a South African licence acquired through the purchase of a majority stake in Turfsport. The company recently announced its plans to become the first certified software provider in Brazil.

About SOFTSWISS

SOFTSWISS is an international technology company with over 15 years of experience in developing innovative solutions for the iGaming industry. SOFTSWISS holds a number of gaming licences and provides comprehensive software for managing iGaming projects. The company’s product portfolio includes the Online Casino Platform, the Game Aggregator with over 23,500 casino games, the Affilka Affiliate Platform, the Sportsbook software and the Jackpot Aggregator. In 2013, SOFTSWISS revolutionised the industry by introducing the world’s first Bitcoin-optimised online casino solution. The expert team, based in Malta, Poland, and Georgia, counts over 2,000 employees.

Bulgaria

Betway Bulgaria officially launches, offers live and bet-builder options

Published

3 years ago

March 22, 2022

George Miller

Another company has officially launched its activities in the growing niche of online betting in Bulgaria. But here we are not just talking about another operator licensed by national institutions, but about a leading brand worldwide. Betway is one of the largest bookmakers in Europe and globally, and the fact that it already offers its services in Bulgaria speaks positively about the development of the gambling business in the country.

Indications of an increase in the size of the industry appeared last year, when several operators received a permit to operate under Bulgarian jurisdiction. It is unlikely that this process will end with the official launch of betway bulgaria, rather the brand entering the country can be perceived by international operators as a positive assessment of the market in Bulgaria. What can we find at Betway besides the obvious – increased competition and of course more choice for consumers?

What do we find in the sports section?

Sports betting – this is the leading sector of the company, which started operations in 2006. The brand is associated with a number of teams in Europe such as Tottenham, Atletico Madrid, Leicester, Alaves, Belenenses, Werder, etc. Of course, the top championships in Europe are present in the latest betting platform, but that’s not all. Betway offers the opportunity to make predictions at less popular UEFA championships. The fans of the Bulgarian championship have options too. All matches of the First League are present in the bookmaker’s menu, and are offered with dozens of choices for each of them.

Real-time bets and long-term combinations

Live bets are a big thrill for many players. This option is present at Betway, and this also applies to the mobile version, of course. It is not difficult to detect current events – they come first when loading the platform. And with them the bookmaker really comes up with interesting offers, some of which are rare on the Bulgarian market. The outcome of the bets become clear in literally seconds if the next goal market or one of the performance options is selected.

In addition, the company accepts predictions with a much longer horizon. It is now standard to bet on who will be the champion in England, Spain, Italy or Germany. However, there are also specific markets and selections for certain teams – will Barcelona take the trophy this season, will Liverpool reach the final in at least one of the tournaments in which it participates, etc. And if users don’t find what they’re looking for in these offers, they can always turn to the betting menu. The bet-builder is still limited to one match, from which we can choose two or more selections until the desired odds are formed. This is the most appropriate way to optimize the bet according to personal preferences and therefore it is increasingly preferred by the players.

Betway’s first steps on the Bulgarian market are impressive. And this is just the beginning, we can expect even more in the near future.

Bulgaria

Online gaming revenues surge in Bulgaria

Published

6 years ago

December 5, 2018

George Miller

Online gaming revenues surge in Bulgaria Reading Time: 1 minute

The Bulgarian Trade Association of Manufacturers and Operators in the Gaming Industry’s (BTAMOI) reports that the country’s online gaming revenues showed a growth in the last financial year. The industry paid €57 million in taxes to government, which corresponds to a 17 per cent rise year on year. BTAMOI said in a press release: “For the period 2017/2018 the gaming industry in Bulgaria has shown very good results at national level, based on the country’s upward economic performance.”

The online gambling segment in Bulgaria represents about 10 per cent of the country’s total gambling market. The segment posted a revenue of €89 million in the nine months to September 30, a spike of 30 per cent compared to the figure same time last year.

Source: Latest News on European Gaming Media Network