iGaming 2021: The Industry Catch Up, with Marcin Jablonski, CCO for LVBet

As we fast approach the middle of the year, it’s a great time to take stock of what’s already happened and of course, try to better understand what’s coming next.

We caught up with Marcin Jablonski, Chief Commercial Officer for LVBet to hear his thoughts on the industry post lockdown, how things have changed and the biggest issues that likely to impact us industry stakeholders moving forward.

The pandemic has brought a halt to normal proceedings, causing all industry networking events to be cancelled and most of us to work remotely. How can companies still ensure they are getting sufficient industry exposure and can continue building new business relationships?

“Although nothing can really replace the experience connecting and networking with industry peers face to face, the volume and general quality of the virtual events I’ve seen in the market has been a real benefit and something I believe the industry is becoming increasingly accustomed to. The quality of the panels, presentations and networking has helped connect with fellow industry professionals and build new business relationships. SBC have run a few digital conferences over the past year which have been excellent.

“In addition, the key gaming media publishers also send out regular industry updates via email which also keep you in the know of latest developments, which is always very useful.

“At the same time, this period is great for reconnecting with relationships met in the past which may not have delivered new business, but after establishing a new dialogue with a fresh set of eyes, it can work well.”

Many expect the upcoming gambling review results to take a firm line on sports league sponsorship, setting a benchmark for key jurisdictions around the world. What impact do you think this could have on the future of the iGaming industry and what can be done to ensure growth regardless?

“The gaming landscape around the world is changing all the time and it’s imperative, as a business, to stay ahead of the game with new legislation coming into play in countries such as South America, states opening up in the US, Ukraine and Holland. It’s vital to use these as growth opportunities.

“Gaming reviews which target shirt sponsorship in Football and tightening of social media rules will mean that budget can be spent elsewhere in that region to maintain growth. I don’t see this having a massive effect on the future of iGaming. It will result in gaming brands that will look to put their spends into other areas such as online advertising or spend in territories where sport league and shirt sponsorship are still available.”

Considering the myriad of new tech available on the market, how can operators leverage concepts such as AI to improve their products and player engagement?

“Improvement of product and player engagement are always at the top of the list for growth. A better product will always ensure higher retention of players, plus a higher conversion of acquisition. New technology such as AI is important for gaming brands to embrace as any edge of the competition can result in a positive effect on your business. Free to play sports games and bet builder products are also key in certain regions to help collect data and drive acquisition, plus drive an increase in bets per player. ”

What were some of the key lessons you learnt from last year’s events and how does this feed into your plans for growth in the future?

“The last year it’s been a challenging time for everyone. However, as a company, we’ve all pulled together with the goal of coming out the other side in a positive way. Working remotely has its challenges, but you see the strength of all the team as they’ve adapted well to the new environment and maintained our high levels of productivity and general engagement. We’ve really learnt a powerful lesson in the power I open communication with all the teams in the business and we have embraced this.

“Now we can see light at the end of the tunnel, given the new legislation coming into place in territories around the world, we are in a place where we can look at growing the business.”

Editor’s Note: From speaking with Marcin, it’s clear that although jurisdictional frameworks seem to be tightening up in key jurisdictions such as the UK, there are still opportunities for growth to be found all around the world. New ways of working have been embraced and now provide a rough template of what we can expect from the future.

Open communication and digital networking will be the foundation of the most robust operators going forward, ensuring productivity is maximised regardless of the evolving changing operational landscape. Exciting times ahead!