As an iGaming consultant, Shahar Attias, the owner of Hybrid Interaction, has consulted more than 100 B2C operators. Among his clients is a world-renowned poker room and poker events’ organizer – PokerStars. Mr. Attias has shared his opinion about the iGaming industry in whole and CRM systems in it in particular.
You have a huge experience in CRM systems for the iGaming industry. Moreover, you are the founder of the first iGaming CRM department. In your opinion, what is the most successful CRM model for this industry?
Thank you. The answer here is very subjective, as each operator is facing different challenges. So, some companies are experiencing rapid growth, and they need something that will be fast to implement, with a short time-2-market. Others are very solid and looking for something to fit regulated markets. Many will simply look for the cheapest option. My recommendation is to, first of all, fully understand your needs, and only afterward go and build a model that will solve your pain points.
What is your attitude to AI implementation in iGaming CRM systems?
I don’t believe in AI but mainly because I haven’t seen a good implementation of it yet. Definitely not in iGaming (only in land-based casinos). What I do believe in is the ability to operate a large number of automated User Journeys with Real-Time marketing activities. If someone can program a module that will analyze such a complex operation and re-configure future promotional offerings based on machine-learned insights, then I will be willing to call it AI. Everything else is a shiny buzzword.
As a head of the consulting business, you likely deal with lots of cases connected with the industry. What are the major problems your clients face in iGaming business operations?
Regulation is undoubtedly the major issue. Companies are spending so much time and resources on meeting license terms, which result only in ever-growing strict guidelines and predatory penalties. In addition to this, it ends up having too many lawyers.
To your mind, what characteristics should a company have to succeed in the iGaming industry?
As many as possible Russian speakers. I am only half-kidding, as in Israel, some of my best employees came from former CIS countries. You also have to be creative, innovative with your product and, most importantly, – understand the market trends and know how to benchmark your KPIs, as well as your processes.
Speaking about marketing, what do you think about the usage of neuromarketing practices in the online gambling business?
We are not there yet. It’s fascinating but we are facing so many different issues that go ahead and jumping into such an experimental field will create more problems. Let’s begin by having direct access to data, and fully be aware of what’s happening right now – instead of the common “up to yesterday” reporting standard.
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