Athanasios Isaakidis, Merkur Gaming: “As this will be the final ICE in London, we aim to express our gratitude to the city for the decades of support”
Merkur Gaming Chief Executive International outlines the company’s expectations for ICE London 2024 and the challenges that the industry and Merkur Gaming will face this 2024.
Exclusive interview.- The gaming industry is turning its attention to the upcoming ICE London 2024, the latest edition of the expo in London, which will take place from 6-8 February at ExCeL London. Athanasios Isaakidis, Chief Executive International of Merkur Gaming granted Focus Gaming News an exclusive interview to talk about the company’s expectations ahead of the event and the main challenges that Merkur Gaming and the industry itself will face this year.
How is the company preparing for ICE London 2024 and what are the expectations for the exhibition?
The London ICE 2024 will be once again a great showcase of the Merkur world. You can find us at booth N4, where we have spared no costs or efforts to present the brand in a phenomenal way, just as in previous years.
As this will be the final ICE in London, we aim to express our gratitude to the city for the decades of support and impressively bid farewell. Of course, our product portfolio and presentation will reflect this approach in how we present ourselves to the industry.
What will be the most attractive feature at Merkur Gaming’s booth at ICE London 2024?
It’s not fair to designate a “most attractive” feature, as this would imply creating a ranking system, differentiating between what is considered good or bad. Our perspective is that there is no such ranking. Everything showcased at ICE is designed with a specific purpose, aiming to deliver optimal performance. We invite you to come and visit us to see for yourself.
What importance do you give to the opportunity to meet with all those who are part of the industry at this and other events?
It’s always important and beneficial to meet people from the industry.
“Communication and exchange between manufacturers, developers, operators, and regulators are crucial for the industry to draw conclusions and make the right decisions.”
Athanasios Isaakidis, Chief Executive International of Merkur Gaming.
What do you think are the main challenges the industry will face shortly?
For me, the overregulation of markets is the biggest challenge, as it hinders innovation and goes against the principles of entertainment and enjoyment. In my view, gaming is meant to be pure entertainment, offered in a pleasant and secure environment where players can trust the operator, the technology, and an embedded regulatory framework.
“Excessive regulations, such as spending limits, restricted playtime, and player cards, are not supportive and certainly do not contribute to creating an entertaining play experience.”
Athanasios Isaakidis, Chief Executive International of Merkur Gaming.
I believe that society has more significant issues to deal with before dedicating so much time to gaming regulations.
See also: Merkur Gaming seizes the opportunity to shine at ICE London 2024
67 years after the foundation of the Gauselmann Group has changed its name to Merkur Group. What does it mean for the company?
With the rebranding to Merkur Group, we are opening a new chapter in our company history that reflects the growing internationalisation of the Group. The integration of the Merkur brand into the company name allows the entire organisation to increasingly benefit from the radiance of the brand.
What do you think are the customers’ demands at the time in terms of features and how do you manage to keep up with those demands?
This is a continuous process of observing and monitoring players’ needs and preferences on a global level. It is time-consuming and requires effort, but it is worthwhile to stay in tune with the players’ needs and deliver what people enjoy playing.
