Virtual sports is now a standalone vertical in its own right. We currently sit at the intersection where the virtual and reality worlds collide, even if the products resist any realistic overlap for now. However, just take a second to wonder at the advances in artificial intelligence or to marvel at the esports revolution. Software providers are creating increasingly authentic and engaging games which, in terms of their authenticity, are not limited by the confines of the real world. This emerging tide is only rolling one way. And 2019 could well mark a watershed on a few fronts.
STEVEN SPARTINOS is co-founder and co-CEO of virtual games provider Kiron Interactive. Established in 2001, the specialist supplier now services web, mobile and land-based sportsbook and casino operators on five continents. Prior to joining the betting and gaming industry, Steven worked in banking and finance.
As ever, the challenge is to set the dials correctly, whether that means mapping industry trends, identifying areas of growth, or responding to fluctuating but trackable levels of popularity in each sport with a flexible hierarchy that adapts to international tastes.
Like sportsbook itself, virtuals are thriving and continuing to grow in Europe’s saturated market, while the rise of sports betting across Africa and LatAm is opening up new territories to explore. Cultural appetites do not appear to be a barrier to entry, particularly as these games become more realistic. Increasing popularity is driven by 24/7 opportunities, the appeal of short-form betting for players and elasticity of schedule for operators.
Not only does this allow operators to rival the instant-win proposition of casinos, but it also affords them the opportunity to supersede and surpass their one-dimensional nature. That’s because the enhanced gameplay and playability of sports betting offers more in terms of player engagement. Virtual sports, like their real-world equivalents, excel at retaining player interest. However, rather than wait on TV scheduling to, for instance, deliver your next Manchester derby, virtuals can deliver the next encounter on demand and in greater frequency.
Kiron has recently developed a proprietary bet management solution, BetMan Omni, for both retail and online, which allows for multiple picture delivery options across all channels from retail to online. The straight-to-mobile experience represents the final frontier for UX optimisation. The interface has to feel like a real sportsbook, with a responsive network of options and functionality that powers an intuitive and real gaming journey for the end user. Equally, for the operators, these virtual sports must be easily customisable.
Kiron’s unique technology was designed to deliver this in spades — not only when it comes to tailoring the product for customers but also, just as importantly, when it comes to ensuring that the product conforms to local legislation and tastes. After all, it’s no good thinking globally if you can’t act locally, and our pioneering tech can match any specific market with a profitable offering of virtuals.
Continents like Africa and LatAm are like a patchwork quilt in this regard, so Kiron has made flexibility its watchword. Of course, this multiplicity also applies to regulations which can be divergent or slow to roll out among newly regulating markets. However, they’re invariably time-consuming, while overloaded product development pipelines can lead to further delays. For now, I’m afraid it’s a necessary obstacle to overcome, but we are certified and licensed in a majority of jurisdictions.
As for the popularity of the sports themselves, football and horse racing continue to rule the roost, with football edging it for the moment. Likely, this is due to the short-form, repetitive appeal of racing, with emerging data making a case for virtual horse racing competing for long-term revenues. Interestingly, this is despite its more niche appeal as a global sport, and irrespective of whether any specific region boasts an established real racing industry or not. Indeed, to a lesser extent, it could be a similar story with events like greyhound racing. More broadly, though, the native public appeal of each sport in any given market is a good guide to whether its virtual cousin will also work there. If football is not capturing end-user imagination across, say, Scandinavia, then ice hockey assuredly will. In short, therefore, offering the broadest gaming portfolio possible facilitates tailored operator solutions that speak to any territory.
Enhanced graphics and immersive soundscapes add up to a winning experience, too, generating lifelike depictions of racing and sports events. In Kiron’s case, live-render delivery makes our games even more realistic, while our leading CGI technologies (featuring improved motion capture processes) scale the peak of authenticity. Elsewhere, customisable options, including localisation, serve to recreate familiar sporting stadia and more recognisable race tracks.
We need to remember that we’re in the entertainment business here, and when it ceases to be fun, people generally stop playing. Or, they turn the channel in search of a better show – i.e. more convincing content. The next generation of products, which offer more extensive betting options and derivative market configurations (not to mention lower-margin odds), are tools to improve an already enjoyable ride, augmenting both acquisition and retention for operators along the way.
At Kiron, our premium graphics allied with the largest selection of virtual sports around (21 and counting), combine to give our partners a competitive edge in an ever more crowded space. Our latest product delivery enhancements also permit operators to better align and deploy any game to connect with its optimal audience, fostering better revenues.
As I’ve already mentioned, modular gaming system architecture is the key to unlocking the global potential of virtuals. After that, it’s a just question of employing the best management system, with total control of odds, limits, jackpots and event schedules, all underpinned by trusted tech for security and operational peace of mind. In this latter regard, virtuals are light years ahead of other verticals. And the management gap is only growing.
Why settle for gritty reality, when virtual visions are much more attractive? Ready Player One narratives may be the stuff of science fiction novels for now, but this brave new world of virtuals means that players can already choose the best of both real and virtual worlds.
COMPANY PROFILE
•NAME KIRON INTERACTIVE •FOUNDED 2001 •SECTOR VIRTUAL SPORT AND NUMBER GAMES, SPORTS BETTING, LOTTERY, CASINO. •WEBSITEKIRONINTERACTIVE.COM