Ihor Zarechnyi is the Head of Sales for Evoplay. He spoke with casinoBeats about the role that evolving technologies and regulatory frameworks can play in driving Europe’s gaming industry to the next stage.
Zarechnyi has begun focusing its attention on the future after a period of strategic expansion that lasted through 2023 and was accelerated by numerous commercial agreements spanning multiple jurisdictions.
He identified several challenges to navigate the continent’s growing digital gaming market and how they could be potentially overcome.
He explained that “navigating Europe’s gaming landscape is a challenge, influenced by changing technologies and regulatory frameworks.”
In this dynamic environment, it is crucial to have clear and business-oriented legal norms. This applies to both the cryptoassets market and integration of technology like AI.
The hope, however, is that the new EU Crypto Regulation will result in positive changes for operators.
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A nuanced approach to regulation is crucial for the European market in order to overcome challenges and foster a dynamic environment that promotes igaming.
Europe remains the center of industry activity despite a globalization trend that is being adopted by most. Untapped potential exists for content providers.
When asked about Evoplay’s position on its global growth potential and key areas of emphasis, the issues mentioned above came up again.
Zarechnyi cites blockchain, AI and Web3 specifically as examples of “cutting-edge innovations”. These could “be central to elevating content quality and giving users unparalleled gaming experiences”.
“At Evoplay we embrace the globalization of the gaming industry with an innovative approach, expanding strategically into new markets, and creating impactful partnerships.
Diversifying our portfolio of games is crucial. The 2024 game is themed on racing and demonstrates our commitment to exploring untapped themes while catering to different audience preferences.
Portugal and Italy stand out in the area as important gaming hubs, despite acknowledging Europe as a “top-tier” region.
Our focus in Portugal intensifies, leveraging the success of Solverde.pt to forge impactful partnerships. Italy is witness to our commitment as we cover one third of the operators on this market. Zarechnyi stated that the untapped potential in the Balkan Peninsula is also a strategic priority.
Recent improvements in Portugal’s gambling regulations, particularly in the crash game category, have paved the way for Evoplay to grow. Our innovative crash games such as Goblin run and Long Ball will undoubtedly captivate local audiences.
In Italy, the year 2024 will be a great success with our new technological flagship. It is a work of art that seamlessly integrates advanced technology and a beloved theme among Italian fans: street racing.
This game offers igamers an unique experience, as it is skill-based.
He added: “European audiences, with their classical tastes, are attracted to our range of traditional and innovative mechanicals. Bonus Buy is a great example.
Our commitment to meet audience expectations is exemplified by our games of high quality, which defines our success in the European Market, and ensures a dynamic, lasting presence.
Evoplay’s future ambitions include “consolidating our footprint across Europe”.
This, it was said, will be achieved through a mixture of “robust relationship-building and fortified market positioning”, which will be complemented by the studio’s upcoming flagship title release.
Ivan Kravchuk , CEO, told CasinoBeats in the past that this new street racing-themed release would incorporate both classic and innovative gaming elements and will be a “pioneering step” for the industry.
Zarechnyi echoed this statement, saying: “Our flagship title is slated to be released this year and epitomizes excellence in the industry, with refined technologies, top notch design, skill-based gaming for increased engagement. We anticipate a resounding uptake of this unprecedented innovation.
In order to conclude the proceedings, we adopted a global perspective in terms of assessing how Evoplay might expand its wings beyond European borders.
He said: “We are exploring North America and Latin America. We have a particular focus on Canada.”
The initial successes have fueled our optimism. We envision that our games will soon make a significant impact on these regions, in line with our global business goals.
