Inna Pakhiyanina: “Infingame is changing the game for aggregation”
Focus Gaming News spoke to Inna Pakhiyanina, chief business development officer at Infingame, to find out how she came to work for the company and to get her opinion on the key benefits of partnering with an aggregation platform.
Exclusive interview.- Inna Pakhiyanina joined Infingame in 2023. However, her journey in the igaming industry began three years earlier.
In this exclusive interview, Pakhiyanina talks about her early days in the industry and how she became chief business development officer at Infingame. She also shares her views on the key benefits of partnering with an aggregation platform like Infingame and why she believes game aggregators have skyrocketed in popularity in recent years.
Firstly, can you give us an introduction to yourself and your background in the igaming industry. How did you come to work at Infingame?
I first entered igaming back in 2020, beginning my career as an account manager at one of the industry’s leading online casino brands. This role provided me with invaluable experience and insights into the operational and strategic aspects of the business, which I have carried with me through my journey to Infingame.
Over time, I was promoted to business development manager, where I honed my skills in establishing partnerships, driving growth and navigating the dynamic landscape of the igaming sector.
It was at this time that my path crossed with Infingame; our shared vision and synergy naturally led to a collaborative opportunity. Since joining Infingame in 2023, I’ve been part of an incredible journey of growth and innovation.
I’ve since progressed to the role of chief business development officer. This position allows me to spearhead strategic initiatives, cultivate meaningful partnerships and contribute to shaping the future of Infingame as a key player in the igaming aggregation space.
For game studios and providers, what are some of the key benefits of partnering with an aggregation platform such as Infingame?
Partnering with an aggregator like Infingame offers a multitude of strategic and operational advantages, one of which is expanded market reach. At Infingame, we provide studios with access to a vast network of operators, enabling studios to distribute their games to a much broader audience across multiple regions and markets.
For game providers, making your content available via an aggregation platform can significantly reduce the time and resources needed to carry out individual integrations. Our aggregation platform simplifies the technical integration process, allowing game providers to connect with numerous operators through a single API.
With this extended reach of content comes the added benefit of new revenue streams. By partnering with Infingame, studios can maximise their revenue opportunities through exposure to diverse markets, tailored promotional strategies and targeted campaigns that highlight their games to the right audiences.
Our team also offers top-notch, end-to-end support to support our partners in pursuing new growth opportunities. From compliance assistance and analytics to marketing expertise – we support game studios in every step of their growth journey. We’ve found that by offering this support, we can enable our game studios to better navigate regulatory challenges, optimise performance and focus on what they do best, creating innovative content.
By working with Infingame, we also offer game studios a plethora of industry-leading data points and insights regarding player preferences and market trends. This can help influence future decisions for game development, giving game studios the tools to better tailor their games to align with shifts in player behaviour.
In essence, Infingame serves as a growth accelerator, empowering game studios to thrive in the competitive iGaming ecosystem while providing operators with high-quality and engaging content.
“From compliance assistance and analytics to marketing expertise – we support game studios in every step of their growth journey.”
Inna Pakhiyanina, chief business development officer at Infingame.
Game aggregators have skyrocketed in popularity in recent years. Why do you think that is?
The rise in popularity of game aggregators can be attributed to their ability to address several critical needs within the igaming industry: efficiency, scalability, and diversity. Aggregators act as a bridge between game studios and operators, providing instant access to a vast portfolio of games. This is particularly valuable in an industry where speed-to-market and content variety are key competitive advantages.
For operators, aggregators eliminate the complexities of managing multiple integrations, while offering access to a diverse range of games that cater to various player preferences. For game studios, platforms such as Infingame offer a fast track to market entry, helping them reach a global audience without the burden of navigating individual operator partnerships.
Our platform draws upon the technical expertise of our team to facilitate seamless integrations, scalability and high performance. We continuously enhance our infrastructure to meet the ever-growing demands of studios, players and operators alike.
Unlike other aggregators on the market, we have an extremely broad range of leading and emerging game studios on our platform. Operators can pick and choose which games to offer to players, creating a rich and engaging experience that caters to various different demographics.
Infingame has games from 200+ providers on its platform. What do you look for when partnering with a new provider?
When partnering with a new provider, Infingame takes a strategic and thorough approach to ensure we deliver the best value to both operators and players. Our Account Management team carefully selects which studios and operators we work with.
There are, of course, a number of criteria that help us through this process. Ultimately, we prioritise studios that offer high-quality games with engaging mechanics, cutting-edge graphics, and immersive player experiences. Innovation is a key factor—providers who push boundaries and introduce fresh ideas to continually raise the bar for players will always stand out for us the most.
We also look for diversity in game types. Infingame works with a broad range of operators with differing preferences for casino products; we seek providers with a wide range of game types, including slots, table games, live dealer games and sweepstakes.
A provider’s track record and credibility in the igaming industry are also important factors. We value partners with a strong reputation for reliability, fair play and adherence to responsible gaming standards. After all, we only want to work with the best providers on the market!
Finally, and this might sound obvious, but we look for synergy between the provider’s goals and Infingame’s vision. Collaborative potential and shared values are fundamental to building long-term, successful partnerships.
“We value partners with a strong reputation for reliability, fair play and adherence to responsible gaming standards.”
Inna Pakhiyanina, chief business development officer at Infingame.
Have certain game types / mechanics become increasingly popular, and if so, why do you think that is?
Yes, certain game types and mechanics have seen a notable surge in popularity, driven by evolving player preferences and advancements in technology. Although this does tend to differ across different markets.
On the whole, we’ve seen an uptick in the popularity of feature-rich slots and innovative mechanics. Those games that feature cascading reels, multipliers, and bonus rounds continue to capture players’ attention, as players seek new opportunities for entertainment. Meanwhile, those that feature mechanics such as Megaways™ or Cluster Pays have gained traction due to their unpredictable outcomes and high win potential.
Live dealer games have skyrocketed too, particularly across Latin America, largely due to players’ desire for an authentic casino experience from the comfort of their homes. The integration of professional dealers, real-time interaction and cutting-edge streaming technology will only cement this vertical as a staple in any operators’ lobby.
Last but not least, we’ve also seen a rise in demand for more social-focused games, especially those that feature exciting gamification functionalities such as leaderboards, missions and rewards. I believe this is due to an increased focus on community building within the gaming space, as well as a greater demand for engaging experiences. By staying attuned to these trends, game providers can continue to innovate and meet the expectations of a diverse player base.
