ICE Totally Gaming 2017: Emerging Trends in the Gaming Industry (Continued)
The ICE Totally Gaming trade fair in London serves as a platform for the gaming industry to meet, discuss and present their products. While the initial part of the report covered marketing strategies and new technologies, we're now focusing on new products and collaborations.
Sports Betting and eSports
The eSports market is gaining traction in the world of bookmakers. Live matches and major tournaments, like in "Counter-Strike: Global Offensive" (CS:GO) between NL Gaming and eSuba, are broadcasted to millions of viewers globally. Companies are starting to capitalize on this by offering corresponding bets on their websites. Vermantia, a software provider, showcased a live match between both teams at their booth to familiarize visitors with the world of virtual competitions and promote the launch of their betting offers.
For the gaming community, games like CS:GO, League of Legends, Dota2, and Hearthstone have been popular for years. However, for the industry, virtual competitions are still new territory. At their stand, visitors were able to try out CS:GO for themselves. The "Vermantia eSports" product is currently limited to CS:GO betting due to the limited database needed for calculating odds for this game. More titles will be added in the future.
The 100 Games Challenge from a Berlin Start-up
Glück Games, a company from Berlin, specializes in casual real money games. Their services can be found in various online casinos, including Lottoland and Lottohelden. Despite only being two years old, this start-up already has a diverse portfolio of more than 40 games. The goal is to increase this number to 100 games before the next ICE trade fair.
Glück Games' game "Lotto Machine" won the prestigious "Games to Watch 2017" award. To celebrate, they brought along some lucky pigs. The large crowd at their stand and the presentation of "Record Breaker", a scratch card jackpot worth 20 million euros, showcase the company's rapid growth. Managing Director Arvind Upadhyay spoke about the importance of conferences like ICE for forming new business relationships:
"We are currently working with four partner companies and have already agreed with a few more at ICE this year. This should help us double our presence over the next few months."
Elaborate Slot Machine from Microgaming
Microgaming, a British veteran in the online gambling industry, is presenting an intriguing new approach to game development with "Castle Builder 2". This slot machine resembles an adventure computer game in many ways, with different characters, levels, locations, and achievements. Players choose their personal avatar and build their own castle by spinning the reels. Resources are gained which contribute towards castle expansion, leading to better chances of winning.
"Castle Builder 2" is designed to engage players for a long time and offers various opportunities for advancement. With 15 different game environments, 75 buildings, and over 300 characters, this machine marks a significant increase in content quantity compared to its predecessor.
Stationary Machines for the Online Market
William Hill is betting on adapting popular arcade games for the online market. They've teamed up with Reflex Gaming, a British company known for its stationary machines, to make some of these games available online. This partnership aims to provide William Hill with content familiar to UK players in the arcades. It also helps Reflex Gaming strengthen its digital commitment while appealing to fans of offline gaming.
"We've transferred our experience with land-based gaming to the online sector. Our agreement will provide William Hill with content that UK players are already familiar with from the arcades." - Mat Ingram, Managing Director of Reflex Gaming
Lotteries and Increasing Competition
Representatives from the lottery industry were present at ICE as well. The shift away from state monopolies towards privatization is causing challenges. Discussions revolved around how lotteries should contribute to the common good in the future. State lotteries typically funnel most of their profits towards specific projects like promoting sports, while private providers aim for profits.
The panel, led by Joost Den Heijer of the Dutch state lottery, tried to find solutions for balancing the needs of both sides. There was no consensus reached on whether increased competition would be ultimately beneficial or detrimental to the public good.
The ICE Totally Gaming trade fair in London serves as a hub for the gaming industry to network, showcase their products, and discuss industry trends.
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Source: www.onlinecasinosdeutschland.com
