Interviews
Exclusive Q&A with Rhydian Fisher, CEO of Instant Win Gaming
Rhydian Fisher is CEO of Instant Win Gaming (IWG), the leading provider of instant win style games to lotteries, commercial brands and platforms in the digital lottery and online gaming sectors. Following the launch of the company’s games with the New Hampshire Lottery, we had the opportunity to speak to Rhydian about recent developments at IWG, the expanding market for digital eInstant lottery games, and in particular the US Lottery opportunity.
Gaming Americas: Congratulations on your games going live with the New Hampshire Lottery. For some background, what are digital eInstants and how will they enhance the lottery’s online offering?
Rhydian Fisher (RF): Digital eInstants as they’re called in the lottery world, or instant win games as they’re often referred to in the commercial gaming world, are a category of online wagering games where the interactive fun is the primary focus. In a general sense, whereas online casino games are all about the chance to win with some interactive fun, eInstants are all about the interactive fun with some chance to win. This differing orientation is really the root of it all. Typical casino players are motivated by the thrill of staking money, and the corresponding volatility of winning and losing. On the other hand, typical eInstant players are, first and foremast, seeking some casual entertainment but love the idea that they might just win some money. This difference very much mirrors casino versus lottery entertainment in general.
To players, eInstants are casual in style, and often really simple to play. However, designing games with these characteristics, yet deliver sustained engagement, is anything but simple. Here at IWG, we have a 20-year history of developing exclusively digital eInstants. No one else has been so solely focused on this in the dedicated way that we have. And, when you have the opportunity to devote consistent focus to one category of games over a such a sustained period of time, you get amazingly good at building them. Today, we proud to be able to say that we’re the best in the world at it.
In New Hampshire, we’ve made a strong start by launching a range of eInstants including New Hampshire Cash Expander, a localized title that tailors our popular Cash Expander mechanic specifically for New Hampshire players. Through previous experience, we know that localized games really resonate with players and we’re expecting the latest title to be a big hit.
Gaming Americas: What is the state of the eInstant lottery market today?
RF: We were fortunate to get involved with this category early on, and it’s certainly been an evolution. In the very beginning, circa 2000, a few lottery operators, like Camelot in the UK, were launching online sales, and were looking for digital games that paralleled their retail instant ticket games. Back then, we had no experience in this, but neither did anyone else, so we set-up shop, started imagining how these games might play, and then jumped in and began building them. From there it’s been a continuous process of iteration. We develop a game, we release it, we analyze the resulting data, we apply what we learn, and we develop the next game. We repeat this process over and over – it’s pretty straight forward. But, it’s culmination of 20 years of learnings that make our games authentic.
The lottery market has become our core focus. Today, we provide eInstant games to 23 WLA/NASPL member lotteries around the world. More and more lotteries are setting up ecommerce channels for what has predominately been a retail-only sales model. We expect this trend to continue. In the US, for example, lottery is a $90 billion per year category, and instant games represent more than 65% of this. Therefore, as these lotteries launch online sales channels, it is very necessary that they have digital eInstants to offer their players.
Gaming Americas: How does managing an eInstant portfolio compare to managing a retail instant portfolio?
RF: There are many similarities, but the demands of the internet channel means that everything is accelerated. One of the more obvious examples is the percentage of prize payout. In the US, a typical retail instant game will have a prize payout of 65% – 80%. This has proven to be optimal for a product that can only be purchased by players during their periodic trips to a retail outlet. However, the addition of an internet channel means that games can be now be purchased wherever and whenever. This translates into much higher play volume, and to be fair to players, this higher play volume must be supported with a higher prize payout. As a result, a typical online eInstant game will have a prize payout of 80% – 85% or more.
A less obvious, but equally important example, is frequency of game launches. Lottery players seek out games that are casual to play. At the same time, they are particularly drawn to the newest titles. With retail instants this might mean a roadmap of games with new launches on a monthly basis. In the internet world, the time dimension is much faster paced. A typical eInstant roadmap will plan a two-week cycle between game launches for most of the year, supplemented by weekly launches during peak seasonal periods.
For suppliers, it helps if you have a culture that thrives in complexity. Across the 23 lotteries that we supply around the world, we’ve never ever delivered the same game twice. There are always custom elements required for each delivery which will range from game theme to prize math to style of outcome engine to a myriad of other factors. The bottom-line, in the lottery sector, non-standard is the standard.
Gaming Americas: Certainly, the retail channel is hugely important to lotteries. What impact do eInstants, and in general, selling lottery online have on retail sales?
RF: This has been one of the real success stories as lotteries modernize. Of course, lotteries everywhere are either already selling their games online, or are considering doing so in the future. It is now common for a lottery’s online channel to account for 20% or more of total sales. Along with this, eInstants will often represent 70% or more of these online sales.
At first, the specter of an additional sales channel can be a concern to the brick and mortar retailers who have been a lottery’s exclusive channel partner to this point. However, across the board, selling online has proven to increase retail sales as well. The reason is straightforward. The lottery’s traditional, cash-only, in-person way of selling games has not kept pace with the modern consumer. Long time players might continue to purchase in this traditional way, but new players can no longer be acquired as efficiently. Modernization, meaning adding online sales, opens up the lottery to a far broader world of potential new players. And, when a lottery introduces a player to its games through its online channel, that player becomes a buyer at retail as well.
Our customer the Michigan Lottery, for example, has been selling their games online for more than five years and have seen traditional retail growth of 45% during this period. Our customer the New Hampshire Lottery, in just its first year of online sales, simultaneously, grew retail sales by 16%. The same trend holds true for every lottery in the US that has instituted online sale. Once a lottery begins selling online, they quickly experience a shift in the support they get from their very important retail partners–from concerned resistance to proactive support.
Gaming Americas: What steps are lotteries taking to support their retail partners?
RF: Even in the case of a lottery where 20% of its sales are online, this means that 80% comes through its retail channel. So, lotteries always take steps to include their retail partners in their online sales initiatives. And, there are many ways to do this.
Our customer, the Pennsylvania Lottery, has integrated its traditional retailers into its affiliate program. A retailer earns affiliate fees by signing up players for online accounts.
Our customer, the Michigan Lottery, offers players the option to fund their account by purchasing a prepaid lottery card at any of their traditional retail outlets. The retailer earns a commission on these sales.
Every lottery we work with is innovating on ways to sell online while also expanding retail sales. And, the collaboration is producing great results.
Gaming Americas: What has been the COVID-19 impact on the lottery sector?
RF: I’ve been in contact with many lotteries during the COVID-19 crisis. Of course, their number one priority is keeping their staff safe and healthy. Beyond that, lotteries understand that they serve an essential function during normal times, and even more so during times like now—generating vitally needed funds for their beneficiaries. Therefore, maintaining uninterrupted operations, in a world of disrupted supply logistics and shelter-in-place orders, is more than ever, the day-to-day focus. No surprise, but those lotteries that currently sell their games online have increased their marketing focus on this channel. And, many lotteries not yet online have been asked to immediately explore plans for setting up online sales, to potentially be actioned once we’re beyond the crisis. Certainly, over time, all lotteries will need to modernize to keep pace player preferences. I suspect that the urgency of the moment may accelerate the thinking on when to do so.
Interviews
Patricio Molloy: WA.Technology is ready to raise the bar for LatAm in 2025
As we enter 2025, what unique opportunities do you see for WA.Technology in the LatAm iGaming market?
The iGaming market in Latin America is experiencing rapid transformation, and this dynamic shift presents considerable opportunities for companies with the right strategy and adaptability.
We are witnessing a shift from informal, semi-professional operations to a growing demand for a formal, structured, and professional gaming industry that can meet the higher expectations emerging from both regulators and consumers.
At WA.Technology, we are perfectly positioned to leverage our extensive local knowledge to achieve just that. Our team has been working across the region for years, from Mexico to Brazil, Colombia, and beyond, which gives us a unique edge in navigating the regulatory complexities and unique behavioural dynamics of this evolving landscape.
This authentic regional understanding not only allows us to stay ahead of market trends but also empowers us to innovate in a way that aligns with global best practices while being sensitive to local cultures, customs, and regulations. As the LatAm gaming market continues to mature, we are ready to support operators in a more structured, regulated, and growth-oriented environment.
How does WA.Technology plan to maintain its progress across the region in 2025?
Our approach to sustained growth in Latin America is driven by the expertise of our team, who bring years of experience from across the region. The team at WA.Technology has collectively worked across a variety of LatAm gaming markets, gaining firsthand knowledge of local regulations and consumer preferences. This wealth of experience enables us to navigate the ever-changing landscape with agility and precision.
As the region continues to evolve, we will continue to integrate global best practices while remaining flexible enough to address the unique needs of each local market. Our strategy at WA.Technology largely focuses on building close relationships with various local stakeholders, refining our offerings based on real-time feedback and ensuring our presence continues to make a long-lasting difference in the region.
We are committed to driving long-term growth, building strong partnerships and providing the best possible value to our clients across Latin America.
For operators looking to enter Latin America in 2025, what are some of the key trends/nuances they need to be aware of? And how is WA.Technology helping them to navigate these?
Entering the Latin American market in 2025 presents a variety of opportunities for growth. However, operators looking to make the most of what this region has to offer must carefully consider local regulations, consumer behaviour, and cultural differences in each country. After all, LatAm is not one homogenous region – each country has its own unique dynamics at play.
Regulatory frameworks continue to evolve rapidly, with each individual regulator in the region setting its own rules, meaning that operators must be highly adaptable and well-prepared for any future legislative changes. But regulations aren’t the only challenge.
Understanding local consumer habits, preferences, and cultural nuances is equally critical to building a successful operation. For example, the products players enjoy in Brazil are likely to be completely different to those favoured by Mexican bettors.
At WA.Technology, we help operators navigate these complexities by offering solutions that are fully compliant with local laws and tailored to meet the diverse needs of Latin American consumers.
We don’t see ourselves as just a technology provider; we want to be a trusted partner, supporting operators in their journey to understand the regulatory environment and local market dynamics, ensuring they’re well-positioned for long-term success.
With Brazil now live, how does WA.Technology plan to gain an edge in what is likely to be a highly competitive market?
Brazil is undoubtedly the flagship market in Latin America, and we’ve been preparing for this moment for some time. With a market of such size and potential, competition is bound to be hard. However, we are confident that our extensive local presence and tailored approach will give us a distinct edge unmatched by any other provider on the market.
We’ve made significant investments in Brazil, building a team that is highly knowledgeable about the local market and deeply embedded in the regulatory landscape. I am proud to say our team has worked extremely hard to ensure we were ready in time for the new regulations in Brazil and that we are in a position now to grow even further in this market as a result. With dedicated local offices, a strong team of regulatory experts and seasoned professionals with operational expertise, we are well-equipped to navigate the complexities of Brazil’s rapidly growing iGaming market.
Our extensive knowledge of the local market and commitment to delivering innovative, market-specific solutions allows us to provide licensed operators with the tools they need to succeed in this competitive space.
How will your approach to Brazil differ from that of the wider LatAm market?
While Brazil is undeniably one of the largest and most significant markets in Latin America, our approach to the region as a whole is both comprehensive and tailored to the unique characteristics of each country.
We recognise that Latin America is a highly diverse and dynamic market where each country presents distinct opportunities, challenges, and regulatory landscapes.
At WA.Technology, we adopt a market-specific strategy across our entire business, ensuring that we provide localised solutions that meet the unique needs of each country while maintaining a strong, responsive presence in all key markets.
Our team brings extensive experience from working in countries such as Argentina, Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, and Mexico. In fact, we recently expanded our footprint by opening offices in Mexico City, which allows us to stay closely connected to local developments and offer even more tailored support to our partners in this market.
Mexico is particularly important to us in terms of future growth, and we view it as a key focus for WA.Technology alongside Brazil. Our integrated, flexible approach ensures we can remain agile across the entire region, responding effectively to each market’s specific demands while maintaining a cohesive regional strategy.
What are your goals for expanding WA.Technology’s footprint in LatAm over the next 12 months? And how do you plan to achieve these?
Looking ahead to the rest of 2025, our key goals for expanding WA.Technology’s footprint in Latin America is rooted in two fundamental pillars: extensive market knowledge and strong local presence.
As the region evolves at a rapid pace, staying ahead of market shifts requires constant attention. Our strategy is to maintain a physical presence in every major market, fostering relationships with local stakeholders, regulators, and operators. By doing this, we are able to anticipate changes in the wider market and position ourselves as a proactive, solutions-driven partner, ensuring that our partners can retain their competitive edge.
We aim to further solidify our relationships with key players across the region and remain highly engaged in local markets, adapting our solutions in real-time to meet emerging needs.
Our focus on continuous engagement ensures that we’re always in tune with the evolving landscape, positioning WA.Technology to lead the way in driving innovation and delivering value in Latin America.
Interviews
Building a company culture from the ground up
David Natroshvili, Founder of SPRIBE, talks about company culture and why office working is the key to communication for any organisation
Home working, office working or hybrid working. What’s best when it comes to fostering a successful company culture?
SPRIBE started off as a hybrid working company with our employees having a lot of flexibility over where they worked from and the schedules they worked to. This served us well during the pandemic when companies were forced to send staff home during the height of lockdowns. But since then, and given the rapid growth we have experienced, we have opted to gradually switch to a full-time office set-up for our employees. Why? Because there are so many benefits to having employees working from the office, for both the organisation and those working for it. We’ve tried to make the transition as seamless as possible by creating comfortable and inspiring workspaces, offering regular team-building activities and ensuring we run plenty of social events each month, including poker tournaments and Happy Friday which brings together all team members to round off the week.
Can you talk through some of the benefits of office-based working?
The biggest benefit is the connection that forms between team members and the different teams that make up the organisation. Communication is key to a business – and individuals – achieving objectives and reaching its/their full potential, and communication is so much easier when everyone is under the same roof and can speak face to face. It allows for deeper collaboration, faster problem-solving and more cohesive processes. I think there are serious mental health benefits, too – by working from an office, people feel part of a community and don’t become isolated from their team and the wider organisation. Without its people, company culture is little more than a document of ideas and processes but when you bring the people that make up the organisation under the same roof, it comes to life.
What does SPRIBE’s company culture look like?
We have always focused on helping our employees strike a good work/life balance, and we go to great lengths to support their well-being and mental health. This includes fun activities like our weekly Happy Friday and regular social events but also ensuring that each team member feels valued and that they are supported and encouraged by senior management and team leaders. Personal development is a big part of employee well-being, so we offer plenty of opportunities for personal and professional development. This, combined with providing the right environment for our employees to work in, ensures each member of the team can thrive, develop and grow, which in turn makes them feel like they have a long future with SPRIBE and that their position within the company is valued and secure.
How will you ensure your company culture evolves alongside changing employee expectations and wider working trends?
The way I see it, talented people want to contribute to a successful business so long as their involvement is valued and rewarded. This has always been the case and won’t change anytime soon. At SPRIBE, we want to attract the best talent in the business and so long as we ensure this talent feels valued and is given the environment and opportunities to reach its full potential, while striking the right work/life balance, we will remain a highly attractive organisation to join regardless of the latest company culture trends and employee expectations.
When you founded SPRIBE, did you expect it to become the success that it is today?
Yes and no. I knew that we had an incredibly strong founding team and that when we came up with the concept for Aviator, the original iGaming crash game, that we’d come up with something big. But no, I couldn’t have seen it becoming the phenomenon that it has – Aviator is now live with more than 4,500 online casinos and has 42 million active players a month. This has allowed us to continue to innovate and be pioneers, especially when it comes to our marketing deals with the UFC and A.C. Milan. It’s this that ultimately makes SPRIBE such a great place to work – we are doing things that other companies could only ever dream of.
Fantasy Sports
Will Booth: blending the best of fantasy and sports with Pick’Em Player Props
For those that might not know, can you give us a brief overview of Pick’Em Player Props?
In simple terms, the new Pick’Em Player Props product from WA.Technology is almost like a hybrid between fantasy sports and sports betting. In the same vein as traditional player props products that you see in traditional sports, players can select markets on individual players – we have just taken that model and elevated it.
During the game, players can make between two and six bet selections. For example, will Erling Haaland score more or less than 2.5 shots? The number of bet selections the player makes then determines their multiplier. By allowing bettors to unleash their sporting knowledge and provide engaging games for them to play, we are helping our operator partners to not only engage with a wider player base but also to fuel long-term retention. It really is a one-of-a-kind product and one we’re incredibly excited about. It’s already proving to be a top performer in LatAm.
Why has now been the right time to unveil Pick’Em Player Props?
Over the last few years, we’ve seen significant growth in the number of player proposition products. There are several reasons for that. Sports fans have shown a growing affinity for individual players rather than a team. They follow players on social media and engage with content featuring that player.
This reflects the wider trend we’re seeing: the new generation of fans is more in love with the players than the team itself. A great example of this is both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Bettors worldwide would wager on either of those players and engage with their content regardless of which team they played for or what club they supported.
The appetite for player-driven betting is increasing dramatically, resulting in a greater demand for products specifically tailored to individual athletes.
With more traditional sportsbooks, however, we’ve found that there isn’t as much depth of product regarding player propositions – aside from goal scorer markets. We wanted to change that – we wanted to deliver a fun, engaging product that helps build a sense of community among players.
Since Pick’Em Player Props is also a hybrid of fantasy and sports, it can act as an attractive tool to facilitate new market entries, as fantasy sports are not regulated like sportsbooks or iGaming. Take the US for example. In most states, operators do not need a licence to offer a fantasy sports product. This is the case for many markets around the world, too. I believe this will be an attractive proposition for operators looking to expand their international footprint, and as a truly global provider, we’re here to make that happen.
In your view, what differentiates WA.Technology’s Pick’Em Player Props from other player props products on the market?
Currently, we are the only B2B provider to offer a player propositions product that combines sports and fantasy. A handful of companies in the US offer something similar, but they are all B2C companies – we are bringing something totally unique to the B2B space.
Fantasy Sports have always been popular in the US. But over the last 18 months, we’ve seen a meteoric rise in the demand for player proposition markets; we wanted to develop a product that caters to that growth in demand and delivers something unique for our partners.
For other player props products on the market, something that is worth noting is that the design and UX are doing little to engage Millennial/Gen Z bettors. This audience demands a streamlined UX that is easy to use. Our Pick’Em version has been specifically designed with this demographic in mind, although we have been careful not to disenfranchise other age groups. We have kept the design sleek, streamlined and easy to use to deliver that. It’s extremely well-designed compared to what you might see in a more traditional sportsbook.
The game is straightforward to understand because we have fixed multipliers. This decision differentiates us from more traditional products, where the multipliers vary depending on how many bets you place. It also makes the product much more accessible for players who might otherwise not be familiar with fantasy or player props.
Another major defining factor is that we have ensured players can add multiple bets from different markets together. On most sports betting sites out there, you cannot combine player props markets. You couldn’t, for example, have a bet slip combining Erling Haaland’s Over/Under Shots and Kevin De Bruyne’s Shots on Target. We know this is frustrating for many bettors. We wanted to eliminate that barrier and elevate sports fans’ experience.
How does the level of data granularity influence the design and effectiveness of player proposition betting products, particularly in terms of player engagement and personalised betting options?
We are very fortunate that the data feed we use for our player props markets is the best. We have a wide range of insights and data analytics available, giving us an edge over other companies within the space – this is a serious differentiator.
The enhanced data range means we can deliver many more bespoke, personalised betting options to players while also getting more granular with the markets we can offer.
Our Managed Services Team, which oversees all things trading, also closely monitors the markets that are most popular with players. For example, if we see an influx in bets on ‘shots on target’, we know how to create more promotions around this particular market. We can tailor the CMS to engage better with players and create a more personalised experience.
Players can also ‘favourite’ particular players and clubs. Any market featuring that player will automatically appear when the Pick’Em Player Props application loads up.
Are there any markets where you believe Pick’Em Player Props will prove to be particularly popular? If so, why?
In all honesty, I can’t think of a market where this won’t be popular! Regions such as LatAm present an enormous opportunity for the growth of player proposition markets. I believe we can really plug a gap in the products currently offered to bettors.
Across the continent, we’ve seen players show a real passion for player-focused markets, and we’re here to capitalise on that. In Brazil, for example, if we were to create markets on Neymar, I’d anticipate this would gain much traction!
The real selling point for Pick’Em Player Props here is that we offer an extensive range of sports and markets that cater to a broad audience – but within that, we can personalise sports and bet selections not to overwhelm the player. I’d expect that markets on football will perform exceptionally well across Africa and LatAm, while countries such as South Africa may have a stronger preference for Rugby or Cricket.
Ultimately, it’s about understanding the unique preferences of players within each jurisdiction our partners operate in and tailoring the product accordingly. With teams based in various markets worldwide, we can get to grips with the local knowledge and fully understand what resonates with bettors.
In your view, what are some of the factors behind the growth of player props products in the last 12 months?
Most definitely shows how sports media companies are incorporating more player-specific content into their roster. This already has a huge impact, and I can’t see it changing anytime soon.
Whether it’s interviews with specific players, post-match analytics on performance or even the inherent growth of social media, the balance is undoubtedly tipping more towards the player rather than the team.
Personalisation will also have a considerable knock-on effect on the growth of player propositions. Bettors want more bespoke offers, specific bet suggestions and more instant content tailored to their unique playing habits. With a product like Pick’Em Player Props, you can personalise that betting experience to your heart’s content.
It also becomes much easier for sportsbooks to align with a specific user’s interests when we deliver unmatched data analytics and levels of personalisation that are available via WA.Technology’s product suite.
In short, Pick’Em Player Props gives operators the tools they need to create wide-ranging engagement opportunities without sticking to the rigid sporting calendar, where sometimes you might have to wait several days between a game. By incorporating fantasy sports, we can deliver round-the-clock content much faster, therefore meeting the demands of players. If you want to find out more – make sure to stop by Stand 1095 at SiGMA!
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