As the game industry continues to grow and expand its target market to nearly every person with access to an Internet connection, the capabilities needed to gain a competitive advantage are changing too. Increased trust and perceived value of online entertainment is likely to provide the necessary impetus to online gaming going forward. Indian developers have seen an influx of investments and this is expected to improve further Business models of video games which are constantly evolving to fully adapt to the needs and preferences of users in areas such as platforms (via the Web browser, mobile applications, etc.), forms of payment (pay per download, subscription, payment for access, game extensions, etc.), or gaming devices (game consoles, computers, smartphones, tablets, etc.). Nektan PLC is a leading international gaming solutions and services provider. It serves Europe, the US and Asian markets, driving digital gaming transactions, through proprietary technologies that permit speed, flexibility and innovation.
In an interview with Insights Success, Gary Shaw, Founder of Nektan PLC gave some insightful answers highlighting the influences made by his company to take gaming solutions to a new level.
- Kindly brief us about your company
Nektan is a leading global gaming platform provider for the online casino industry, delivering B2B and white label gaming software and services.
- What are the different products and services provided by the company, which is setting you apart from your competitors?
At the heart of Nektan’s operations is our full end-to-end proprietary platform Evolve, which simplifies and supports the route to online gaming revenues for casinos. Our white label solution manages the full customer experience and back-office operations, allowing commercial partners to focus on marketing the product to its consumers. Our proprietary B2B platform, Evolve Lite, provides operators first-time access to cutting-edge digital casino content, ensuring their focus is on the end user.
We place great emphasis on building strong and open relationships with partners ensuring our casino delivery offers a robust and rich gaming experience in a safe, secure and compliant environment.
At the core of our unique proposition and which sets us apart from our competitors, is our speed of integration and service updates, our low upfront costs and our portfolio of high quality games on offer, compatible across all devices. In addition, we are truly global, being one of the only providers with presence in Europe, the US and now Asia.
- Brief us about the Founder/CEO, and what was the source of inspiration for your company to be in the Gaming Solution Providers segment.
I founded the business back in 2011, following a joint venture with gaming solutions company GTECH. I’m an entrepreneur at heart, with a consistent track record of delivering business growth in the gaming industry.
In 2000, I joined gambling company Victor Chandler, helping to establish the operator’s casino and poker products. I then went on to create my own business St Enodoc, becoming one of Europe’s largest white label operators before it was acquired by GTECH-Lottomatica in 2008.
Under my stewardship and with the help of a strong and dedicated team, Nektan has grown to become a fast-growing business in the gaming solutions industry, with the company well placed for future growth and continued success.
- What makes you a unique player in this field? Kindly explain us your advantages over your peers.
There are a growing number of platform providers in the iGaming industry and it’s been an important strategic objective to differentiate ourselves from the competition. We’ve done this in a number of ways, but overall our focus on customer service and speed to market are the key differentiators that have set Nektan apart.
We are able to deliver our white label end-to-end casino platform to our customers quickly and efficiently, with casino sites going live in just eight weeks for new partners and two weeks for existing partners. In addition, we make speedy service adjustments in real-time. As an agile business, we are flexible and easy to work with, ensuring our partners receive a world-class and bespoke service.
With extensive knowledge of the international landscape, we are proud of our growing presence of our platform in Europe, the US and Asia. A feat which sets us apart from our competitors.
- What is the current scenario of Gaming Solution Providers industry, from your point of view?
The online gaming industry is thriving right now, with growth being experienced in a variety of verticals such as casino, bingo and sports betting. Core markets such as the UK continue to grow in size, while new and emerging markets are appearing in places all over the world, providing even greater opportunities for operators and gaming solution providers such as ourselves.
Earlier this month, we announced our launch into Asia through a global platform agreement with Tyche, which saw the Nektan Evolve Lite gaming platform go live with a number of Tyche’s Asian partner sites. It’s an exciting marketplace for us to enter, particularly as iGaming is growing increasingly popular throughout the continent, and we are confident we will expand our presence in the region, throughout the course of year.
- With the massive advancements in the Gaming Solution Providers industry, what are the opportunities and challenges evolving with it.
The industry continues to grow at an accelerated pace with new brand entrants and emerging territories opening up opportunities to expand internationally. The challenge that we find from new and existing casinos is the ability to move fast and the speed in which product integrations and service modifications take place.
When it comes to newly-regulated markets, speed is of the essence as it is important that operators are in a position to offer attractive products to customers in a matter of weeks rather than months. Major organisations struggle with this as they are bogged down by lengthy business protocols or integration pipelines. That’s where quick and nimble gaming solution providers, such as Nektan, can rise to the challenge.
- Share with us how the company is contributing to its sector in the industry
More than 100 sites across the globe are now being powered by Nektan through our white label solution, which highlights the growing strength of our offering within the industry. We’re providing quality casino games coupled with a proprietary platform that incorporates best-in-breed technology to offer customers a quick and efficient route to market.
Unlike, many providers, we require low upfront costs, opting to take a percentage of the revenues instead. This ensures we play a key role in the success of a casino, resulting in a win-win situation for both the operator and ourselves.
Furthermore, we take on all the back-office work, such as CRM, player management, payments, lobby, bonusing, reporting, affiliates, live chats and more, leaving the operator to focus solely on marketing the casino to its players. We engage in authentic partnerships, which is the essence of our business model.
- What are the key attributes that helped your company overcome the challenges, which the company faced during its establishment?
A clear factor that has helped shape our strong position in today’s marketplace is Nektan’s emphasis on maintaining the best relationship with each other and our partners, through open dialogues, professional diligence and a friendly approach.
With the challenge of management changes throughout our existence, naturally, there comes a certain degree of culture shake-ups and internal uncertainties. However, we’ve taken care and courtesy to establish a clear culture both internally and externally, of respect and openness which sees us treat each other and our partners with care, curtsy and acknowledgement. Our team is in constant contact with partners and is able to overcome any technical or account management issues in a timely manner.
- What are the benefits gained by your clients while doing business with you?
The ultimate goal for us and our partners is to continuously drive revenues and increase the lifetime value of players. We do this by offering engaging content and providing a fully-operational casino site, that’s robust and secure, ensuring a seamless player experience.
Through our B2B operations, we are constantly looking to partner with third-party game providers to develop our games portfolio and thus provide a variety of content for different tastes and requirements. Recently, we struck a deal to become the first supplier in Europe to offer Konami video slots, highlighting our ability to offer unique and bespoke content.
- How do you see yourself and the company in the future ahead?
We will continue to strive towards offering market leading casino content that sets us apart from our competitors. We endeavor to unremittingly drive our technological advancements to ensure we provide the most cutting-edge, end-to-end casino platform service to our growing list of customers across the globe. We have a number of innovative and exciting projects in development behind the scenes, so watch this space.
