INDUSTRY INSIDER: MARK MCGUINNESS


COLOUR PREDICTIONS AND THE BIRTH OF A NEW SUB-ECOSYSTEM Colour prediction games are often underestimated in Western markets. Too easily labelled as regional or niche, they are frequently misunderstood as a curiosity rather than a signal.


In reality, colour predictions are one of the clearest examples we have of how low- attention, prediction-based gaming resonates at scale. Their success across India and parts of Central Asia isn’t accidental. It’s rooted in how little they demand from the player.


There’s no sporting knowledge required. No emotional attachment to teams or players. No complex analysis. Just a fast, repeatable interaction with an outcome that’s easy to grasp in seconds.


That’s precisely why I believe predictions will evolve beyond sports into their own ecosystem of products and sub-products. Colour predictions are simply the most accessible expression of that shift. From an operator’s perspective, this opens up several interesting opportunities. First, audience expansion. These mechanics attract people who would never open a traditional sportsbook or spend time in a casino lobby. Second, a different monetisation rhythm. Smaller, faster interactions spread value across time rather than concentrating it in fewer, higher-stakes moments. Third, and perhaps most importantly, a different regulatory conversation. Simpler mechanics tend to be easier for players to understand. That clarity aligns well with where consumer protection expectations are heading.


By 2026, I expect colour prediction formats to become more refined, more branded, and more culturally localised. Not as replacements for casino or sportsbook, but as parallel experiences that widen the top of the funnel and soften the overall engagement curve.


SIMPLICITY, ALTRUISM, AND EPHEMERAL PLAY


The most important shift I see coming isn’t tied to a specific product format. It’s psychological.


Players are increasingly pushing back against experiences that feel heavy. Too many features. Too many decisions. Too much effort. Attention has become the scarcest resource in the digital economy, and gaming is not immune to that reality. There’s a growing appetite for experiences that are simple, almost fleeting. Sessions that last minutes, not hours. Outcomes that are clear. Engagements that don’t linger mentally once they’re over.


I often describe this as ephemeral play. GIO JANUARY 2026 51


By 2026, the brands that earn long-term loyalty will be those that show restraint. That understand when not to add another feature. That design with the player’s cognitive load in mind, not just revenue optimisation models.


WHAT THIS MEANS FOR LEADERSHIP


You engage, you feel something, and you move on. No obligation. No sense of being pulled into a system that demands constant return.


Alongside this, we’re seeing a subtle rise in what I’d call altruistic design. Products that feel fair, transparent, and respectful of the player’s time. This isn’t about charity or reduced profitability. It’s about trust. Players are more willing to return frequently when they don’t feel exploited or overwhelmed. For leadership teams, this challenges traditional success metrics. Time-on-site and feature depth have long been proxies for engagement. In the next phase, session quality and repeat micro-engagement may prove far more valuable.


About the author


Mark McGuinness is an ‘architect of high-impact iGaming marketing.’ He is currently fractional CMO at Devilfish.com and brings over 24 years of elite digital marketing leadership to the role, advising top-tier iGaming operators across diverse regulated landscapes. He translates deep analytical power, honed from his scientific background, into breakthrough strategies for affiliate marketing, Web3, social poker, and casino gaming. McGuinness champions the game-changing integration of neuroscience and behavioural economics to skyrocket customer engagement and conversion.


When I step back and connect these threads, the message is consistent, even if it’s uncomfortable for an industry built on complexity.


Simplicity will outperform sophistication. Predictions will complement, not replace. Attention will matter more than time spent. Cultural relevance will drive scale. Trust will be built through clarity and restraint.


RESPECTING THE PLAYERS The future of online casino and sports betting doesn’t feel louder to me. It feels lighter. More intuitive. More human. As leaders, our role in 2026 won’t be to overwhelm players with choice, but to earn their attention in seconds and respect it once we have it. In a noisy world, the quietest experiences may end up being the most powerful.


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