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PK: The popularity of live gaming relies on the immediacy of the experience we can deliver, so it is vital we maintain this regardless of the devices and platforms players use. We’ve been putting a great deal of energy into making sure that our live dealer gaming is as seamless on a phone or tablet via a mobile connection as it is from a desktop computer linked to superfast broadband. ADG: The next goal for live games is to change from Flash technology to HTML5. Doing that, players will use live games also from devices such as the iPad, which now represent a big share of devices used for navigation/entertainment when people are at home. In my opinion, live games are best viewed and played on 10-inch or bigger tablets: live games are a show and to appreciate a show you need big screens. Mobile devices with small monitors are not good for this type of gaming. eGR: How do you think live gaming will develop in terms of technology and in what ways should developers be prepared for changes to come? HH: Widespread 4G penetration will change things signi?cantly. Fast, reliable connectivity on mobile devices will allow developers to deliver a live gaming experience that is much closer to that enjoyed by PC users on a broadband connection. But speed isn’t just about gameplay. Faster connections can bring increased service levels through faster real-time communication with players, and integration with systems such as accounts and CRM. Everything can become more responsive. I suspect also that a new video standard will emerge – perhaps an iteration of Adobe Flash for all platforms (including Apple) or widespread uptake of HTML5 native video support. PK: To deliver the best live gaming products, we need to strip away any elements that might distance the player from the dealer. We have to be aware that, as technology improves and connectivity becomes faster, these elements tend to become more apparent. In addition to developing the most sophisticated user interfaces, there are two factors which require us to develop live gaming products that are highly adaptable to the needs of the operator: geography and demographic. Not only do different regions expect a local 'look and feel', they also require different games. So while we’re able to offer multiple variations of six different games suitable to a wide variety of
Helen Hedgeland is head of marketing at Evolution Gaming, a role that sees her involved across the full gamut of live casino solution development and delivery for numerous leading global gaming brands and specialist operators.
Peter Kjaer co-founded DrHo888.com in 1998, launching Dr. Stanley Ho’s casino empire into online gaming. This company later turned into HoGaming and is now one of the leading Live Casino providers worldwide. From 1995 to 2006, Peter worked with a range of businesses including Jet Asia and Macau Business Aviation Center. Angelo De Gobbi is head of sales and marketing at Medialive Casino, an all-round partner for live casino solutions. Before joining Medialive Casino in this challenging role, he followed the start-up of the first licensed online casino in Malta.
markets, we’re still developing new products and setting up new studios around the world so that any player can visit a 'local' live gaming casino. Similarly, different games and operators attract different types of players – grinders and whales, for example – and must have available to them highly adaptable products to suit. ADG: At the beginning, players were not as demanding about the quality and design of the casino. Today, thanks to the wide offer of live casino providers, players demand a high quality product. No latency or pauses are permitted anymore, and the games must have an uptime as close to 100% as possible. There will de?nitely be an increase of streaming quality thanks to new cameras available and increased player bandwidth. With regards to the gaming interface players will ?nd a more interactive and social game, every win will be shared over the internet thanks to Facebook and friends will share the gaming experience together. eGR: To what extent do you think live gaming will replace RNG games and in what ways will ever-more personalised and authentic gaming experiences play a role in this? HH: RNG games and live gaming attract different player types, so I don’t think RNG will ever be fully replaced by live gaming. However, RNG will need to develop. Live Slots is a completely new game that blends RNG and live gaming elements into a single, strongly themed game. The base game is RNG but there are live bonus rounds – mini live game show interludes with the same game theme – triggered by the slot’s results. The crossover between RNG slots, live action and
“The popularity of live gaming relies on the immediacy of the experience we can deliver, so it is vital we maintain this regardless of the devices and platforms players use”
Peter Kjaer
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