Gala Interactive "well placed" post-PoC, says Digges
Director of gaming Alison Digges says Gala brand ensures operator is positioned "strongly" for re-regulated British market
Gala Interactive’s strong brand and product range will ensure the operator will be “well placed” within the nearing reformed British online gaming market, according to the operator’s director of gaming Alison Digges (pictured).
Speaking to eGaming Review this morning, Digges said Gala had been “heavily preparing” for the onset of Great Britain’s new Point of Consumption regulatory regime over the past year and had implemented a number of changes in order to ready itself for the adjusted 1 November go-live date.
And Digges, who took up the gaming director role in August, said she expected the reformed market would eventually lead to a “shake out” of some of the smaller operators as consumers migrated to the more tried and trusted brands.
“As a large, trusted UK brand with 22 years of heritage, we believe Gala will be very well placed post-PoC when customers inevitably turn to those brands they know and trust when other, smaller operators might be wobbling or even thinking of withdrawing from the market,” Digges said.
Gala has aimed to differentiate itself from its competition and has put in place a number of exclusive partnership deals, such as Gala Bingo’s Coronation Street and Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway licensing agreements.
In addition, Gala Bingo has been busy expanding its product range with the recent launches of ‘soft’ sportsbook Flutter and Lotto, which are to be backed with increased marketing investment early next year.
“We have been holding back a big push on the product until both Flutter and Lotto are on mobile/tablet and we are currently working on a very simple, user friendly mobile interface to go live in early 2015 in time for Cheltenham and the [Grand] National,” Digges said.
Gala’s recent achievements have seen the firm short-listed for a hat-trick of awards at next month’s eGR Operator Awards at London’s Roundhouse, including a nomination for the evening’s headline category.
“We are delighted to be shortlisted for three awards and in particular the Operator of the Year award as the only non-sportsbook [operator] shortlisted,” Digges said.
“Gala Interactive has come a long way since its move to Gibraltar three years ago and I am very proud of what the team has achieved in that time and the great growth we have seen in all our Gala Interactive brands,” she added.
The operator is currently on the lookout for a successor to managing director Per Widerstrom who announced he was to join Central European operator Fortuna Entertainment Group in December.
Earlier this month, eGR revealed that Gala head of social Gavin Grimes had switched roles to work under Digges as the operator’s new head of casino while a new head of bingo is also to be appointed.