This week on iGaming Talks, we’re delighted to welcome Oren Cohen Shwartz, the Chief Executive Officer of Delasport, sharing insights into the company’s remarkable growth in the iGaming sector, the challenges Delasport has successfully navigated, and the exciting prospects that lie ahead.
TheGamblest: Delasport has made significant strides in the iGaming market. Can you provide an overview of the current status of the company in the industry and share your vision for the last quarter of 2023?
Oren: We are proud that our hard work is paying off and we’re revolutionizing the player betting experience in iGaming. Our approach of going-beyond-content has proven incredibly successful this year and we not only won several awards but managed to enter several new markets and signed deals with partners like EEG, Videoslots, Campeón Gaming, Bejoynd, and more.
In Q4 we’re keeping up the pace. We just introduced something exciting in the casino vertical: Cross-providers Jackpot. We showcased it at SIGMA and the feedback so far has been astounding. We’re not slowing down as the year comes to an end and there are even new deals which we’ll sign before the end of the year and new exciting features enrolling in Q1 2024.
TheGamblest: Delasport has also recently developed exclusive features and functionality within its platform. Shed some light on the flagship products or services that are currently driving the highest sales and growth for Delasport in the industry.
Oren: In 2023 we enriched our signature personalization suite ‘My Era’. It consists of three sportsbook features that enhance the player experience and contribute to retention. Those features are My Sportsbook, My Event Builder, and If Bet. It is my firm belief that in times of content inflation, providing personalization and an individual approach is the only way to stay ahead of the competition. And the results speak volumes. Our partners and customers see a significant boost in player retention, while we won three sportsbook-related international awards just this year.
Due to the success of our flagship engagement suite, we’re now working on our next proprietary personalization features, and we’ll soon announce a rather big one.
TheGamblest: The company has undoubtedly faced various industry challenges. What is Delasport’s strategic approach to tackling these issues and providing effective solutions to operators?
Oren: Yes, we face industry challenges, they are a part of every successful business. When it comes to tackling them and providing effective solutions to operators, we have a two-dimensional approach. One aspect is coming up with the solution internally since all of us at Delasport are industry experts with many years of experience. The other direction we like taking is talking to our partners directly. We have tremendous respect for our partners and believe they are incredibly intelligent and iGaming-savvy, so usually they hold the answers we need.
TheGamblest: Talking about casino operators, what do you think Oren, are the primary obstacles and difficulties that operators are currently facing in the iGaming industry?
Oren: In the sea of the same, going beyond content is the oxygen of every operator out there. All casino operators have access to the same content, so standing out is the primary obstacle in this vertical, very similar to the sports one. This is why we’re preparing something for this iGaming field in particular.
Another difficulty they face has to do with regulatory compliance and responsible gambling. Our Chief Compliance Officer Filippo Ferri recently spoke about social responsibility and player protection during an official discussion panel since the topic is very high on our priorities. This is why we make sure to work only with the best providers of player safety tools and services.
Being an established business in iGaming is an extremely responsible position and we make sure to take it seriously.
TheGamblest: Personalization has become increasingly important in iGaming. How does Delasport emphasize the importance of personalization, and what advantages does it bring to operators and players?
Oren: We make sure to always highlight the importance of personalization in today’s environment. We talk about it in the media, at conferences, and in meetings with current and potential customers and partners.
Personalization has already skyrocketed in other entertainment industries with some like Netflix being a bright example. Netflix users get personalized content depending on their preferences and the time iGaming learns from such examples is here.
We make sure to provide players with ways to play the way they want to play and see only what they want to see. The features in ‘My Era’ are examples of exactly that:
‘My Sportsbook’ tailors the home screen for sports bettors after they go through a wizard-like menu, giving them the power to see only what they want to see, right from the get-go.
‘My Event Builder’ takes personalization even further by giving players the ability to create their own custom events. For instance, a major global team vs a local one, and how they fare in their respective matches.
‘If Bet’ is a novel and creative feature that allows bettors to link several selections with a single wager, essentially automating multiple consecutive bets.
Another feature of our sportsbook solution is the so-called Personal trader. Upon placing a bet, the player has the option to connect to a real person who can present a different, potentially better offer. The player can then decide whether to take this offer or stick with their initial one.
We’ll never get tired of repeating how important it is to make players feel special, valued, and prioritized in the era of AI, chatbots, and algorithms.
TheGamblest: Besides content and personalization, what are some other strategies or approaches that operators can employ to enhance the overall player experience and differentiate themselves in the market?
Oren: Engagement tools are a great differentiator as well. Tournaments, missions, level progression, mini-games… features like this help not only with retention but with conversion and overall experience, too. While the features themselves are great, we hold a crucial mileage in how to use them in the most effective way and that is one of the keys to our partner’s success.
A strategy to always keep in mind if you’re an operator is talking to your players directly on a regular basis. Gather as much feedback as possible from your customer support specialists and ask proactively. Players know best what and how they enjoy playing.
Even though we’re B2B-oriented, we have proactive calls with our partners to ensure they’re happy with our product, features, and services and to stay on top of our game. Sometimes this is how new feature ideas are born. All in line, of course, with the different market regulation requirements.
TheGamblest: Could you elaborate on the specific responsibilities and roles that B2B platform providers like Delasport have in addressing and simplifying these challenges for operators?
Oren: When an operator chooses us, sometimes they entrust us with their whole operation. We take this responsibility very seriously and make sure they feel safe and their players – secure. Our platform is built in such a way that allows for constant additions and implementations. Delasport’s product and compliance teams make sure to always be on the lookout for more useful and proven tools and services to develop or integrate so that the partners who trust us can have ease of mind while growing their business. This includes but is not limited to responsible gambling, KYC, AML, player engagement, payout, and customer support.
TheGamblest: To add more spice to the interview, we’d like to learn more about your professional journey in the iGaming industry. Oren, how did you begin in the industry and can you describe the pivotal moments of your career, and maybe give some important insights to newbies in the industry?
Oren: Yes, I have invested a great deal of my adult life in iGaming. In a way, I feel today as a sum of all my experiences that includes not just success stories but also scars and burns. I feel confident with Delasport’s strategy as it is a result of many years of experience with the entire management team. For me personally in the last 15 years, I’ve taken key roles in tech, product, operation, and business in B2C, B2B Platform, and B2B Content provider companies. Before joining Delasport, I gathered first-hand experience in B2C businesses, such as William Hill and Superbet, as well as B2B businesses like EveryMatrix and Skywind Group. My recommendation to newbies is to look at the challenges in “its eyes”, to stay inquisitive, prepared to work hard, and develop a strong will to gain a deep understanding of players, operators, and regulators and seek constantly ways to serve them all better. Last but not least, find a great company to work for and more importantly a great manager that will inspire you and help you to develop your career.
Some people and organizations in iGaming have “fallen asleep”. Some hold the wrong assumption that this is a stale industry that works just fine the way it is. But the truth is this is an extremely exciting field, and people with ambition should stay up to date with the latest trends both in the tech and iGaming industries. Later on, they will be the ones setting the trends.
Start gaining experience, it doesn’t matter what role you begin with, just make sure you don’t stop improving – the right management – like the one at Delasport – will see and reward your potential.
Stay tuned for upcoming iGaming Talks featuring conversations with leading industry professionals.
