Tom Walton, Director at technology consultancy, Burendo, shares how operators can achieve sustainable profitability with learnings from other sectors

Operators who are merging and acquiring other businesses, launching new products or even integrating third-party technologies, can find themselves navigating complex internal processes. It is a complex large-scale challenge. Where M&As are commonplace, brand consolidation can be critical when securing sustainable profitability while planning for higher returns in the future. Within the emerging LatAm and US markets, acquisition remains a key focus. A common issue, regardless of geography, is the challenges presented by outdated or fragmented platforms and systems, a major obstacle in the growth trajectory.

In many cases, fundamental changes in how the organisation functions: its people, processes and technology holds the key to better value, higher profits, operational efficiency and reduced risk. By addressing these complexities with proven experience, technology consultants can support operators to be successful in their strategic initiatives.

Agility in competitive markets

To remain competitive in an ever-changing market, operators must move fast and with agility to refine their offering. A constant eye on retention, acquisition and regulatory changes is paramount to avoid financial impact. Despite this risk, research conducted by Accenture in 2022 found that 95% of B2B and B2C C-level executives believe their customers are changing faster than they can change their business, indicating most operators risk falling behind. This poses the question of how this can be supported.

The value of technology consultancies is in enabling businesses to extract greater value from existing resources through a confident understanding of what good looks like. Bringing external ideas gathered through experience, exemplary resources from process to people, can demonstrate what good looks like. More importantly, it shortens the timeline to achieving real goals in the organisation. Being under resourced or lacking the skills needed across these challenges makes it difficult to gain an overarching perspective particularly within a siloed approach.

At Burendo, we leverage more than 40 years of cross-sector experience. We are not only working with some of the biggest operators in betting and gaming, but partner with other highly regulated industries including finance and healthcare. We have helped operators across many initiatives helping them to realise cost savings or increased revenue in a matter of weeks. We pride ourselves in ensuring we leave a lasting positive impact on the culture, enabling our partners to be empowered to carry on our work.

The retention battle

Many operators are too busy with day-to-day tasks or overwhelmed with where to start when it comes to transformation and building a cutting-edge user experience. An example of the gap between capacity and demand is the rising popularity of in-play betting. During live sports, the speed in which players can find and place their bet is critical. Here, streamlined processes that allow for quick innovation will correlate with customer satisfaction, resulting in higher retention rates.

A fresh perspective for lasting change

A successful approach to optimisation requires taking the challenge and viewing it from an experienced and innovative angle. Our partners truly benefit from best practice and valuable lessons derived from other sectors. Through experience we have found that these challenges are not exclusive to betting & gaming and so the ability to apply these learnings drive success.

Managing complex systems and large volumes of data is a common obstacle. By applying these cross-sector principles through working with technology consultants, operators can gain valuable insight into re-engineering platforms and the skills needed, to meet both current and future demands.

Building exceptional, scalable and adaptable architectures ensures that businesses can continue to grow and evolve as the industry changes. This forward-thinking approach positions operators ahead of the curve, meaning they are poised for success in the years to come and have the agility to address any challenges or opportunities that arise.

Creating lasting change requires more than just solving immediate problems. Our goal for our clients is to maintain high levels of efficiency long after an initial transformation is complete. By empowering teams to implement and sustain improvements, operators can maintain continuous growth and unlock growth worth tens of millions of pounds, far outweighing their cost of delivery.

The focus must now shift to building stronger, more Agile organisations that can adapt to changing market conditions. Sustainable efficiency enables operators to optimise time-to-market, improve platform performance, and manage resources more effectively, creating a foundation for long-term growth.

About Burendo   

Founded in 2018 and with offices in Leeds and London, Burendo is an award-winning, consultancy delivering stand-out products and services through technology. We partner with organisations to accelerate organisational value delivery and transform customer experiences.

We are pragmatic thinkers and doers who understand the operational world of organisations and customer demands. We work as a partner to give our clients the latest ideas, tools and techniques to deliver effective results that build long-term value.

For more information, you can visit the Burendo website: www.burendo.com

If you have any questions, please contact Kate Smith, Senior Digital Marketing Executive by email: [email protected]

Boldplay, an innovative international game development studio recently acquired by Openbox Holdings, has announced that Valli Fragoso has stepped down from the role of Director and CEO as she looks to pursue new opportunities.

The leadership change marks a pivotal moment for the game studio as it enters a new period of growth and innovation within the Openbox Holdings group.

Valli has played an instrumental role in establishing Boldplay, overseeing several transformative initiatives that have positioned the company as true disruptor within the casino game development space – with hit titles including Brute Force, Cam Carter and the Cursed Caves, Cyborg City and Speed Heist.

Her decision to step down follows a five-year tenure, with her leadership laying the foundation for closer alignment with Openbox’s corporate vision and long-term commercial goals.

Founded in 2019, Boldplay has quickly become a highly sought-after brand within the game development space, with its portfolio of partners including tier one operators across Europe, LatAm and the US – such as ApuestaTotal, BetMGM, Grosvenor Casinos and Sportingbet.

Openbox and Boldplay will continue to work closely with one another to ensure a seamless leadership transition, while also remaining laser-focused on their core mission of setting new benchmarks for iGaming excellence.

Together, the two companies will leverage their combined technology, commercial expertise and resources to offer players innovative casino content.

Richard Hogg, CEO of Openbox Holdings, commented: “I, and the wider Openbox Holdings team, want to extend our warmest gratitude to Valli for her dedication and contributions to Boldplay. Over the last five years, she has made the studio an iGaming force to be reckoned with. We wish her the best for her future endeavours.

“As Boldplay enters this new chapter, we are excited about the opportunities that lie ahead as we continue to leverage our synergies to drive bold innovation and deliver exceptional value to our partners. Boldplay is stronger than ever, and this transition allows us to refine our focus on delivering exciting experiences and expanding market presence in 2025 and beyond.”

Greco, the leading provider of the Gameplay Risk Engine, is proud to enter a partnership with Lottoland, a global leader in the online lottery sector.

This collaboration will see Lottoland integrate Greco’s innovative Gameplay Risk Engine to enhance player management, minimise risk, and optimise operational efficiency across its platforms.

“At Lottoland, innovation is at the heart of everything we do. Partnering with Greco aligns perfectly with our mission to deliver world-class experiences to our customers. Greco’s unique Gameplay Risk Engine will assess player behaviours, ensuring a secure and seamless experience for our growing community of 20 million customers,” says Mike Kirwian, VP Marketing & Commercial.

Operating in 15 markets, Lottoland is renowned for revolutionising the lottery market and has recently announced a record number of 20 million customers worldwide. Through this new partnership, the operator continues its commitment to delivering exceptional player experiences in the lottery space as a market leader.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Lottoland as a partner. Their commitment to innovation and player-centric operations aligns closely with our values. With our Gameplay Risk Engine, Lottoland is well-equipped to enhance efficiency and reinforce its position as a global leader in the online lottery space,” remarks Ozric Vondervelden, Co-Founder and CEO of Greco.

Greco’s Gameplay Risk Engine leverages theoretical value modelling and behavioural risk analysis, giving operators key insights to reduce costs and improve marketing efficiency. This partnership marks another milestone for Greco as it expands its footprint in the iGaming industry.