The days when a few igaming platform providers monopolized the entire market are long gone.

Today, hundreds of game studios release new online games every month, which are immediately available to players through game aggregators. As a result, casino players can access thousands of games anytime via mobile or computer.

But how do game providers stand out in this saturated field? Alexandr Shavel, product owner at BGaming, believes that success lies in offering players "something special".

Endless Game Choices

To meet the growing demand in the igaming market, the number of companies providing services and technology to the industry has also grown exponentially. According to a report released by IBISWorld, there are currently over 5,000 companies providing services to the igaming industry, including online casinos and other online gambling businesses. The report also shows that the growth rate is expected to be 3.6% by 2024.

Maltese game developer BGaming was founded in 2018 by veterans of igaming who believe that creativity and quality are the fundamental elements of success. When designing new games for its portfolio of over 150 slot products, the company not only focuses on attracting ordinary players but also on meeting individual player needs.

"We know that today's players are looking for something unique. They are tired of endless choices and want something that feels personalized and special. That's why we work closely with operators to develop customized games that fit their brand image and cater to their audience's specific preferences," Shavel explains.

Embracing Innovation

Many software developers stick to old habits, viewing new developments as fleeting noise, while they ignore trends and continue to release mass-produced games at an astonishing rate. But BGaming is not afraid of innovation and disruption; instead, it embraces them.

For example, the company saw an opportunity to offer truly unique products to players during the cryptocurrency gambling revolution. BGaming's custom crypto-integrated games have attracted some of the most well-known figures in the crypto gambling industry.

"Custom games allow operators to offer something truly unique that resonates with the audience. The connection between players and the casino becomes closer, thereby building trust and long-term loyalty.

"In creating branded games, we are very proud of the process we have established at BGaming. We have refined and optimized the methods for developing exclusive, branded, and custom games, and now we have a team of professionals focused on this area.

"It's almost like having an independent studio within BGaming, allowing us to develop over 30 games simultaneously and release 10-20 new games each month while maintaining top quality."

Leveraging Industry Knowledge

While many game studios see knowledge as power and treat their roadmaps and development work as top military secrets, BGaming places collaboration at the core of everything it does, whether with casino partners, operators, celebrities, influencers, or most importantly, the players themselves.

For example, one way BGaming connects with the broader gambling community is by collaborating with streamers.

"This collaboration is very valuable for us to test games together with real players and streamers," Shavel says. "With feasible feedback from over 1,000 participants worldwide, we can fine-tune the games before they are officially released. This approach ensures that we are not just guessing what players want, but actively incorporating their preferences into the game development process."

BGaming's collaboration and leveraging of industry knowledge is another way it partners with casino operators.

"A large part of our success comes from our close cooperation with operators," Shavel continues. "We believe that creating branded games should be a win-win-win situation—BGaming, the operator, and most importantly, the players. When we place the operator's logo on the games, we are not just providing a product; we are also responsible for their brand. That's why quality is always our top priority."

"Creating these custom experiences requires a deep understanding of players. At BGaming, we analyze player behavior, preferences, and trends to make informed decisions. But this is not something we do alone; it is the result of our joint efforts with our operator partners, who know their audience inside out. By collaborating from the start, we can ensure that every aspect of the game perfectly matches the casino's brand and vision."

The collaboration between BGaming and its partner brands does not end with the completion of the games.

"When operators strategically integrate these custom games into their promotional activities, it creates a real impact. Whether linking games with special events or creating exclusive promotional campaigns, these efforts help deepen the connection between players and the games, making the entire experience more meaningful."

Custom Games to Enhance Player Engagement

Blaze Casino is a casino that uses both BGaming turnkey games and custom games. This collaboration may be one of the best examples of BGaming's proven successful game software, as results were analyzed in real-time during an in-depth case study.

"Last year, BGaming released a case study in collaboration with Blaze Casino, showing that their use of our custom services increased GGR by 80%. This impact demonstrates the real power of custom content," Shavel says.

The study was published in 2023, and the results showed that this collaboration enabled Blaze to improve key metrics such as the number of bets, player retention rates, and overall casino performance. The study tracked data from five BGaming-provided games (including Blaze Casino's first custom game, Blaze Million), and concluded that the casino's GGR increased fourfold during a one-month test period, with other key KPIs also significantly increasing.

"But it's not just about creating custom games," Shavel clarifies. "It's also about how they are used. When operators strategically incorporate these exclusive games into their promotional activities, it forms a powerful marketing push that further enhances player engagement. Our collaboration with Blaze Casino is a great example of how collaboration can be successful, benefiting both the operator and the players."

Creating a New Paradigm in Gaming

BGaming recently collaborated with Roobet and AI-driven igaming intelligence service Casinolytics to develop and release the first-ever celebrity-branded slot, Snoop Dogg Dollars. According to Shavel, BGaming is committed to creating high-quality exclusive games, so having the opportunity to work with an iconic celebrity like Snoop Dogg was a significant advantage.

"I believe our branded slot, Snoop Dogg Dollars, will be hugely popular from the moment it launches! We built it on the proven math and mechanics of one of our best-performing games, but we also added some exciting new elements to make it more appealing.

"Of course, incorporating a global icon like Snoop Dogg into the game has tremendous appeal. He is one of the most influential celebrities today, and we expect players will be eager to try the game because of his involvement.

"We will closely monitor how long this game's natural popularity lasts and the frequency of player returns. We designed this game to attract players who enjoy high-volatility slots and lots of entertainment, targeting first and second-tier regions, crypto projects, and high-stakes players.

"We also expect that streamers, who play a key role in our marketing strategy, will love showcasing this game to their audiences."

When asked where he finds inspiration for branded advertising spaces, Shavel says he believes "inspiration is something you find through hard work. In the business world, the most important thing is to put in the effort and discover opportunities."

In Conclusion

The online casino market is expected to generate $35.13 billion in revenue by 2024. The expected annual growth rate is 5.56%, and the igaming market is expected to generate $46 billion in revenue by 2029. However, compared to previous years, the market's growth rate is slowing down because the content of online casinos has become saturated and is no longer able to attract player engagement.

As more and more software developers enter the market, games have become commoditized, and traditional production methods are no longer sufficient. In a market flooded with thousands of similar games, innovative and disruptive companies will succeed by adopting new player-centered approaches to create new gaming paradigms.