Magnus Olsson, CCO at Play’n GO: “We’re setting the standard in the US”
Ahead of their biggest G2E ever, Play’n GO’s chief commercial officer Magnus Olsson discusses how the studio behind many of the world’s most popular online slots is preparing for the conference, why bridging the gap between online and land-based is so important, and what’s ahead in 2024.
Exclusive interview.- Play’n GO‘s chief commercial officer, Magnus Olsson, has discussed with Focus Gaming News the company’s preparations for its biggest G2E ever, the importance of bridging the gap between online and land-based gaming, and what’s ahead in 2024.
How is Play’n GO preparing for G2E Las Vegas and what are your expectations for the exhibition?
This is going to be our biggest G2E to date. Historically, we attended G2E to keep our finger on the pulse of the US, but now we’re live in three states, with a fourth to come soon, the show has become perhaps our most important of the year.
Of course, everyone already knows Play’n GO, but some do so only through our games. G2E gives us a chance to meet face-to-face with the operators driving growth and innovation in newly-regulated US states, and in turn, build the kinds of relationships that allow us to set the standard for true excellence in online casino entertainment.
What can delegates expect from Play’n GO’s stand at G2E Las Vegas? What importance do you give to the opportunity to meet with all those who are part of the industry at this and other events?
I don’t want to give too much away at this stage, but we’ll be at booth 4030 in the new igaming Zone with a stand that’s more than twice the size of what we had last year. I’d urge everyone with an interest in the next generation of casino games to swing by. We’ve got some educational sessions planned, as well as entertainment and some fantastic prizes.
And absolutely, we value these in-person meetings enormously. Sure, it’s possible to do business remotely in this day and age, and sometimes it can be the most efficient way. But for the type of deep collaborations we are building, there’s no substitute for sitting down with partners and letting the ideas flow.
What do you think are the main challenges the industry will face in the near future?
Most are familiar with how highly we prioritise sustainability at Play’n GO. It’s not something the igaming industry was particularly known for a couple of years ago, but we’ve been shouting from the rooftops for some time that it is the only way we’ll survive and thrive as a sector over the coming decades. And yes, that’s the sort of timeframe we’re thinking about.
It’s heartening to see others beginning to follow our lead, but this is a huge challenge that spans just about every part of our daily lives as gaming businesses. This includes everything from thinking carefully about the types of games we serve to customers to our environmental impact. We want to deliver the best entertainment in the world, and by definition that has to be safe and sustainable.
In July, the company launched the land-based version of the popular game Book of Dead. What is the importance of having managed to bring this online game to the land-based arena? What feedback did you receive from it?
Bringing Book of Dead into the retail space with William Hill is undoubtedly one of the highlights of an action-packed year for us. The game is the most popular online slot in the world, and we wanted to share its magic with land-based customers. The blockbuster title has already been extensively rolled out across William Hill’s UK shops, and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.
But this is about more than just one game. As an industry, we’ve talked for years about the convergence of online and land-based, but it feels like, at times, the reality hasn’t quite matched the hype. We want to change that, and this Book of Dead launch is the first step.
We’ve built a new framework that will allow us to deploy our entire 350+ game portfolio of premium titles to the retail space in an instant, without the need for an internet connection. We believe this is going to open a lot of doors for us, particularly in the US where the land-based sector remains so vital.
What are Play’n GO’s challenges for the rest of 2023 and 2024?
The US is certainly a focus, and as regulation progresses, we’re hopeful to expand the number of states where we’re active next year. We expect to add our fourth state, Pennsylvania, very shortly, and then it is a case of supporting those others looking to introduce sensible legislation.
“The US is certainly a focus, and as regulation progresses, we’re hopeful to expand the number of states where we’re active next year.”
Magnus Olsson, CCO at Play’n GO.
Outside of the US, 2024 is set to be a really exciting year. Some big markets are likely to come online for the first time, and as always, Play’n GO will be looking closely at every regulated jurisdiction worldwide. We already have a presence in more than 25 of these, and that number will increase steadily.
And most importantly, we’re focused on expanding upon our suite of games. We pride ourselves on making the most entertaining titles in the industry and we’ve got a 2024 roadmap that is already bursting at the seams. I’m looking forward to sharing some glimpses of this with both existing and future partners in Las Vegas!
