Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/685221
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 29 MAY 2016 VIII Gaming in Malta 'iGaming gets an energy boost' Simona Pinterova, PR Manager of EnergyCasino, speaks to us about the company's 'thrill ride' from 2013 until now What does it mean to work in the gaming industry? The gaming industry is one of the most exciting and dynamic fields, be- ing on the cutting edge of trends and technology. It employs an extremely diverse array of people, from all over Europe, many of whom have relocated to Malta. Not only does this bring huge financial benefits for the Maltese economy, but the vibrant social life it creates is helping to turn Malta into one of the places to be. It can be fast- paced and challenging, but it's also a whole lot of fun! It's very fulfilling to be part of a team that is making such a huge difference to Malta. What kind of services does Ener- gyCasino have to offer? EnergyCasino offers a comprehen- sive, industry-leading range of top online casino slot games, many of which have been developed by gam- ing software companies also based in Malta. Though we are an international operation we aim to offer games that are selected to suit the different local markets. For example, we have global favourites from NetEnt and Novomatic, but we also carry Oryx aimed at the German speaking market, and Wazdan which are popular with Polish players. We also offer live video table gam- ing provided by Extreme Live Gam- ing, where people can play casino favourites like Roulette and Blackjack, against other people around the world. EnergyCasino is constantly looking for the next new thing to bring to the market. How has EnergyCasino grown since its establishment in 2013? Wow, it's been a thrill ride! We start- ed with a very small team, and today we have over sixty staff, mainly based at our Malta headquarters. By focus- ing on offering a quality and constantly expanding range of games, backed-up by the very best customer service and support, we've managed to build a loyal customer base and also consist- ently attract new players. Markets all over Europe are very important to us but we are currently putting a lot of efforts into the UK and Ireland. We are licensed with both the UK Gambling Commission and the Malta Gaming Authority, and we are looking at the possibility of acquiring licences in Germany, Scandinavia and Poland in the near future. Because of our international custom- er base it is vital for us to be able to recruit and retain native speakers in a wide variety of languages. The benefits of living in Malta have made it rela- tively easy for us to be able to attract the right talent, and the well-developed Anglo-Saxon based legal system and business regulations have provided a stable and secure environment for us to invest with confidence, and grow rapidly. English being an official lan- guage makes it easy for us to function as it provides a common bridge lan- guage for such an international team to function both at work and socially. EnergyCasino recently formed a partnership with Team Jocke Mangs ahead of their participation in the Porsche Carrera Cup. What drove you to get involved with a racing team? At EnergyCasino we are always looking for new ways to get our brand out there and in front of people, and the ethos of Team Jocke Mangs really matched our own energy-driven out- look, so it was a perfect pairing. The Scandinavian market is very important to us, so it gives us a lot of valuable exposure there. Also it's something new and exciting as no other online casino is sponsoring a team in the cup. This sponsorship is just the beginning though, and we're already looking to expand our involvement with motor sport right across the continent. You've introduced the Weekend Energy Challenge as your new weekly tournament. What makes this brand new tournament the most popular one yet? Yes, the Weekend Energy Tourna- ment is our flagship weekly competi- tion and it's got off to a flying start! Basically each weekend we offer a large hand-picked selection of our most popular games, and couple that with a huge prize pool. There's 250 winners each weekend in this tourna- ment alone, winning serious amounts of cash and free spins. Then, at the end of each month, we total up the results and the overall monthly winners get some additional fantastic extras, including tickets for local events like motor racing and football games, as well as gadgets from our EnergyShop and even more free spins. There's always a really exciting race to reach the coveted top of our leader board, and the whole thing generates a great buzz and encourages regu- lar participation. This helps build an engaged community of players and a very positive environment. How do you see your business developing in the next few years? We've got so many fantastic plans that it's difficult to know where to start. One of the biggest developments will be the launch of EnergyBet, our brand new sports betting service. We'll be promoting it at the iGaming Super Show in Amsterdam this June, and it's going to bring the same customer-ori- ented focus that makes EnergyCasino such a success to the sports betting field. We've got some impressive sponsorships lined up, that will help make EnergyBet a household name, especially in the UK. Basically you can expect to see the Energy brand, in both EnergyCasino and EnergyBet guises, become a lot more visible all over Europe during the next few years. From major sports sponsorships and a physical pres- ence at public events, to international television advertising and, of course, a continually improving reach online. We are confident that we can look forward to continued sustainable growth in both new and existing markets over the coming years. EnergyCasino's 'Energy Girls' posing with Jocke Mangs during the Porsche Carrera Cup Scandinavia race One of the biggest developments will be the launch of EnergyBet, our brand new sports betting service 'We started with a very small team, and today we have over 60 staff, mainly based at our Malta headquarters'