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“ Our appeal lies in the ability to provide a communal and interactive platform ”
Alex Ratcliffe , 1X2 Network
but there are two or three suppliers that have really nailed it and one clear market leader with Spribe ’ s Aviator .”
Spribe has certainly set the gauntlet down for others to follow . Just like with the trailblazer , Koeberl sees the real potential for crash games as being a gateway for casino for sports fans and first-time players .
“ We ’ re catering to the user – it ’ s really that simple ,” says Koeberl . “ BetGames is the go-to gateway between sports and gaming . We see this massive overlap within our player profile with rapid-play genres like slots and crash games .
“ The boom in crash games is , right now , mainly in emerging markets , Africa , LatAm and CIS . The core , established markets of the world don ’ t really enjoy that much growth .”
So , what was the experience of BetGames in creating their own version of Crash Games ?
“ It ’ s interesting how many challenges such a project brings because crash games are deceptively complicated ,” Koeberl says . “ At first glance , they ’ re simple , like having an old Atari-style plane going into the air , but the core elements , for example cashing out , can be tricky to perfect .
“ It ’ s not like a slot that is frontenddriven where you basically have your own game . This is a so-called common draw game , so all players play the same session and see the same result .
“ This makes it tricky to implement – you have to think about a player sitting in rural Brazil with a 3G network . You must ensure when they press cash-out they get their money and not an error because of the network connection .”
DESTINATION AMERICA As we ’ ve discussed , emerging markets have been the major growth-driver for Crash Games , but how about more established areas ?
Spribe has certainly planted the flag in North America , with its recently announced UFC sponsorship in the US .
“ Branding has always been a factor in the Aviator success story and our recent deal with the UFC is evidence of just how big the game has become ,” Tsutskiridze says .
Does it mean they ’ re about to go big in North America ? “ This is absolutely part of our plans for the North American market , especially the US , where we believe Aviator has the potential to be a gaming sensation .
“ The deal provides a unique opportunity to enhance our presence across the region while leveraging the popularity of the UFC . This is our biggest partnership to date and we will do everything we can to unlock its full potential .”
1X2 Network , one of the UK ’ s most famous studios , also sees North America as the next big opportunity .
Its debut crash game , Maverick , is all set to roll out in the US as one of the first in the market to have secured regulatory approval .
Alex Ratcliffe , 1X2 Network ’ s chief product officer , is excited . “ Our US launch , beginning with Michigan , is a considered move , aligning with our broader market penetration strategy ,” he says .
“ We ’ ve conducted market research and identified a gap in the availability of quality crash game content in Michigan to many of the key operational players .”
SPORTS BETTORS AND THE SOCIAL ELEMENT The community element is certainly a big part of all three of the studios ’ approach . Harnessing the social aspect of gaming is going to be big in 2024 .
24 • ISSUE 135 • ICE LONDON 2024 JULY - AUGUST 2019 • ISSUE 117 • 00