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Exclusive interview with Stuart Godfree, Managing Director and co-founder, mkodo
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Stuart Godfree co-founded mkodo with Sue Yoxall in 2001, taking the opportunity to bring an innovative technology-based service to the rapidly developing gaming market. Recently, Stuart founded mkodo’s Evolve Scheme, a graduate scheme investing in the next generation of talented individuals who want to progress a career in the mobile applications technology field.
You offer apps and digital products to the betting, gaming and lottery sectors, what do you think is the most important thing operators need to consider in terms of their digital experience offering?
Having a strong digital offering is no longer an option but a necessity for all operators and suppliers in the gambling industry. We work with several lotteries and traditionally this has been a product popular with the older generation who would buy and check the outcome of the draw in a retail environment. But nowadays, people are using their mobile phones for everyday tasks and this includes leisure activities such as betting and gaming. People have got used to the convenience of having everything just one click away and expect an easy, effortless user experience. For the lottery industry, this could for example mean a fully transactable experience; an app that offers the functionality to log in, deposit funds, check lottery tickets and withdraw winnings without unnecessary friction.
You work with several National and State lotteries. Would you say they are falling behind in the fast-paced digital development?
Although it can be argued that lotteries were late to the party when it comes to adapting to the online environment, we’re now seeing a sizeable shift in attitudes. For lotteries to benefit from all the opportunities provided by the digital world, they must be bold in embracing new technologies and trends. This is particularly crucial to engage the mobile savvy younger generations. We have seen with our operating partners that with a slick and efficient online or mobile offering, no audience is unattainable. Of course, as with any industry, there is room for improvement and challenges remain. Regulators world-over are tightening up on legislation while Apple is following suit with its own restrictions on the App Store guidelines, troubling digitalisation. But the ambition is finally there, and that’s an important step in the right direction. We recently gained a membership to the World Lottery Association and are partnered with some of the biggest names in the industry such as the Atlantic Lottery Corporation and the British Columbia Lottery Corporation. It’s great to see that implementing an innovative digital strategy is a top priority for the lotteries we work with and operators have proven that they are able to keep up with rapidly changing consumer preferences in an online world.
You have recently worked on a project together with Teesside University, could you tell us a bit about that?
This was part of our “innovate together” competition that we launched to see if we could generate solutions to one of the biggest challenges that lotteries around the world are currently facing; attracting and retaining the younger generation. As mentioned, traditional lotteries are seen to be a preferred game of choice for older generations of 55-64, where 87% of lottery tickets are still bought in retail stores. So, who better to address the challenge of engaging a younger audience than millennials themselves? We asked students at Teesside University to come up with a solution that bridges the gap between traditional lotteries and the younger generations, in line with responsible gambling regulations and charitable beneficiary obligations. We heard four presentations packed with great ideas and well-developed arguments. We’re now developing these innovative ideas with the students and we’re excited to showcase them soon.
Apple has recently started enforcing their guidelines 4.2 and 4.7, could you tell us a bit more about the implications this could have for the betting and gaming industry?
Apple’s restrictions on nativity and real money games have served as a double blow to the industry. For a lot of operators, repacking a HTML website in a native container was standard practice for their mobile applications. But that approach will no longer work under the new guidelines and has the potential to impact the industry massively in terms of app re-development time and cost.
On top of that, the 4.7 restriction has potential to be even more damaging, particularly for operators that have a high level of native functionality but include third-party casino games. As Apple will no longer accept games that have been ‘side-loaded’, as we call it, operators are left with a difficult decision: either abandon their iOS application and move solely to website distribution channels, or work with game developers to embed top titles with the application code. Both options come with pitfalls, however, the full extent of how these restrictions will truly impact the industry is yet to be realised.
What can we expect from mkodo in 2019?
We’ve been helping our clients and partners understand their obligations and responsibilities with the revised Apple Guidelines, as well as developing strategies to minimise the impact amongst operators in the wider betting and gaming industry. We will continue to do this and will advise on what happens beyond the September 3rd deadline. More widely, our business in Canada and North America continues to go from strength to strength and we’re looking forward to making valuable new partnerships in the region.
Source: Latest News on European Gaming Media Network
This is a Syndicated News piece. Photo credits or photo sources can be found on the source article: Exclusive interview with Stuart Godfree, Managing Director and co-founder, mkodo
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White Hat Studios launches with Betly mobile sportsbook and casino in West Virginia
Partnership sees leading branded content and popular Jackpot Royale integrated into Delaware North’s Betly online casino in the Mountain State
White Hat Studios, the “House of Brands” provider to the United States iGaming market, has partnered with Delaware North to launch on its Betly mobile sportsbook and casino in West Virginia.
The leading provider aims to build its online casino offering with the addition of the industry’s top-performing games.
Betly players in West Virginia will now have access to White Hat Studios’ acclaimed portfolio of premium branded titles, including Ted, The Goonies, and the award-winning 7s Fire Blitz series.
Also included in the rollout are the popular Jackpot Royale and Jackpot Royale Express progressive jackpot networks, currently live across more than 40 titles, and the first Betly-branded iCasino game – Betly Player’s Choice Blackjack.
Designed to elevate player engagement and boost retention, the addition of these promotional tools adds another layer of excitement to the Betly casino offering.
White Hat Studios has made significant strides in its U.S. growth trajectory since launching in 2021, consistently delivering high-performing content across multiple states. West Virginia remains a key market for the provider, following its remarkable success in all seven regulated U.S. iGaming states.
The collaboration represents another major step in White Hat Studios’ expansion across regulated U.S. states and reinforces its reputation as a go-to content partner for forward-thinking operators.
Daniel Lechner, SVP Sales and Marketing at White Hat Studios, said: “We’re thrilled to be partnering with Delaware North on the Betly online casino app in West Virginia.
“This partnership reflects our ongoing commitment to delivering top-tier content quickly and seamlessly to operators across the U.S. With our portfolio of fan-favorite branded titles and innovative features like Jackpot Royale, we’re confident we’ll make an immediate impact for Betly and its players.”
Bob Akeret, General Manager for Betly, added: “We’re excited to welcome White Hat Studios onto our Betly platform in West Virginia. Their reputation for delivering engaging, high-quality games, especially branded content, makes them an ideal partner as we continue to elevate our casino experience.”
The post White Hat Studios launches with Betly mobile sportsbook and casino in West Virginia appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.
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Games Global and Slingshot Studios expand Cashingo™ series with Eruption Blaze Cashingo™
Title pairs advanced Cashingo experience with ULTRA Link&Win enhancements
Games Global, together with its exclusive studio partner, Slingshot Studios, has released Eruption Blaze Cashingo, bolstering the popular series with a feature-rich release, where jackpots up to 5,000x chart a path to 13,283x win potential.
Set against the backdrop of a lava-spewing volcano, every cash and jackpot coin that lands is added to the mirrored Cashingo grid, with the value of all prizes paid out when a horizontal, vertical or diagonal row is completed.
Adding further variety to the action is the integrated ULTRA Link&Win feature, which can be activated by landing six or more coins. The feature begins with three respins on a 5×5 reel set, with three extra rows initially locked. Keys can unlock additional rows, expanding the reels and increasing win potential.
Special Boosters can appear during the round, including Doublers that increase the value of up to four cash prize coins and Collectors that gather all visible cash coin values at once. Persistent versions of these boosters remain active, while Extra Life coins award an extra spin once the initial respins are exhausted.
Free Spins offer a change of pace and greater depth, with a Power Stacks feature enhancing wild and coin symbols to elevate potential.
Eruption Blaze Cashingo showcases Slingshot Studios’ continued refinement of the Cashingo franchise, delivering an engaging, well-paced gameplay experience.
Richard Vermaak, Creative Director at Slingshot Studios, said: “Our goal with Eruption Blaze Cashingo was to take what players enjoy about Cashingo and give it more room to develop.
“The combination of the Cashingo and Power Stacks mechanics introduces a dynamic element to the base game, and the enhanced ULTRA Link&Win feature adds clear progression as the grid expands. We are delighted with how the experience comes together.”
David Reynolds, Director of Games Strategy & Partner Management at Games Global, added: “Eruption Blaze Cashingo is a strong addition to our portfolio and a great evolution of the Cashingo concept. Cash and jackpot coins open up new ways for the game to build, while the updates to the ULTRA Link&Win feature bring more variety to each round.
“Slingshot Studios has continued to grow the series in a way that feels natural and engaging.”
The post Games Global and Slingshot Studios expand Cashingo™ series with Eruption Blaze Cashingo™ appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.
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13 gambling company executives in appeal against ATG’s proposal to raise gambling tax in Sweden
BOS – The Swedish Trade Association for Online Gambling – is today submitting a letter to the government. The letter is signed by 13 gambling company executives and BOS’s secretary general. In the letter, the signatories urge the government not to support the gambling company ATG in their proposal to raise the general gambling tax in favour of a reduction in the tax on horse racing.
As a main argument, the signatories highlight the fact that the level of the gambling tax affects the proportion of consumers who choose to gamble on the legal licensed gambling market, and that too many consumers are already opting out of the safety of the licensed market with its extensive consumer protection.
“Horse betting has a channelisation rate of between 98-99 percent. Online casino, according to the most optimistic estimates, has a channelisation rate of between 72-82 percent. The higher the tax, the greater the risk that the consumer will choose unlicensed gambling, where neither gambling tax nor consumer protection exists. To then lower the gambling tax for horse betting, which already has a very strong channelisation, and raise it for online casino, which has a very weak channelisation, would be completely incomprehensible. At least for those who prioritize consumer protection,” says BOS Secretary General Gustaf Hoffstedt.
You can read the full letter here: Letter to Government on ATG gambling duty
The post 13 gambling company executives in appeal against ATG’s proposal to raise gambling tax in Sweden appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.
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