iGaming in 2021: Slotegrator shares its partner network’s plans and projections

December 22, 2020

23 min

7522

2020 was tough for business sectors across the globe, and the gambling community was no exception. But the industry keeps changing, developing, and moving forward, no matter what the world is faced with. This article is about what we at Slotegrator are planning for the near future, and what our partners are expecting.

How we handled 2020

It will come as no surprise that the outgoing year was not easy for any of us. We all faced circumstances we had never experienced before, and the unexpected shift from the real world to the online one changed the balance of how businesses operate in every country. The iGaming industry was also strongly affected and had to adapt to the new rules of the game; land-based establishments suffered major losses, while online casinos experienced a previously unseen level of growth.

Slotegrator always stays positive. While 2020 was a challenge, we stayed on track when it came to development. We signed a number of important partnerships, expanded our portfolio of games, and even managed to visit some events and meet our partners in person. Our team also launched several great solutions for online casino businesses, including Casino Kit, which is an online casino platform based on Wordpress for easier management; Telegram casino, which uses bots for faster navigation, and Sportegrator, a complete solution for sportsbooks.

But while so many things changed, this year was no different for us in terms of services: Slotegrator always does its best to provide companies with the most modern and innovative solutions, helping businesses to develop and grow. By enlarging its partner network, the Slotegrator team keeps expanding its presence on the market.

Events we didn’t give up on

Business is all about networks. This was massively affected by the health measures this year, which caused some complications and changes in our plans. While it was frustrating, the Slotegrator team adjusted to the situation and communicated online even more than before. However, recognizing the importance of personal meetings and discussions, we hope to visit all the planned events that were postponed to 2021.

UGW

UGW, Ukrainian Gaming Week, was planned for 2020, and, just like many other public events, had to be postponed. We hope it will take place on the projected dates: February 24-25, 2021. This conference is also an expo of gambling products and services, and the UGW Awards will take place during the event as well. UGW is expecting to host 3,000 visitors and over 100 participants. Slotegrator plans to attend if the situation allows.

SPiCE India

Strategic Platform for iGaming Conference & Exhibition is an exhibition and conference expected to take place in Goa, India, on 23-25 March 2021. This meeting is a networking opportunity for companies to discuss development and growth in a quickly changing regulatory environment. We at Slotegrator are looking forward to meeting our partners and colleagues at the event and hope it goes ahead as planned.

SIGMA Europe

We planned to visit SIGMA in 2020, of course. The event didn’t take place, but that doesn’t mean we should give up. The new dates are 13-15 April 2021, and we can’t wait to be in Malta, discussing new collaborations and opportunities for development with our partners. SIGMA is a World Gaming Festival, covering trends and technologies in the industry.

ICE London

ICE London is a conference and exhibition hosting over 35,000 visitors, 9,000 operators, and 600 providers, representing over 150 countries all over the world. It will take place on the 29 June-1 July 2021 in London. This will be a great space for discussion and debates, where any business can find a solution for its challenges and start new partnerships. This event is a must-visit for all, so you can count on seeing us there.

iGB Live!

iGB Live! & iGB Affiliate Amsterdam is planned for 14-17 July 2021. This event is an opportunity for iGaming industry players to get together, discuss new trends, and share their experiences in the rapidly changing world of online gambling. This conference will be divided into an iGaming Zone and an Affiliate Zone for increased convenience when searching for the right partnership opportunity.

We are looking forward to seeing our partners and starting even more new potential collaborations in 2021. We can’t wait to open more business opportunities in the future, and we believe these conferences will be great steps towards mutual success.

What our partners are looking forward to

Just like us, our partners have big plans for the upcoming year. The developers in our partner network have shared their ambitions and expectations for 2021. They also gave us some hints about what gaming products they will be releasing soon — and we’re predicting a truly successful year for all of us.

Evoplay Entertainment

Evoplay Entertainment saw some dynamic development in 2020, presenting groundbreaking openings to the iGaming industry, and next year it will keep the same pace to reach more memorable milestones in the company's history.

Opening some of their cards for 2021, the Evoplay Entertainment team told us they already extended their game development pipeline, which means players will see about 40 unique game adventures with various themes. They will include innovative 3D video slots, franchises of existing games, and instant games with more gamified gaming features. Evoplay Entertainment will continue developing the market-specific products and sports-themed cross-channel offerings that were in great demand this year.

But the most anticipated project is the new AAA 3D video slot product, in the genre of science fiction with fantasy elements, which will become Evoplay Entertainment’s flagship product in 2021. Like its predecessor, Dungeon: Immortal Evil, the new game will revolutionize the entire gambling industry.

“As a user-centric game supplier with a fresh approach to game development, we will experiment with the game's technical content — mechanics, bonus features — logically combining them with the theme of the game. Players should also expect the launch of tournaments and jackpots, which will make their gaming experience even more exciting and diverse,” — says Ivan Kravchuk, CEO at Evoplay Entertainment.

2021 is just around the corner, and Evoplay Entertainment is looking forward to bringing more innovative and revolutionary projects to the industry's table in the next year. The developer has everything it needs, which means that the biggest inventions are yet to come.

OneTouch

Despite a difficult year, OneTouch has managed to come through with flying colours thanks largely to its very talented team.

This is how OneTouch comments on the upcoming year: “Like many of us, we are looking forward to 2021 with renewed optimism, and we have some very exciting plans for the next 12 months. This includes the launch of even more premium mobile table game and slot content as well as our first live casino content in the New Year alongside Bombay Club, operators of a leading VIP live casino studio in Latvia.”

Since launching just six years ago, OneTouch has continued to fuse sharp mobile-first designs with intuitive single-touch interactivity when creating their premium table games, providing players with a unique and superior online gaming experience irrespective of the device they are using.

The last two years have seen the team add a roster of innovative slot titles to their portfolio, including the latest hits Flexing Dragons, MVP Hoops, and Forgotten Pharaohs, and it’s ready to offer a huge range of new and exciting themes and mechanics in 2021.

“We have come a long way in a short space of time and received our first highly commended award at the SBC Awards in December, being recognised as a rising star in casino innovation.”

With a succession of mobile-oriented slot launches in the pipeline, as well as a live dealer offering, OneTouch’s roadmap is packed with new and exciting releases they can’t wait to share.

NetGame Entertainment

All year, the NetGame team was sharply focused on expanding their game library with memorable and exciting games and expanding their presence in various markets!

The company has implemented adaptive UI support, correctly displayed on specific devices with the ratio of sides up to 21x9 in vertical and horizontal modes. The games started loading much faster due to the delayed boot mechanism, and the entire line of games has been localized in 18 languages.

“We have huge plans and even more energy to carry them out in 2021! This means new jurisdictions, new promotions, new partnerships with aggregators and platforms, and new releases. We believe that 2021 will be the year of a really big breakout since we're going to implement our own unique mechanics, serving the changing market, and establishing new trends,” the NetGame team comments.

Gamshy

This is what the Gamshy team told us: “First and foremost, we expect everyone to be safer and healthier in this new year. We look forward to 2021, mindful of the important work done under the radar during the year. We've laid the groundwork for new markets through important agreements and the necessary licensing and certifications.”

The developer has several games ready to be released, trusting in the appreciation that the public has often shown for them. There are several new features, both in mechanics and themes, that the provider has prepared to enrich its portfolios. The team has also equipped all the games with free spins and continues to be attentive to player requests.

“We hope to be able to show them to you live again. We are confident that we will be able to participate again in person in the various shows that will take place during the year, such as Sigma and ICE, perhaps adding events that we have not participated in in the past.”

CT Gaming Interactive

In the year to come, CT Gaming Interactive is planning to add new titles to its rich portfolio of over 165 games, continuously debuting exclusive games with new dynamic themes, taking players on new adventures with new games mechanics and features.

CT Gaming Interactive will kick off the new year with a new game release, developed exclusively for extending the players’ entertainment experience. The offering will be live as of 4 January and will delight players everywhere with its potential for big wins. CT Gaming Interactive is planning to launch slot titles on a monthly basis throughout the year, meaning the company has dozens of new games for operators to look forward to this year.

A tournament function will be added to the games that will attract even more players and add value to operators’ offerings. The developers have prepared games with brand new mechanics. With the Mini Bonus which is triggered by a special symbol stored during the game.

The CT Gaming team is planning to further strengthen the brand’s position in a number of markets as well as tapping into new sales markets. The aim is to further consolidate the company’s market position in Italy, Spain, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Peru, Mexico, Panama, and Colombia, expand in Asia, and target Eastern European countries.

CT Gaming Interactive is set to continue on its chosen path to be even more widely known and represented throughout the world of gaming with its thrilling, high-quality games and products.

Triple Cherry

Triple Cherry is looking forward to 2021. It has many projects that will undoubtedly allow it to grow intensely. The developer has recently acquired a license to operate in Spain and Italy, so it is going to start being noticed in these powerful markets thanks to partnerships with established operators.

Another of the company’s objectives is the acquisition of the MGA and the UKGM licenses, which it has already begun to work on.

“Regarding Triple Cherry's star product, video slots, we are pleased to say that there are six incredible games in production and we can advance some names: Pinochio's Journey or Eternal Cherry, and as always, each with its different characteristics that do not leave the player indifferent,” comments the team.

Endorphina

While 2020 was definitely an unusual time for Endorphina, it still made sure to network virtually with a range of great companies, made a great number of new business partnerships, and created 13 brand new games.

This year, Endorphina is planning to release on average two new and unique games each month to share with their partners and players around the globe. The provider is going to create a new series of games with interconnected themes within those new releases. The team says that this year holds great promise, as gambling trends should rise significantly due to even more mobile gaming triggered in 2020. According to Endorphina, the entire online gambling market has gained a tremendous amount of new gamers looking to stay entertained. It seems that this trend is here to stay, as many games have captured players' attention.

Endorphina CEO Jan Urbanec has this to say on the topic: "This increase in online gambling is a trend that is here to stay. As more gamers are exposed to the iGaming industry, they're also opening up another world of gaming possibilities. 2021 is an exciting time to be in the industry."

As usual, Endorphina is planning to continue attending relevant and inspiring events to stay on top of the iGaming industry. The company is getting ready to make an entrance at SIGMA with their Endorphina Fun Run and preparing to make a bright and noticeable appearance at ICE London, to enter new regulated markets, and to foster strong new partnerships across the world so that more players can enjoy their colourful game portfolio.

True Lab

For True Lab, the outgoing year was very intense, and the team is planning, of course, to release unique new slots, develop their own platform, and work on their online casino brands in future. They experiment a lot with game mechanics, and they are planning to reveal some truly special slots, some of them in collaboration with Yggdrasil. If the Maltese casino brand develops successfully, the company plans to start new additional brands in different markets, obtaining local licenses for them. And finally, the True Lab team worked a lot on their own platform in 2020, and is going to present its new features soon.

“We would like to wish all our partners to get back to normal life in every sense, and we are looking forward to seeing our old and new friends at the conferences that we all are missing so much!” — comments Konstantin Katsev, the co-founder of True Flip Group.

Platipus

If we discuss a possible pessimistic scenario, Platipus sees the development of the iGaming industry in the following way: the company projects the next year to have more strict regulations in many European jurisdictions, like Germany and the Netherlands, which will result in a significant block of players moving to the black or grey market, which will negatively affect the whole gambling industry. But the number of players that leave isn’t the biggest problem — decreasing level of performance is.

The provider believes that high rollers will leave first, because the legislation will affect them the most. The Swedish iGaming market, with its strict limitations, is a good example. Germany and the Netherlands will probably develop in the same way. Many experienced operators are sure these markets will become unprofitable.

“We are also expecting a significant decrease in gambling turnovers by June. Summer is always lower, this is obvious. People prefer travelling, open air events, and, considering the fact that the vaccination is going to be at full speed, we expect all the limitations to be down. Clubs, restaurants, land-based casinos will reopen, and people who missed this life a lot will start going out and spend significant sums of money there.”

However we are expecting turnover to get back to the level of 2019 by winter, since people will be more stable and confident in their future and start spending money on online entertainment. Platipus recommends paying attention to Asian markets, especially China, where changes in legislation are expected to happen, especially for the online casino sector.

Talking about events, Platipus is planning to visit SIGMA Europe, ICE London, G2E Asia, and probably SBC Mexico in 2021.

Real Dealer Studios

Real Dealer Studios is looking forward to a busy and exciting 2021, when they will be laser-focused on expanding the ‘Real’ category of cinematic casino games they introduced this year. The provider’s groundbreaking Hollywood-meets-casino approach stood out in 2020 for its innovative way of bridging the gap between traditional RNG casino games and live casino. The Real Dealer team expects interest to continue to grow as word spreads further. Feedback from operators shows there’s a huge demand for more – more types of table games, more variety, and more localization.

“Our mission for 2021 is strengthening our portfolio, and plans are already in motion to do just that. As soon as it is safe to do so, we’ll be back in Los Angeles for more filming of our upcoming games. We’ll also be releasing localized versions of many of our games throughout the year, so operators will soon be able to give their players an entertaining experience that feels closer to home,” the Real Dealer Studios management says.

ReelNRG

ReelNRG is planning to launch one new game a month. Some of the themes in their pipeline include Safari, Moulin Rouge, Circus of Chaos, and Ice Kingdom, to mention just a few. The provider is going to focus on new themes that they have not worked on before and some themes that might be new overall for slots.

ReelNRG already got some games certified in Sweden, Columbia, Portugal, and Spain. This year it is going to release more games for these markets, but also focus on LATAM. The ReelNRG team is also working on releasing some great promotional tools in 2021.

“With hopes of being able to attend industry events in 2021, the entire team is looking forward to attending ICE, iGB, SIGMA Manilla, and we are planning to exhibit at SIGMA Malta, which has always been a great success for us, so we are very excited to exhibit again. Our vision for 2021 is to expand our markets and make our new game feature Sidebets a great success. It’s time for ReelNRG to be recognized for our great products and increase our client portfolio.” — CEO, Calvin Kent.

Booming Games

Booming Games shared its plans for the upcoming year and their release dates for their new games. The first planned release of 2021, on January 7, is Book of Tombs, a visually stunning 5x3 slot with a classic and proven theme. This is a high-volatility game, with players being able to land nine expanding symbols, at the same time producing wins of up to 5,000 the bet size.

The upcoming games also include Cash Pig and Sphinx Fortune, which features an irregular grid that offers 576 different ways to win. The final release of Q1 2021 will be Wizarding Wins, a 25-line slot based on the magical world of Hogwarts.

The first release of Q2 will be Diamond Riches. Other titles to fill your platform will be Buffalo Hold and Win and Majestic Safari, which features stunning graphics and a 5x4 game board.

Booming Games will continue to focus on a regulated markets strategy, holding a B2B license issued by the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) and owning the required game certificates to distribute games among many markets. Soon to follow are the UK, Spain, Romania, Greece, Portugal, and Columbia.

KALAMBA

Tamas Kusztos, the Head of Sales and Account Management of KALAMBA, shared his thoughts with us: “In the short, I think we’ll see the volatility metric become more balanced. Engaging players with frequent base game hits will result in longer session times, but there needs to be a relatively high win potential too in order to grab attention. Once the mathematicians have found the sweet spot, the industry will slowly consolidate to accommodate these factors throughout 2021 and beyond.”

KALAMBA believes that the “softer” elements of slots will become even more prominent. Gamified features will increase in importance as there is a need to serve different markets and segments. For instance, in Germany, gambling will become more social because the maximum limit will be low. The main interest for players will be the social aspect, and making sure that gamification, side missions, etc., are really top-notch will be critical.

This is why the KALAMBA team is developing promo tools around its own remote gaming server, Bullseye. Already launched is Big Win Replay, which gives players a taste of what it’s like to experience a big win by actually seeing footage of the reels. In 2021, KALAMBA will launch its own unique take on jackpots, and that will be followed by a similarly original version of bonuses and, naturally, free spins.

More generally, the KALAMBA team is sure that the industry will progress towards the casual player, and game production values will have to be high enough to match those of other entertainment media. The iGaming industry will ultimately be competing against Netflix et al. for consumers, so this is a trend that must be embraced for regulated markets. This is no small shift, but KALAMBA believes it’s a necessary one to make as the industry matures.

BGaming

BGaming is expecting a very productive year. The company will obtain an MGA license soon, which will let it expand. BGaming believes that the speed of gameplay will increase and players will place bets more frequently. Consequently, average play time will become shorter, and gaming sessions will be shorter. The company also says Hold and Win games, like Elvis and Dragon Pearl, will develop even more than now. The concept of many games in one (All Lucky Clovers) is convenient for players, so it will develop and improve.

BGaming is planning to introduce new features and enable an option of choosing an RTP for new games. The provider will also release new gaming content, including:

Mechanical Clover 27 with sophisticated math
Fruit Million
Four Lucky Diamonds
Ring of Riches

KA Gaming

KA Gaming is planning to delight us with at least 60 new slots and four more new fish shooting games in 2021. It is also going to offer two specific Chinese New Year games for the Year of the Ox. The provider will also introduce a new action adventure game, Tap Heroes, and a new Shock Tower featuring a Standalone Jackpot, which will have fast gameplay with no reels and no pay tables, where all prizes are shown. The company is also working on iGaming content for the Indian market and a new Indian Game Theme, as well as Classic and Holiday Festival slots.

KA Gaming will present us a range of new features and marketing tools. There will be a Free Spin Bonus, a popular Megaways feature, a comprehensive feature with cascading symbol, cluster symbol, sync reel, collecting symbol, or symbol upgrade features, a standalone jackpot. The company is planning to enter more African and Latin American markets in 2021. KA Gaming is also expected to visit international events and conferences, where we will be able to meet them in person.

Red Rake

“2020 has been a very special year for our industry, as it had to cope with a crisis, which has transformed everyone's ways of working, but has also seen a huge increase in demand from operators and players. For 2021 we hope that everything comes back to normal, and this means for us working in our offices and going back to in person gaming events, which is a wonderful chance for us to meet face to face with all our partners,” — commented the Red Rake team and shared its plans with us.

The company is planning to keep increasing its footprint in regulated markets across the globe. It is expecting to acquire a Romanian B2B license in 2021 Q1 and offer its products in the newly regulated German and Greek markets. Red Rake also plans to sign its first deal in the US market. Product wise, the developer is planning to keep producing quality games. The Red Rake team values quality over quantity and likes trying new concepts from time to time: among other achievements, it created an industry-first Orbitals reels game and MillionWays games.

Tom Horn Gaming

The company will continue to create engaging products that meet the needs of various player demographics. The Tom Horn team expects more countries to regulate or re-regulate their gambling frameworks to take up new opportunities in new geographies, with the products primed for new requirements. The provider will offer new exciting promotional tools, which they believe will entice players even more. Last but not least, they hope that it will be possible for the industry to reunite at physical events such as ICE or iGB Live at some point in 2021.

Spadegaming

2021 will be an exciting year for Spadegaming as the team has prepared several new games that are on the way with new features. One to watch is the brand new shooting game: Alien Hunter that lets players select & hunt their own preferred rewards in various forms of aliens. Players will also be able to play against other players, adding extra excitement to the gameplay experience.

Apart from that, two eye-popping slot games are also in the pipeline: Kungfu Dragon & Hugon Quest. The company’s aim is to strengthen the market presence in the industry by leveraging the power of partnership and the unlimited opportunities of the network. Meanwhile, Spadegaming promises to introduce a whole new level of games with the continuing focus on gameplay innovation and creativity.

Our vision of 2021

Slotegrator is excited about the new year. 2021 is expected to be very intense and productive for the whole iGaming industry, and we are going to keep up the pace. Slotegrator will visit all the events and conferences postponed from 2020 and keep making educational webinars for all those who wish to know more about the specifics of gambling. Even more successful partnerships are expected, as well as more new products and solutions in our portfolio.

Despite the current circumstances, the industry is developing fast and keeps rapidly changing. We want our partners and clients to rely on us in these tough times, which is why our solutions are developed in a way to meet the needs of land-based and online casino operators. We strive to enhance the success and prosperity of all our partners and clients, and wish them all plenty of opportunities for growth in 2021.

Nikolaj Plugatar

Business Development Manager

Nikolaj started at Slotegrator in 2018 as a Sales Manager and became a Business Development Manager in 2022. Nikolaj is passionate about the iGaming industry — he is an expert in gambling markets and modern technologies and trends in development. He shares his knowledge about the most in-demand products and solutions on the market today and steers the gambling community in the direction of growth.