As the industry continues to grow and demand for casino content rises with each passing month, suppliers must adapt to the needs of their customers and keep up with their competitors, writes Daniel Mitton, Head of Casino at Soft2Bet.

With the game development process continuing to prove costly and time consuming, the new strategy is to sign deals with up-and-coming or targeted sub-providers to supply the content which the industry demands. It’s an approach that can be effective, fast and cost-cutting.  

It is clear then, that the aggregation of younger suppliers is a strong option for all parties. Firstly, it puts sub-providers into contact with key operators, which is often a starting point for conversations on updates, roadmaps and the wider relationship.

Many of those suppliers wouldn’t have the option of directly integrating with operators, so aggregation represents their primary method of building those relationships. 

Secondly, it gives operators and providers a rapid route to market without the need for a brand-new direct integration, giving all sides time to fully evaluate the performance of their offering. Direct integrations should only be used when there is a clear need for a product across multiple verticals, or when a third-party studio is generating enough incremental revenue to warrant it. 

That option may take up a large part of your development spend, but it gives you an instant saving on the bottom line and allows operators to push your product across specific brands or markets. 

As the iGaming market continues to change, content must evolve with it. Today’s market may be saturated, but there’s a diverse variety on offer, particularly compared to the years gone by when tier 1 brands dictated roadmaps across the industry. 

Some providers are seizing the initiative with a model that emphasises quality over quantity. As a personal fan of their games, I tip my hat to such companies, but some are missing the mark by failing to cover the full range of operator demands across different markets. 

You see more and more of those providers adapting to the times with a widened offering, while also staying true to their roots by delivering at least one high-profile in-house per quarter. That approach could maximise the demand and revenue which they capture, but integrating sub-providers or investing further in in-house development is a crucial first step. 

The future of content aggregation 

As new regulations and restrictions come into effect, it’s likely that significant changes are already underway. If a market that looked full of promise ceases to be viable because of regulation, suppliers will not see the need to build specific games for the territory. Rather, they will simply shift their geographic focus. 

With many of the world’s largest operators jumping on the US bandwagon, our industry’s interest in that particular country will continue to grow. Providers must have plans in place to meet that demand when the time comes, as the landscape they will enter is vastly different to Europe’s. In the former, land-based favorites and simple, strong mechanics will rule the day – rather than the innovative mathematics and gamification seen on the other side of the Atlantic. 

Why Soft2Bet’s platform delivers the goods 

Variety is a word that typifies our content portfolio. We are a rapidly expanding company that needs a diverse array of games to suit all player preferences, so we’re proud to be delivering exactly that. We have more than 5,000 games from over 75 suppliers, covering every genre of game found in our industry. 

Nevertheless, we’re still looking to expand our horizons with further innovative additions, so keep an eye out for further developments in the period to come!