Working in the gaming industry is many a teenager’s idea of heaven but it’s not quite as simple as it looks. In an industry sprawling across the globe there are a daunting number of regulations with
which to comply and customers to satisfy at a time of constant technological change.
Steve Degiorgio, Director of Gaming Revenue, Nordics and Baltics, at Entain Group, one of the world’s largest sports betting and gaming groups, has the enviable but also challenging task of
driving long-term growth in a successful business in these regions but also into other markets.
He describes himself as a person who’s very passionate about delivering a successful result to both the business and its clients alike.
He began his career in online gaming, just shy of 15 years ago but his roots in the industry lie within the glitzy world of VIP management, where as a VIP host, his role was to build strong, long-lasting
relationships with customers.
The landscape of course back then was an entirely different one. No less interesting than today, but different.
He then moved over to player retention as a whole aiming to apply that same knowledge and experience gained within VIP to the entire player base, both of which he says were fantastic experiences spanning quite a few years. He currently works on the commercial side of the
business and is involved with revenue and third-party partnerships.
Steve has now been in the gaming industry long enough to be sure Entain’s path ahead must be plotted carefully.
“The key for us is long-term sustainable revenue, in order to ensure continuous development and evolution of a successful business,” he says.
This means the group eschews anything that might lead to player burnout or irresponsible gambling, all the while emphasising safety and security for players. Degiorgio stresses that vital to
every strategy Entain deploys is its duty of care to players and customers.
“At Entain we are leaders in responsible gambling, social responsibility and player protection practices,” Degiorgio emphasises, adding: “Not only because these are important values but because we truly believe in providing our audiences with an offering which is not only innovative and entertaining but above all offered within a safe environment for all our players to enjoy.”
It is these values that make for the most vital of backbones for any commercial enterprise, the loyal customer base. It’s a relationship of mutual interdependence. Entain looks after the customers and the customers look after Entain.
Degiorgio says: “With my roots in VIP management, I always carry that mantra with me that everything that is being created should be done with the end user’s satisfaction in mind. And I believe this way of thinking has shaped me as a manager.”
This is a time when, Degiorgio notes, so much customer engagement takes place online via game recommendation engines and player portals and the centrality of customer experience is core
to Entain’s vision. To that end it frequently surveys customers about its products and services. It also holds focus groups in which different demographic groups are quizzed on what the company is doing well and not so well and where it can improve.
No less important to Entain’s offering is technology, which is steadily building up the gaming landscape of tomorrow.
Degiorgio says: “Gamification extends far beyond just aesthetic engagement; I believe it begins with mechanics before aesthetics.”
“Technology and its evolution have thrust operators forward at such a pace, with such incredible opportunities to enhance and heighten player experience.”
“Fluidity and ease of navigation, both on mobile and desktop have become key to capitalizing on player retention and combating churn.”
“At Entain (Nordics & Baltics), we pride ourselves in deploying a second- to- none, fluid navigation paired with evolving tools designed to maximize customer loyalty and retention.”
Interactivity for Entain’s customers and their real time gaming experience is at the heart of the service it provides today’s tech savvy consumers. As players are constantly directly and indirectly interacting with the system, all while keeping track of their progress in real time, the Entain universe
and its customers make for a hive of rapid continuous leisure activity.
This generates an infectious buzz among those who work for Entain, Degiorgio feels.
He says: “There is this hunger amongst people in the industry always to develop something better and it’s really exciting to be a part of that and I mean, also on that subject, never in my opinion has there been a time more than at present when user experience and UI are such crucial driving forces within this sector especially as an operator.”
Gaming is a universal leisure activity but that brings with it a new set of challenges as the sector has to operate within a multiplicity of different jurisdictions with multiple different regulations and consumer needs. Entain has to be nimble in adapting to these challenges with a range of strategies to retain customers.
Aside from adhering strictly to the regulations implemented by the individual regulators of each market in which it operates, key for Entain has been maintaining a level of flexibility within
each market. Degiorgio has learned that what the company builds and develops for one market will not necessarily have the same impact in another.
“We retain that level of flexibility within our offering, which allows us to target specific markets independently whilst, of course, always being compliant within each jurisdiction in which we operate.”
As an international business not only does Entain have to take into account the full range of regulations governing its industry across the globe but with a vast customer base it also has to perform an adept juggling of differences in player needs and desires. Degiorgio has put a lot of thought into the things that motivate players and what they want to get out of their gaming
experience. It’s serving the company well.