We can’t pretend that our sales didn’t rise, said Jakub Kolomicenko, head of legal at Endorphina, who explained that through a business perspective the current climate to which the world finds itself in has been a ‘good period’ for them.
Following mandated worldwide lockdowns many companies in the gambling sector have had to adjust to the ‘new normal’ while allocating resources to other fields, predominantly online gaming following much documented sports postponements and cancellations.
This is a situation Kolomicenko highlighted: “We’ve also spent more than one month working from home, so things were far from normal and, like everyone, we all had to adapt to the new working situation.”
At the start of the pandemic the gambling industry saw a seismic shift in focus from sportsbook and land-based casinos to online, with companies attempting to capitalise on the climate they found themselves in.
Kolomicenko confirmed that, from a legal perspective, there has been a ‘massive increase’ in new contracts with Endorphina’s business partners since the start of lockdown and one that shows no signs of slowing down as he adds “We were, and still are, quite busy.”
While the lockdown saw many opportunities for online casinos to prosper, it also emphasised a key issue in regards to responsible gambling and the protection of vulnerable players. With many problem gamblers confined to their own homes, the concern of players resorting to boredom gambling became a potential problem, with casino entities being urged to do more to protect players during the pandemic.
“Regulators should keep in mind that we’re existing in an internet era, where each website is reachable within a fraction of seconds.”
With this in mind, Kolomicenko confirmed that there was ‘no change in our approach’, stating that Endorphina were ‘maintaining the highest level of social responsibility and responsible gambling with or without COVID-19’.
He continued: “We can see great progress among the industry regarding the player’s protection. More and more operators are realising that this business is not about making ‘a quick buck’, but it’s more about the long-lasting cooperation with players. At the end of the day, great cooperation is more profitable and improves the public understanding of the industry.
“There are more and more regulated markets, which is a good thing. On the other hand, certain regulators are trying to protect the players in their own way by introducing more restrictions.
“Regulators should keep in mind that we’re existing in an internet era, where each website is reachable within a fraction of seconds. If regulators restrict the local market to be unattractive for players, they might as well send an open invitation to unregulated operators.”
Yet when asked what more Endorphina could do to protect its players, Kolomicenko’s response was simple: “We are currently reaching more regulated markets through meeting certifications and sometimes even licensing requirements.
“This also means there is a significant increase in costs, which we are more than happy to pay because we are thrilled to introduce Endorphina games to customers across the world.”
As the world now begins to adjust to the ‘new normal’ and sports begin to reappear after a three month hiatus, online casinos now face the prospect of readjusting again in an attempt to maintain the recent numbers achieved.
Kolimicenko stated that from a legal perspective it will be ‘business as usual’ with Endorphina set to ‘continue to work hard to provide players with best igaming experience and the highest possible standard of player protection’.
