Why the igaming industry needs to stay agile

As the call for consumer protection and responsible gambling rises, we continue to see new rules introduced as industry regulations continue to evolve. Led by the UK revamp in 2018, followed by Sweden and most recently Germany, other governments are already gearing up for a new, tighter set of rules. But what does this mean for igaming operators?

It’s clear that for igaming businesses there is a need to stay agile. They need to be able to adapt, and at speed. Those who don’t will fail to meet multi-jurisdiction compliance requirements that are affecting platforms on a global scale. Ultimately, they will get left behind. In other words, game over.

Agility is about mindset and culture

First of all, no technology can bring innovation to life unless people are willing to accept and adapt to changes. When it comes to software development, Agile allows for fast platform changes in order to satisfy both customers and regulators.

But software development practices are only a small part of what Agile can deliver. With regulations fast evolving worldwide, gaming platforms have to stay highly customisable to succeed and adapt swiftly.

Part of the success story lies with microservices. Traditionally platforms were built using monolithic architecture, offering little flexibility, and making it difficult to implement changes without updating the whole system.

Microservices allow specific functions to be developed, deployed and managed independently from each other. Think different product pages from registration to game lobby features and payments. Using microservice applications means faster updates and access to new features which can be tested and built on player feedback and behaviours.

The microservice approach is often boosted with APIs, allowing numerous frontend experiences – what the player can see – to be connected to a single backend program.  APIs enable flexibility to think beyond the limits of any one platform or technology.

For gaming operators who have to work with a number of third-party tools – fraud detection platforms and KYC verification platforms – using microservice and APIs allows operators to quickly adapt to requirements in different markets and jurisdictions. Operating within a cloud environment also means gaming businesses can store huge amounts of data securely, and are able to scale at pace.

Changes to regulations take time

Adapting to new gaming regulations does not happen overnight. As we’ve seen recently in Germany, igaming industry players were given a full year to make the required changes. Regulators did however encourage companies to start abiding by these rules during this transition process, known as toleration regime.

The igaming companies that embraced an agile development approach were able to create and release new features gradually, rather than being forced to implement changes in one go. Using microservice architecture meant they could apply feature toggling, testing and pushing changes live over the period of time.

Lastly, the best players on the gaming field are those who work on new releases, brand launches or some kind of innovation all the time. Using microservices means gaming companies can work on regulatory changes and product features in parallel, meaning one does not hold the other back.

Tackling central databases in different markets

In order to help tackle problem gambling, several countries are introducing central player databases. This means igaming operators can use API calls to the central database at the point of pre-registration, post-registration, pre-session and post-session to help understand the limits and balances of their players. The benefit of this form of communication is that information within the central database is updated automatically.

We’ve also seen certain governments introducing vaults – a third party middleman entity between the licensee and the regulator. For igaming operators that work in various markets, it’s likely they’ll have several APIs to be able to connect to different databases. Depending on the provider and the requirements, API integration can take several months, so this is where microservices come in handy, once again.

From acquisition to retention

Staying agile goes beyond the ability to adapt to regulations. The registration process, for example, plays a big role in the player acquisition journey. It’s often lengthy, which is very much needed to foster KYC requirements, however, it’s also the point where some igaming operators see a substantial drop-off rate.

Agile gaming platforms can use canary releases to trial and test changes and features initially within a small group of users before rolling out to a wider audience. Simply changing the page layout, for example, on a long registration form can result in a positive difference.

The same goes for the gameplay – player experience – and finally the retention. From subtle graphic changes to button positioning, or the timing of promotions, gaming companies should never stop experimenting. Embracing an agile development approach means speed, scalability and flexibility.

Being able to quickly adapt to evolving regulations, means igaming operators can grow at scale in different markets, whilst constantly improving their customer experience.