In the penultimate episode of SlotBeats Spotlight, we take a look at the history of aggregation. We asked our experts if the traditional model has changed over the last five years and whether it’s a viable option to retain players.
SlotBeats: How has the traditional model of aggregation changed in the last five years?
Simon Hammon, Relax Gaming: For a time, the aggregation market was dominated by a handful of Goliaths that sought to close off direct relationships between suppliers and operators. In the last five years or so, however, a surge of new market entrants offering a fresh approach has created an appetite for change.
In addition, we’re proud to be at the forefront of taking this a step further and shifting to a more collaborative approach that encourages open dialogue and seeks to foster innovation for the benefit of the whole industry.
Relax has sought to define a model for content distribution that is founded on technical excellence, business simplicity and integrity.
Dylan Slaney, SG Digital: It’s not just about the games anymore. The content aggregation game has changed, with supporting features becoming equally important to operators as they look at effective ways to retain the interest of players.
That’s why we offer innovative features across jackpots, free rounds and tournaments through our Open Gaming System (OGS) aggregation platform. These multi-studio features have proved very popular as operators can utilise them across a wide range of games.
Boris Chaikin, Soft2Bet: The growth of aggregation has been noticeable in recent years, with many operators impressed by the time and resources saved by integrating with distribution platforms.
Since an operator would only need to with partner two or three well-chosen aggregators to fill its portfolio with content from 20-25 of the industry’s leading game studios, it’s easy to see why the model has become popular. Previously aggregators had around five or ten providers on board, but this has now shot up dramatically.
The increase has been fueled by the recognition among suppliers that aggregators are a very efficient way to gain exposure in an overcrowded marketplace. It’s beneficial for market innovation too, as it gives many companies more time to concentrate on the development of their products.
Zorica Smallwood, ESA Gaming: To be honest, we haven’t seen a lot of change in the area and the many platforms currently available offer similar solutions. Where we have seen differentiation is in the promotional tools offered, such as jackpots, leaderboards and free rounds, that can really help with player acquisition and retention.
These are becoming increasingly more important to operators in order to stand out from the crowd and operators will look closely at these extra benefits when choosing an aggregator partner.
