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interaction, is something we are developing further, offering a more personalised experience. PK: At the moment, live gaming accounts for 10-20% of operators’ GGR. We expect to see that ?gure rise to 50% within the next few years. The good news for operators is that the success of live gaming isn’t coming at the expense of RNG gaming revenue. This is because live gaming is attracting new online players as well as existing ones who like to play both kinds of game. RNG games like slots simply aren’t suited to a live format. Therefore, we are concentrating on delivering a crossover model where players can play live games and a multitude of RNG varieties – all at the same time. ADG: Live games will not replace RNG games. Live games are complementary to RNG games as they answer to different needs. They are used when you are looking for a show, when you want to interact with the dealer and if you need more trust. RNG games answer to the need of speed and anonymity. There will almost certainly be a shift from RNG to live because players are now asking for live games. Also, live games can generate bigger revenues as they attract high rollers who are used to spending more money for every single game. Last but not least, live games can bring back dormant players who were not satis?ed with RNG games in the ?rst place. eGR: What are some of the recent trends in the live gaming industry and how do you think it will develop in the next ?ve years? HH: Differentiation is a major trend. Facing increasing competition, operators are looking for bespoke solutions that really connect with their customers. Localisation is a key way to do this. A strongly branded live casino design, with the right environment and features – including native speaking dealers who speak customers’ languages and like-minded fellow players from the same culture – can differentiate a live casino and drive customer acquisition, retention and revenue. Clear proof of this trend is that in the ?rst quarter of this year, Evolution launched 17 new dedicated (branded) tables – more than for the whole of 2011. Closely related to the above, more land-based casinos will look to strengthen their online presence to protect and grow their revenues. We are very excited about moving the live casino experience into social media in the next ?ve years. It’s a natural ?t. PK: As more jurisdictions allow live gaming, new markets are opening up and existing land-based casinos can (or will soon be able to) offer their existing customers a remote live gaming service.
L IV E GAMING
“In Italy, Sanremo Casino uses Medialivecasino technology to stream its live roulette over the internet”
Angelo De Gobbi In order to engage with these new markets as well as casinos’ existing players, we need to do three things. First, we need to provide localised services, which is why we’re opening up new studios all over the world. Secondly, we need to develop even more games. Though we currently offer many variations of six games, we need to continue to innovate as we are with black jack and Texas Hold‘Em poker if we are to engage with emerging markets around the globe, and offer the most popular games in each region. Finally, new markets will mean that live gaming products will have to work seamlessly across multiple platforms and varying bandwidths, from high-speed broadband to mobile networks. Mobile gaming is a particularly important area, not simply because it allows players’ access to live gaming wherever they are, but also because it allows casinos to keep in touch with their players and further cement their existing relationships. ADG: Land-based casinos are affected by a drop in revenues because of the growth of online gaming. However, live gaming technology is a big plus for land-based casinos. We are working with several land-based casinos to install our hardware and software so they can stream the games directly from their live tables. In Italy, Sanremo Casino uses Medialive Casino technology to stream its live roulette over the internet. Pro?ts are growing again thanks to the partnership between offline and online gaming and more of these partnerships will happen, expanding land-based casinos’ businesses on the web.
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