Chat GPT Hype or Reality? How AI is Transforming iGaming Operations


There’s no denying the sheer excitement and hype surrounding new AI-driven products such as ChatGPT within the iGaming industry.

Its ability to intelligently automate key CRM-related operations at scale means that operators now have an opportunity to grow their business to a level never seen before. 

But– just like most things–it’s important to remember that AI has its limits.

We caught up with Simon Lidzen, CEO of Fast Track to find out exactly where the true value can really be found within these disruptive products, how this can be best leveraged and, most importantly, what impact will it have on the iGaming workforce going forward?

There’s been a lot of hype in the media recently surrounding new AI-driven products, such as ChatGPT. What impact do you think this sort of tech will have on CRM operations going forward? What opportunities does it bring in regard to scaling up operations?

“AI-driven products will have a significant impact on many operations, both within and outside the iGaming industry. It’s a very exciting time as this new technology brings with it a whole new set of opportunities.

“AI-powered chatbots such as ChatGPT have the potential to free up hours for CRM teams, making a dramatic impact and changing the way they work. By automating the handling of routine and repetitive work, this technology frees up time to focus on more complex and strategic tasks. 

“This technology also significantly reduces the time it takes to build a campaign from concept to launch. The new OpenAI integration, which we demoed for the first time at ICE, has simply taken our offering to the next level by enabling CRM executives to launch targeted, localised campaigns in a matter of seconds at the click of a button. 

“The workflow has gone from thinking of a campaign, having a copywriter create the content, having it approved by compliance, having translators localise the copy and then implementing it–which previously took days– to simply clicking a button, choosing an action and trigger and having the system generate compliant content that has already been translated for multiple markets. 

“This allows companies to test and learn at a much faster pace, unlocking huge potential for growth and scaling entire operations.”

Fast Track recently announced the industry’s first integration of an autoregressive language AI model, revolutionising the way CRM is done in the iGaming industry. This is still a relatively new concept to iGaming, are there any other industries outside of iGaming that we can look to as a benchmark to measure success and understand its true capabilities?

“This technology is as new to the iGaming industry as it is to other industries, which means that organisations around the world are currently in a race to be at the forefront of using the best of this technology. In the case of Fast Track, it’s not as simple as integrating the OpenAI chatbot into our platform. There’s a very complex ‘middle layer’ where all the magic happens – giving the system context about the iGaming industry and making sure the system ‘understands’ the complex requirements of our partners. 

“In terms of other industries, autoregressive language AI models have become increasingly popular in recent years and have been used in e-commerce, for example, to improve product recommendations and personalise the customer experience. Amazon would be a good example of how these models analyse customer data to predict what products they might be interested in and suggest them to the customer.”

Operators collect vast amounts of player data on a daily basis but how can they ensure they’re getting maximum value from it? Is there more that can be done to enhance the player experience in real-time to boost engagement?

“Collecting data is a bit of an elusive term. “How” you collect the data makes a significant difference to what you can do with it. Most operators still have very limited capabilities in terms of data analysis and performance in general. It’s hard to overstate the incredible impact of having real-time 360-degrees vision on every customer at your fingertips. 

“Real-time data unlocks extremely powerful capabilities. For example, data analysis is no longer hindered by the lack of consolidated real-time information. Fast Track’s clients are impressed by the real-time dashboards that load player movements, financial performance, email and SMS deliverability stats, and bonus data in seconds. Another capability is real-time triggers and retargeting, which enable operators to provide seamless experiences to players. This includes triggering welcome emails upon registration, on-site notifications upon login, automatic selection of offers in the cashier, and activation of bonuses after successful deposits. Real-time data also allows for on-site engagement, mystery rewards, and the ability to incentivize players to return to the site by taking action before they sign off.

“As you can see, without access to real-time data, you can’t begin to even discuss the scenarios above. Additionally, to maximise value, operators need to find what we call ‘bright spots’ within the data that allow them to gain insights into player behaviour and preferences in order to extract value. 

“This could take the form of hyper-personalisation, targeting the player with campaigns specifically tailored to the games they enjoy, and delivering localised messages on the channel they’re most likely to be on, at the time they’re most likely to be playing. 

“Another option would be to enhance the player experience with a gamification layer that allows the player to track their progress in a variety of categories; such as tournaments, missions, prize drops and jackpots.

“Another angle that operators could take is to use their real-time data to weed-out bonus abusers, significantly improving their profitability. This is also an advantage that Fast Track partners can take advantage of through the recently launched Greco integration.

“The opportunities in this area are immense and the beauty of the Fast Track platform is that the integration possibilities are almost limitless. If our extensive library of integrations doesn’t offer something a partner is looking for, our platform has been deliberately designed to easily and seamlessly integrate new technologies as they emerge.”

With so much great tech emerging in the market, how do you think the role of a Marketing or CRM Manager will change going forward? Will they need to learn a whole new set of skills?

“The advent of this new technology is changing the way people work, and it’s likely that we will see a shift in a number of job functions. That’s not to say that technology will replace people in our organisations. These tools are heralding unprecedented levels of efficiency and productivity that we’ve never seen before. 

“What this could potentially mean for the future of marketers and CRM managers is that their role will change to that of a ‘producer’, shifting the focus to the more strategic and creative aspects of the job, which is probably the most enjoyable part of the role. 

“This could potentially have an impact on the type of people who are hired, or the skills that employers are looking for, with attributes such as creativity, analytical and critical thinking skills, and problem-solving skills coming to the fore; alongside critical soft skills, such as learning agility and the ability to adapt quickly, which are also important attributes that employers are looking for. 

“Everyone at Fast Track is encouraged to use this new technology and the use cases that have emerged are remarkable. It simply speeds up any process and you no longer have to start from a blank canvas. Whether it is HR policies, creating content or writing code, the efficiency that can be gained by using tools like these to help with day-to-day tasks is remarkable.”

Editor’s Note:

After speaking with Simon it’s clear that we have an exciting future ahead of us, driven by AI. 

Marketing executives have now been empowered with the ability to significantly decrease the time it takes to bring a project from idea to launch; creating highly-targeted, localised campaigns in a matter of seconds, at the click of a button.

It’s also important to remember that, inevitably, the way people work will change. 

Marketing and CRM Managers will naturally adapt to the new tech opportunities. Instead of being replaced by these tools, more likely, roles will transition more to that of a ‘Producer’, shifting the focus to the more strategic and creative aspects of the job, which is probably the most fun part. 

We look forward to seeing how the industry will adapt to this going forward. Undoubtedly exciting times lie ahead.

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