Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/904009
maltatoday SUNDAY 19 NOVEMBER 2017 X Gaming How online casinos are changing the way they do business in aempt to aract new players There has never been so much money in the online casino industry, but there has also never been as many competitors fighting for customers. Many organisations have been pushed into a corner and forced to find new ways to please exist- ing customers and attract new ones. It's an industry that has never shied away from embracing in- novation, looking to both simplify and improve how their casinos work. Thus, it's no surprise to see it follow an already dynamic trail. Here are just nine ways those companies are changing how they do business. Virtual Reality VR is the buzzword in the online gambling world at the mo- ment and for good reason too, as many experts have predicted that this will be the next step in the development of the industry. All the big players in the online casino world are racing to create a virtual premises that bridges the gap between the online and physi- cal gambling world for players. None of them have quite reached the coup de gras yet, but most of them are chasing it. Accepting crypto-currencies There are many Bitcoin ca- sinos focusing on the Bitcoin market at the moment and with great success too. No withdrawal payments, fast transaction speeds and a clean trail which won't show up on your bank statement, are just some of the reasons why gamblers are using Bitcoin and its ilk, instead of the more traditional currencies. Different target audience Branded slots focused cam- paigns and easier to understand games are just a few of the ways that online casinos are looking to attract customers from markets which haven't yet been tapped into. Millennials and focused gamers are just two of the groups that are seen as prime targets. Advertising in different ways A recent report revealed that gambling advertisements appear during 95 per cent of televised football in the UK. This is an incredible number which shows online gambling sites' ability to find an audience and target it. This is being done throughout the industry, with online casinos fo- cusing their marketing campaigns towards websites and television programs that potential players are most likely to be watching. Game-ificiation More and more online casinos are offering video game like expe- riences for their players. Skill- based games are becoming widely popular, due to younger players who want their chances based on more than just luck. These games are very often easy to play and mobile focused. HTML5 and flash over Apps When mobile gambling first became a thing, many casinos focused their energy on applica- tions, rather than their mobile sites. In fact, up until relatively recently, many online casino's mobile websites were left to ruin, while their apps received constant updates. This trend seems to be bucking, as play- ers no longer want to have to download bulky apps as much as they once did. Mobile focused PC gambling will always be present, but trends are revealing that the vast majority of players have migrated to their mobile devices. This is because they can play on the go, without fuss or hassle and as stated above, mobile focused websites are constantly improving. Custom preferences Almost all the best online casinos offer the option to play- ers to save their preferences for sound, spins, tables etc. This is a benefit that is not available in the physical game and just one of the reasons many players swear by betting online, rather than at offline properties. There you have it, nine ways online casinos are changing how they do business in an attempt to bring in new players. Startup Pitch returns to SiGMa 2017 THE fourth annual Summit of iGaming Malta (SiGMa) is due to take place at the MFCC from November 22 to 25 and after a very successful run, organisers have announced that they will be holding the Startup Pitch event once again, for new enterprises that are looking to take their business to the next level. This unique Dragons Den-style event will see 100 start-ups receive a free small booth at SiGMa 2017 alongside invitations to net- working events and complimentary show advertising materials and furniture. Ten of these will be shortlisted to participate in the Startup Pitch final where they will be given the opportunity to promote their businesses to a panel comprised of seven respected entrepreneurs and investors. Set to take place on November 24, the Startup Pitch final will see participants granted three minutes to present their business ideas and proof of concepts in hopes of winning funding, mentoring and valuable contacts. They will then be faced with a session of questions from the inves- tors and audience. Property mogul and Norwegian Poker Championship winner Morten Klein from Klein Group is due to be one of the most prominent members of the Startup Pitch final panel and will be judging the ten start- ups alongside Julie Meyer, Chief Executive Officer for investment and advisory firm Ariadne Capital. These are to be joined by the Chief Ex- ecutive Officer for Optimiser Invest, Carla Maree Vella, as well as the man behind online bingo gaming firm Cashcade Lim- ited, Simon Collins, while fellow judge Ory Weihs runs the largest publicly-listed on- line gambling affiliates company in the world, XLMedia Group, and has over ten years of iGaming and digital advertising experience. Finally, the Startup Pitch final judging panel is to be rounded out by Robin Reed, founder of Gaming Innovation Group, and a leading partner from iGaming corporate solutions provider Partis Solutions, Roger Walker. 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