iGaming Business magazine iGB 112 Sept/Oct 2018 | Page 39

Casino & Games
PERFECTLY
FORMED
Nik Robinson says smaller, more agile slot developers will take
the US by storm as the market continues to mature
At present, the best performing games in the New Jersey online casino
market are those provided by titans of the industry Scientific Games and
IGT. Between them, they enjoy around 65% of the content mix, with the
former just edging the latter in terms of popularity.
There are a few reasons why these behemoths are topping the charts.
Firstly, New Jersey is still a fledgling market, and players prefer to wager
on games they understand and have played previously on the land-
based casino floor. Secondly, they like to play branded slots and for the
time being it is the established developers that hold these historically
successful licences.
As a result, operators have prioritised offering these games to their
players and are giving them the most coveted positions in their lobbies
and portfolios. This, in turn, is helping to boost the levels of activity on
titles such as 88 Fortunes and Cleopatra.
What we are starting to see, however, is suppliers from Europe
gaining ground on the incumbents. Operators are beginning to expand
their portfolios and load them with online-only slots built for mobile.
This, I believe, will lead to a sudden shift in the market to mirror what we
see in Europe. According to the most recent UK lobbies rankings, NetEnt
holds the top spot, followed by Microgaming, Playtech, Play’n GO and
Big Time Gaming. IGT sits 12th.
The top three providers have held their positions for some time now,
but the agile developers are kicking up a storm and, with some operators,
knocking them off their throne – for example, Big Time Gaming’s
Bonanza is currently the most spun slot in the UK.
Small, agile developers will have the same impact in New Jersey and
across the wider US market as it opens up. This is because they are in a
position to focus on developing the most engaging and exciting games
that deliver a superior player experience.
Big Time Gaming has been compliant in Canada for several years
now. Our games are live with both the British Columbia Lottery
Corporation and Lotto Quebec, and we’ve passed a request for pre-
qualification from the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation. Our
games are hugely popular with Canadian players, and have disrupted
the status quo since launching.
Nik Robinson CEO and founder of Big Time
Gaming has been at the forefront of igaming
slots innovation for over 20 years.
Big Time Gaming develops just three to four slot games per year but
each of our titles boasts game-changing features. This includes our
patented Megaways, Dual Reaction Extending Reels and Feature Drop
functions. Megaways, for example, has differential symbols on each reel
with every spin offering players up to 248,832 ways of winning, while
our V-Gamble system allows players to gamble a game’s volatility in the
free spins feature.
Our approach to volatility – the higher the better – is setting the
standard for player anticipation and expectation. What’s more, we
wrap these unique mechanics into a canvas of stunning graphics and
animations, which are brought to life with crisp, authentic sound.
When it comes to branded content, we are picking up the pace
and have just secured the online gaming rights to Who Wants to be a
Millionaire. One of the key reasons it was awarded to Big Time Gaming
was down to our unique approach to slot development. The game is now
in final beta, and to quote licence-holder Sony is a “next level” online
gaming product.
As the New Jersey market continues to mature, operators will need
to pack their portfolios with innovative and ground-breaking content
to differentiate themselves from their rivals and to keep their players
engaged and entertained. For Big Time Gaming, this means continuing
to develop the hottest and most immersive games in the market. It’s
only a matter of time before New Jersey players get to experience our
titles, feel the thrill of genuine big wins and start to enjoy an online slots
experience on a whole other level.
Indeed, Big Time Gaming is in the final stages of receiving its licence
from the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement and will be
revolutionising the state’s online casino market in the coming months
and years.
i GamingBusiness | Issue 112 | September/October 2018
37