As seen in G3
U.S.
Where we are today from a gaming perspective in the U.S. is that the states are falling over themselves to regulate sports betting because that’s the easiest vertical to get up and running due to its history. Each of the legislative processes and gaming commissions are looking at each other’s laws, rules, and regulations. It’s not quite copy and paste, but it’s similar from state to state.
When it comes to iGaming, there is a little bit of hesitation as it’s more complex. There are more servers involved and tonnes of suppliers, whereas with sportsbooks you have a single supplier for odds, pricing, and so forth. With Gaming content, there are multiple.
You could say Pariplay itself is part of this problem insofar as we deliver multiple suppliers. However, we are in fact part of the solution because we are one platform covering one vertical. We get licensed as the main licence holder, then our studios come right behind us via a simpler vendor registration.
This creates an ease of access into the marketplace and an ease of doing business with operators. It’s a win-win for all parties involved, up to and including gaming regulation bodies and governments.
I hail from Connecticut – 50 miles from midtown Manhattan, across the bridge from New Jersey, Pennsylvania’s down the street, whilst Michigan and West Virginia a little bit further. Right now, these are the main iGaming markets to have opened thus far.
Pariplay is fully licensed in New Jersey, West Virginia, and Michigan. We are nearing completion for a Pennsylvania licence and are about to start the licensing process for Connecticut. All eyes are, of course, on New York where I spent last week speaking at the All-American Sports Betting Summit. When iGaming opens there, it will be the catalyst – for a while. Then it will be California. When that market opens is anyone’s guess, but when it does, it will unquestionably explode.
CANADA
Exciting. Pariplay received its Ontarian licence a few days before the market went live in early April. We’ve collaborating with a number of operators including BetMGM and 888 and will soon be live with Rush Street Interactive. Ontario will be an amazing market.
It has a similar set-up to the UK in terms of ease of entry, regulation, and it is one currency in and out (pure Canadian dollar) which makes transactions much easier. It has a North American feel with a European vibe.
We’re looking forward to seeing how the market pans out and compliments our Alberta operation where Pariplay is the sole distributor of content for PlayAlberta, the only regulated online gambling website in the province. Alberta’s government has put a lot of trust into us, and we deliver.
FUSE AND IGNITE
Pariplay’s Fusion programme allows existing studios to plug in and distribute across global markets. Our Ignite programme facilitates gaming passion and innovation by giving the dreamers of content the technical ability to get onto our RGS. We have had some incredible success stories such as Rubyplay, Jade Rabbit, and Skillzzgaming, amongst others.
There is an old saying in the U.S. that the best baseball players have never been seen or heard of because they don’t get the opportunity to get onto the field. There are small gaming outfits out there that may have produced the best game ever that no-one knows about.
Prior to programmes such as Ignite here in Europe, they couldn’t get in front of the likes of Bally and IGT – manufacturers whose hardware devices controlled 70 per cent of the casino floors in Las Vegas. Unless you knew somebody who knew somebody, you never got your dream to reality.
Pariplay’s Ignite programme and, to a degree, Fusion, creates that market entry opportunity. Yesterday, I was talking to a former chief executive of a major studio who now leads one of the industry’s newest entrants and asked him about their RGS. It’s taken them two years to build the technology and that’s with someone at the helm who really knows the industry.
The Ignite programme has lots of traction and with U.S. expansion gaming designers from Washington State to Florida are going to hear about Pariplay and be knocking on the door. Who knows, one of them could be the next big mover and shaker in the industry.
