“We Want to Be Even Bolder”: DELULU Gaming CEO on the Studio’s First Year and Plans for 2027

Arthur Shaikhaliev discusses DELULU’s first months, selective distribution, streaming-led game design and plans for Brazil, Africa and sweepstakes.

Exclusive interview.- Just four months after its official launch, DELULU Gaming has already reached over 300,000 unique players and expanded its network to more than 500 operators. Ahead of SiGMA World in Rome, CEO Arthur Shaikhaliev speaks to Focus Gaming News about the studio’s rapid debut, the thinking behind its distinctive game mechanics, strategic partnerships, and ambitious plans for 2027.

What are DELULU Gaming’s main objectives ahead of SiGMA World?

We’ve got some great things lined up for Rome! We’re bringing four of our latest titles, and I’m really looking forward to showing them off. We’ve gone pretty wild with the visuals and storylines, but there’s a lot happening behind all that unconventional craziness too. Different bonus experiences, sudden bursts of excitement, that feeling that something big is just about to happen.

I’m particularly excited about two of our upcoming November releases, Sweet Takes and Glam Cam. Both have wonderfully unconventional stories, their own take on player choice, and features that create a real sense of progress and surprise. I think people will have a lot of fun with these two, and Rome is the perfect place to give the industry an early taste of what we’ve been working on.

Of course, we’re there to do business too. We want to meet new operators, pick up where we left off with potential partners in Lisbon, and get more DELULU games live across new platforms and markets. Lisbon set the bar pretty high, and knowing our team, we’re going to Rome determined to raise it even higher.

DELULU Gaming officially went live earlier this year with impressive numbers, reaching over 90,000 unique players and 20 million rounds in month one. Looking back at these first months of operations, how closely has reality matched your initial roadmap?

We’re happy, our partners are happy, and judging by the numbers, players are too.

Looking back at our initial roadmap, I’d say things have gone really well, and we’re moving forward with even more confidence. These first few months have confirmed that even the best product needs strong partnerships behind it. You can create great games, but you also need to invest serious time and effort into working closely with your partners, keeping communication open and making sure they have the support they need. I believe these two things go hand in hand, and you simply can’t expect great results in today’s igaming market without both.

And I think our numbers speak for themselves. We started with a fantastic first month, and several months later, we’re now working with over 500 operators, have reached more than 300,000 unique players, and recorded millions more rounds. Just as importantly, we’re getting incredibly valuable feedback from both players and partners, which helps us understand where to go next.

So yes, we’re very happy with where we are today, but we have much bigger ambitions. Our goal remains the same: to become a Top-5 global slot developer within five years. And we’re working towards it every single day.

“Our goal remains the same: to become a Top-5 global slot developer within five years.”

Arthur Shaikhaliev, CEO, DELULU Gaming.

You’ve recently secured major platform integrations with SoftGamings, SOFTSWISS, and Alea. How are these aggregator partnerships shaping your global footprint, and how do you maintain your philosophy of ‘selective distribution’ while scaling so rapidly?

We are selective, and we don’t need to be everywhere. That was our position when DELULU entered the market, and I see no reason to change it.

SOFTSWISS was among the first to back us, becoming our Strategic Technology Partner and supporting our official launch in London. SoftGamings and Alea followed as important early additions to our distribution network. Since then, we’ve established relationships with Stake, Hub88, Casino500, BlueOcean, YEET, and other major industry players. But I wouldn’t measure the value of distribution by numbers alone. What matters is what each relationship can actually deliver. We look at a partner’s market position, the operators they serve, their commercial reach and, importantly, how they approach the business once an agreement is signed. We value people who understand their markets, recognise commercial potential and stay actively involved beyond the initial integration.

DELULU has invested heavily in creating a product with its own identity, and we expect the same level of commitment from the companies representing it. Selective distribution means knowing where our games belong, who can give them the exposure they deserve, and which relationships have the potential to deliver results for both sides.

“We value people who understand their markets, recognise commercial potential and stay actively involved beyond the initial integration.”

Arthur Shaikhaliev, CEO, DELULU Gaming.

DELULU titles have gained noticeable traction on streaming platforms like Kick, with creators across Europe and CIS driving high chat interaction around bonus choices. Was streamer-friendliness baked into the design philosophy from day one, or was it an organic byproduct of your ‘Premium Chaos’ concept?

Absolutely intentional. We knew from the beginning that streaming would play an important role in how people discover DELULU, so we considered it at every stage of development. And I mean everything: the mathematics, visual storytelling, pacing, bonus features, and the mechanics themselves.

Think about what makes a game exciting to watch. It’s the suspense, the possibility of a dramatic turnaround, those moments when everyone in the chat wants to have their say. We design for those moments, giving viewers something to anticipate, debate and react to together. Our original MLK Voyage is still among our top-performing titles, and its newer 50,000x version, with a much bigger maximum win, isn’t far behind. Candy Chaos has also attracted a lot of streamer attention, while our recent release Toy Crush is getting a fantastic response from both players and streaming audiences.

So no, I wouldn’t call it an accidental consequence of premium chaos. We wanted DELULU games to be as entertaining to watch as they are to play, and the response we’re seeing on Kick is proof that we understand what gets players excited.

The company has signalled strong interest in emerging markets like Latin America and Africa, as well as the sweepstakes segment. What specific localised adjustments or game styles do you feel will resonate most in these distinct regions?

I don’t believe in taking the same portfolio, launching it across ten different markets, and expecting the same results everywhere. If we want DELULU to succeed internationally, we need to understand what players in each country actually enjoy, how they play, and what makes them come back.

Our primary markets today are Europe and the CIS, but we’re actively exploring opportunities in other regions. Brazil is high on our list of strategic priorities, alongside other Latin American markets and selected African jurisdictions. We’re still in the research phase, speaking with established regional partners, examining local gaming habits, and assessing which elements of our product could travel well and which would need a complete rethink.

And the numbers are certainly interesting. A recent industry study found that slots account for 71 per cent of the top 30 games in African casino lobbies and 67 per cent in Latin America. But Africa alone is a fascinating challenge. What works in Kenya may be very different from what attracts players in Nigeria or South Africa. Mobile performance, local payment habits, cultural references, and even the way games are presented in casino lobbies can make a huge difference. In Latin America, we’re also looking closely at local themes, including football, and how different audiences respond to game mechanics and bonus formats.

As for sweepstakes, we’re already active in this segment, with DELULU games available at several sweepstakes casinos. We see considerable potential here and intend to expand our presence further.

International expansion is a major part of DELULU’s future, and we’re approaching it with serious ambitions and an equally serious commitment to understanding each market. There’s a lot to learn, a lot of product decisions to make, and frankly, that’s one of the most exciting parts of growing a global studio.

As you near the end of DELULU Gaming’s first official year in operations, what is the key takeaway or milestone from 2026 that makes you most proud, and what are the main goals for 2027?

There’s a lot to be proud of this year, but our experienced, tech-savvy team comes first. We worked incredibly hard long before DELULU went live, and these first four months have been intense. We now have 11 games in our portfolio, with more releases due before the end of 2026, integrations with major industry platforms, and nominations for Rising Star Game Studio of the Year and iGaming Leader of the Year. Not bad for a studio that’s only been live since July!

But the biggest takeaway for me is what we’ve learned. Great games get attention, but keeping that attention takes clever mechanics, strong retention features, and a real understanding of players. And even an exceptional product needs partners who know how to bring it to the right audience. Our first months have proved just how much these two sides depend on each other.

In 2027, I want us to put everything we’ve learned to work. More DELULU games on leading operator platforms, major new commercial partnerships, and expansion into markets where we see real potential. I expect our product ambitions to grow alongside our commercial reach. I want us to be even bolder. More unusual ideas, more freedom for our product team to experiment, and more games that people recognise as DELULU. We’ve achieved a lot in a remarkably short time, and I believe we have so much more to offer.