TRENDS IN IGAMING Trend Talks Industry experts discuss the trends currently dominating the iGaming sector.
We’ve seen AI become more influential, both within iGaming and in other industries. In your view, is this technology here to stay? Or is it a passing fashion? Dee Maher: Artificial intelligence (AI) has been present for a significant period, but it gained prominence when computers became more robust, allowing them to handle vast amounts of data from users across different interfaces and digital platforms. This data fuels algorithms designed to achieve results that would otherwise be unattainable manually. The substantial investments by tech giants like Google and Microsoft indicate that AI is here to stay for the foreseeable future. Thomas Kolbabek: Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) are already an integral part in systems across industries and are certainly here to stay. In fact, we see this development as the most important step in product development since the internet. The range of services that can fruitfully be integrated into iGaming spans from Generative AI to very specific applications of modelling techniques.
Operations in iGaming involve continuous tasks and duties, which are growing in both numbers and complexity. AI is the perfect tool to support and automate decision- making in complex environments where circumstances, and therefore data, change every day.
Hands-on decision-making process and rule-based systems cannot compete in terms of speed and variety, especially when decisions are more effective when they are made in real-time and are tailored to the experience of each individual player – this is especially true for work done in CRM, Engagement and Product Development and is already producing results that change the business fundamentally. John Chyriwsky: AI is here to stay. This isn’t a fleeting trend; it’s a full-blown revolution and in the iGaming industry we are only at the start of a long journey with this technology. AI’s ability to analyse vast amounts of data and automate complex decisions transcends passing fads. It’s reshaping how industries operate, from automating customer service, to optimising user experiences and beyond. The integration of AI in daily business practices is becoming the norm, not the exception. Ignoring AI’s potential is akin to those people in the mid 90’s that said the Internet would never catch on.
14 MAY 2024 GIO
Nick McDonald: Artificial Intelligence is definitely here to stay, it’s certainly not a passing fashion. Over time, I think that we will see this technology become much more influential in our daily lives as more iGaming companies look towards AI as a means of growing and adapting their own businesses. It’s likely that in a few years, AI is going to become the norm in how we work.
For those that may not have incorporated AI into their offering, what considerations do they need to make? Dee Maher: Numerous factors need consideration, such as the desired functions of AI, its management, data security, internal biases, cost-effectiveness, legislation and communication with employees. AI holds great appeal due to its ability to enhance performance by predicting outcomes, automating tasks, creating content, and identifying keywords, patterns, and trends, particularly beneficial for operational management. When deciding on AI initiatives, it’s a good idea to focus on processes that substantially affect costs, revenue, or resource distribution, ultimately making a significant impact on the bottom line. Thomas Kolbabek: Incorporating AI and ML is highly effective when done in the right way and with the right partner. Do consider proven solutions for your industry – experience is the edge, both in Gaming and AI/ML. We see a lot of half-baked solutions in the market, so treat your ML/decisions making modules as part of the infrastructure – a lot of systems are better done with a flexible combination of system parts than onboarding large software solutions or doing it all in-house!
One must keep in mind that AI and ML can only be effective if it is provided with the information and access that a new employee would need to perform. You must provide information (training data), boundaries, expectations (target variables) and access to tools and systems. Once your AI (employee) starts to make decisions you will need to monitor performance, retrain and provide new tools (algorithms) when required while providing additional information to expand its reach and thus impact. John Chyriwsky: For the sceptics and stragglers still on the fence about weaving AI into their fabric, wake up and smell the binary code! Integrating AI isn’t about
jumping on a bandwagon; it’s about strategic survival and explosive growth. Firstly, you need to consider data integrity and privacy, it’s important to protect customer data both ethically and from a compliance perspective. Then have a clear idea of how you are going to use AI to elevate the experiences of both customers and your people. And finally, don’t forget about scalability. If your AI can’t scale, it’s as useful as a chocolate teapot.
Nick McDonald: Data is absolutely the biggest consideration that a company needs to make before they integrate AI into their daily operations. Where is that data coming from? Is it secure? How accurate is that information? These are all questions that they need to be able to answer.
If you feed sub-par data into your system, you’re only going to generate insights that are not fit for use. To address these data issues, iGaming companies should consider using a private service or platform to develop their AI offerings. What would make this even more safe, secure and accurate is if the company owns that technology stack themselves – take Private GPT models, for example. These are tailored specifically to your own business and are operated within your own network something we as Fujitsu offer today.
If you had to make a prediction, what technologies / trends do you think will dominate the iGaming industry this time next year? Dee Maher: That’s a great question, and one that rattles around the brains of many investors. From my perspective, as regulations evolve globally, companies must prioritise as well as managing the cost of compliance. Therefore, tools that simplify license applications and monitor ongoing compliance will become crucial. AI technologies that offer personalised user experiences resulting in reduced churn, great CRM tools and gamification features, along with NFTs and blockchain which will change the way that people access and pay for services online, will also play significant roles in the development of the iGaming industry going forward. Thomas Kolbabek: AI will expand into every component that requires extensive
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