Gaming Innovation Group (GiG) has set its supplier priorities for the upcoming year, 2023. The company has been undergoing a significant transformation in recent years, with CEO Richard Brown leading the charge. GiG has made notable progress in expanding its sports betting capabilities and re-establishing its presence in North America. The company’s affiliate division, GiG Media, has reported consistent growth, while the B2B side has seen a surge in new agreements. GiG’s recent acquisitions, such as Sportnco, have bolstered its sports betting offering. The company’s focus on growth and innovation is evident in its partnerships with leading media organizations and its expansion into new markets. GiG’s commitment to providing high-quality services is reflected in its recent ISO 20000 certification. The company’s success in 2022 has set the stage for another year of opportunity.
Weve had to modify the way our organization operates recently to ensure both our media and platform ventures comprehend what functions optimally for us, and most significantly, for our clientele, to continue expanding.”
However, he also mentioned that there’s still a considerable amount of work to be accomplished internally.
“One aspect I’m proud of is the disposition of our team. We’re never content,” he stated. “We’re never content. Every aspect can be enhanced.
“We’re perpetually seeking ways to enhance our service to our customers, our website, and our analytics. Every component of our enterprise is continuously being examined, and I believe that’s enabled us to maintain growth in both of our business sectors.”
GiG Media: A 2022 Triumph Tale in the Affiliate Industry
While the B2B facet of the business has been garnering significant attention, GiG Media has also been expanding rapidly in the past year since they acquired Sportnco. How has the team, led by Chief Marketing Officer Jonas Warrer, managed to expand for seven consecutive quarters?
“Affiliate marketing has consistently been pivotal to the industry’s prosperity due to its value in acquiring new clientele and its flexibility for operators,” Brown explained. “And it’s always been accomplishing this, whether it was poker in 2007 or casino and sports in 2022.
“Even though the fundamentals have evolved, there are still numerous opportunities.”
GiG Medias vendor has constructed a robust organization, underpinned by a potent technological foundation. This grants them considerable adaptability; they can experiment, explore novel approaches, expand operations when successful, and contract when necessary.
GiG’s platform and sports betting: a solution for all participants
In the B2B sector, 2022 was characterized by inclusiveness. From nascent ventures like Strike Games and Crab Sports in Maryland, to established entities like Aspers Group in the UK or StarCasino in Belgium, embracing a multi-faceted strategy, there’s something for everyone.
GiG’s expertise across diverse markets, spanning mature European territories to burgeoning Latin American regions, empowers them to cater to all stakeholders within regulated markets.
“We’ve demonstrated our capacity to transition retail and physical businesses into online operations,” Brown elaborated, “given our provision of management services within the group, this can facilitate the launches of these clients and be integrated with multi-channel offerings.”
These enterprises constitute a pivotal segment of the vendor’s clientele. Nevertheless, in a dynamic industry, competitors can still vie for market dominance, and leading operators may continue to seek out new suppliers as they contemplate expansion into fresh regulated territories, as the accessible customer pool continues to expand.
With our wide-ranging product selection, platforms, and global presence, our business and strategy, and the value we bring to our clients – no matter their objectives – we can assist them and offer solutions that can help them accomplish their objectives.
Possibilities in the United States are constantly arising.
GiG’s reach, naturally, has been significantly boosted by the recent acquisition of Sportnco, prompting the company to position senior executive Ben Clemes at the forefront of North American gaming expansion, leading a new center on the continent.
A company traditionally focused on casinos has limited room for growth in the United States. Online casinos are legal in only six states in the US, and market conditions such as tax rates vary from appealing to overwhelming. A strong US sports betting solution, combined with an enhanced platform optimized for the US, signifies that now is the ideal time to operate with exposure.
Partners like PlayStar would contend that GiG has effectively supported them from across the Atlantic. But local presence aids with account management and technical integration, ensuring that front-line support is always available, and places traders at the heart of the action, Brown emphasizes.
Nevertheless, the pace of sports betting expansion has slowed, with some arguing that all the easily accessible opportunities have been seized. Does this restrict GiG’s growth potential?
“As an organization, we’re not afraid to pursue the opportunities that require more effort,” he responded. “Complexity doesn’t intimidate us.”
Lets meticulously evaluate whether the chance and alliance harmonize. Brown recommends a more cooperative method in 2023, which is especially critical following a string of disputes from Oklahoma to Florida, culminating in the California midterm elections. He stresses that this entails recognizing the “essential” role of tribal gaming to ensure that commercial operators don’t directly contend with Native American operators.
“We must determine what is optimal for the consumer and balance all the interests – it’s a genuine challenge, and it’s not straightforward,” he clarifies.
He highlights that competing interests in the gaming industry are not exclusive to the United States, and that equilibrium can be attained, and has been attained, elsewhere. “I believe that will be key, to have everyone collaborate with an open perspective, for the long-term advantage of the player.”
European land-based operators are exploring online options.
Brown points to parallels in Europe, where traditional enterprises like lotteries and land-based casinos have developed to compete effectively in an open marketplace.
GiG’s expertise in assisting land-based operators in going online is a crucial component of the supplier’s growth strategy; Brown has witnessed firsthand how these brick-and-mortar establishments have successfully transitioned into omnichannel operations.
Its a gradual process,” he stated, “a pattern that has been developing for the last five years, until the COVID-19 outbreak unexpectedly sped it up.
Historically, retail-focused markets witnessed participants move their entertainment spending to the internet, which prompted more gambling establishments to show interest. “Currently, online enterprises are more established in regulated markets, and physical operators have experienced success,” Brown remarked. “This has contributed to pushing their online plans forward.”
He also mentioned that purely online businesses still have room for expansion. Companies like Entain are exploring opportunities in Central and Eastern Europe, while Southern European markets are expanding at an unprecedented pace.
“The regulatory landscape in Germany is still evolving, but I believe it will return to its previous size,” Brown continued. “When that will happen, I’m unsure, though.
“[Operators] are looking towards these other markets. Betsson has performed well in Central and Eastern Europe and Latin America; it’s about having the products and operational expertise necessary for success.”
Developing markets present growth potential
Although the U.S. and Europe have dominated industry discussions in recent years, Latin America and Africa could become significant gambling destinations as operators seek new growth avenues.
In Africa, established regions like Nigeria, South Africa, and Kenya offer opportunities for sports-loving bettors. GiG has already become involved through a May agreement with Angola’s Full Games.
Latin America is experiencing a surge in regulations, a development many have been anticipating, tied to the opening of the internet gambling market in Colombia in 2017. Peru and Chile will legalize online gaming this year, and the Uruguayan legislature is considering a proposal. Argentina is gradually opening up, and Brazil is also moving closer to authorizing gambling.
If operators are seeking local expertise, GiG has a wealth of it. For instance, GiG has deployed its technology in collaboration with Betsson in Colombia and operates in five areas across Latin America, further emphasizing its capabilities as an expansion partner in the region. “Operators will be seeking more opportunities in these areas, and we have developed the infrastructure to aid these companies in thriving,” Brown stated.
“Companies with operational and product experience in these areas will have a greater likelihood of success.”
Over the past three years, Brown has helped ensure GiG has developed the operational and product knowledge to succeed. There is still much to be accomplished in 2023 for a company that is never content.
Richard Brown joined GiG in 2016 as Managing Director of GiG Media, before being elevated to Chief Digital Officer and then Chief Operating Officer. In November 2019, Richard was appointed CEO. Prior to joining GiG, Richard held senior positions at various companies, including Highlight Media Group, Web Guide Partner, and THG Sports.
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