…IN WITH 2021!
JAMCO Capital
2020 Chris Kape, JAMCO Capital President
Always bet on humanity, it wins out every time! That’s my advice as we head into 2021 with some positivity and enthusiasm having hopefully become wiser from our experiences over the past year. In hindsight, I think we can look back to the start especially in North America. More and more US states were launching sports betting and the sector was growing rapidly, bringing legalized, regulated entertainment to millions of Americans. We were prepared, seemingly, to build, expand and forever go forward. But, as the old adage goes, “Man Plans, and God Laughs.” From building a seemingly unstoppable momentum for sports betting to having no sport, period. For those who were unable to quickly adapt, the damage was delivered harshly. Those that could change however, pre-pandemic projections.
The 2020 takeaway lesson could very well be to expect the ways, ready to change and thrive in whatever obstacles life throws at us.
2021
Looking ahead to the new year, what really excites me most is the possibility of legalized, single-event, online sports wagering in my home country of Canada. I am delighted to see legislation progressing through the system that has a real chance of becoming law in the coming year – putting an end to an unfair and ineffective prohibition that is decades old and On a more global level, I think we should be full of enthusiasm and ready to embrace the known and be ready for the unknown challenges we might face. We should be encouraged by the progress made in adapting to the post-COVID world and how that impacts our lives as well as our businesses. Humanity always comes out on top, we just need to be patient!
Real Dealer Studios
Rise of table games and game shows We’re witnessing an interesting shift in the online
casino hierarchy. For many years, the field has been absolutely dominated by slots, with few doubting that would ever change. But now table games and game shows – those showbiz-like games that often emulate TV counterparts – are gaining traction and players are gradually increasing their game time on them. We believe that trend will continue with game shows, along with esports, among the main contributors to industry growth in 2021.
Entertainment will be key The battle for players’ time and attention is
Shane Cotter,
Chief Product Officer, Real Dealer Studios
becoming fiercer than ever given the sheer volume
of tempting alternatives just a couple of clicks away. Why would a player login at an online casino instead of going straight to Netflix? It’s all about screen time. Particularly now, with more jurisdiction-specific restrictions on bonuses being introduced, the competition will be won by whoever can deliver the most entertaining experience. For that reason, operators and studios in 2021 will strive to stand out by providing games with a high entertainment value. The success-determining factor, and where Real Dealer Studios has always focused, will be quality rather than quantity. Players know when they have a good game in front of them, and it’ll be these games that keep customers logged in.
Continent 8
David Black, MD - EMEA
“Lockdown”, “Social distancing”, and “Stay safe” are just some of the phrases entering our collective lexicon in 2020. The most popular phrase for industry being perhaps “I can see but not hear you” or some version of the same. It has been a tragic year for our global society. Despite the dreadful pandemic and the ensuing loss of physical events the industry has adapted as it always does to change and volatility. The march ahead in the US for market share has continued largely unabated and in general we have seen some very large M & A deals. I would fully expect this trend in the US to continue and mature in the coming year and general deal flow to continue. I predict further consolidation with deals premised of course on revenue/EBITDA but with an even sharper prioritisation on off balance sheet items such as
culture fit and post deal integration. I predict there will be increased need and demand for security products and threat mitigation approaches throughout 2021.
For Continent 8, we continue to grow in the US and emerging markets. I expect continued product family growth with M & A activity bringing opportunity for Continent 8 to work consultatively with deal partners on post deal technical integration challenges. Predictions in the sector are notoriously difficult but I can say with certainty the team at Continent 8 will continue to serve our customers with passion and professionalism. I wish everyone a healthy, happy and successful 2021.
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