With Swintt and its classically themed range of games doing well in Germany, the Head of Business development, Lars Kolind was interviewed to find out what the plans are for the German market and how the regulations can be bettered.
Larskollind Germany is one of Swintt’s most important markets. We have worked hard behind the scenes in order to maintain a solid position there. Germans are known to love classic-themed slot machines, so a relationship with a large land-based provider has helped us get traction in the country.
We were able, during the COVID-19 epidemic and in its immediate aftermath to transition a large number of players from brick-and-mortar casinos to our online casino because we offered a variety of titles that were well known.
It’s all been a great collaboration and helped Swintt gain a reputation among German players as well as some of the largest operators on the market, such Tipico Interwetten, and Wunderino.
CB What are the major challenges facing the German Market? How can you overcome them?
LK I believe that most of those working in the industry would agree with me when I say the German regulations are one of the greatest challenges facing both providers and operators.
My personal wish is that the lawmakers would look at regulation through the eyes of players. Right now, many restrictions are being placed on them which reduce their enjoyment of gaming and drive them to black market sites.
This is a bad situation, because it lowers the revenue potential of operators while putting players at risk.
We’d like to have a conversation that is more open about regulations, and that allows operators and providers a bigger say on how the market works.
CB You raised the concern of black-market competition that is not licensed in Germany. What changes would you recommend to prevent players from being directed to unreliable sites?
I believe that communication is the most important thing in this industry. I think it would be wonderful to engage in an open dialogue with regulators that are ready to hear feedback from operators as well as suppliers. Only through this dialog can positive changes be made.
Current restrictions are the primary reason players switch to the black market, where the rules do not apply.
These black-market operators are able to claim that they offer an improved user experience, despite their many other shortcomings. If we worked together, I believe that these hurdles can be overcame at licensed sites.
CB: Which key trends do you see in the German market today? What are the most popular games/themes among players? Why do you believe this to be so?
LK. Based on the information we have, we are confident that the SwinttPremium games do very well on the German market. We have a lot of information on the trends in slot play that shows German players prefer more traditional slots.
The bonus features should be easy to activate and simple.
The premium slot games in our line cater to these demands by using fruit symbols, casino sound effects and popular features such as Pearl Respins. Swintt has been successful in the UK because of their employees.
CB : How will you ensure you maintain your position in the online gaming market of the United States throughout this year, and into the future?
LK Our focus will be on enhancing our Premium Games catalogue in Germany. We aim to introduce at least two new titles every month.
It’s in many ways a continuation from the Dutch strategy, since there are many parallels between Dutch and German player preferences.
We recently purchased Elysium Studios, which is a huge deal as we are trying to expand our portfolio and cater to as many people as possible. In early 2024, we hope to also enter other regulated markets such as the UK, Ontario, and Greece.
