Tim Scoffham, WA.Technology: “Our participation at SiGMA Europe will showcase our latest bespoke offerings”

Tim Scoffham, CEO of WA.Technology, discusses the company’s successful year, its upcoming attendance at SiGMA Europe and WA.Technology’s partnership with Pixbet in Rio de Janeiro.

Exclusive interview.- Tim Scoffham, CEO of WA.Technology, delves into the company’s remarkable success in 2023, their upcoming offerings at SiGMA Europe, and the critical role of data management for clients. 

Scoffham also shares insights on their journey towards regulation in Brazil and their partnership with Pixbet in Rio de Janeiro.

What were the top hits for WA.Technology this year?

2023 has been an incredible year for WA.Technology. We believe strong branding is a vital part of any business and proof of quality and excellence. We have successfully established a unique brand identity through our spectrum brand concept, encompassing all our products and service offerings, which received a great response at SiGMA Brazil and SiGMA Manila exhibitions. 

We saw a healthy increase in Brazilian collaborations, both in terms of turnover and bets. Our continuous growth in Brazil paved the way for exciting prospects and partnerships with top-tier operators. Receiving the Platform Provider of the Year Silver Award at SBC Latinoamérica 2023 acknowledged this success. Our powerful platform and solutions have played a pivotal role in Pixbet’s accomplishments as one of the top five sports betting brands in Brazil. This underscores our competence in delivering impactful solutions to top-tier operators. 

“Our continuous growth in Brazil paved the way for exciting prospects and partnerships with top-tier operators.”

Tim Scoffham, CEO at WA.Technology.

The primary reason for this growth and success comes from our dedicated people and the established culture that supports everyone to perform at their best. We are a hybrid company with dynamic hubs in Malta, Sofia, Lisbon, and Recife. However, many teams work remotely from Europe, LatAm and Dubai.

Our company ethos and vision embrace flexibility, giving people the pliancy they need to deliver the best possible results. This vision enabled us to recruit an incredibly talented team. It’s this forward-thinking attitude that has boosted our revenue and bolstered our impressive growth.

What novelties will you choose to exhibit at SiGMA Europe and why?

We offer a full spectrum of igaming platform solutions, fully customised to each market’s preferences and every operator’s needs. This is what sets us apart from the other providers in the industry and has helped us achieve growth and a successful business. Our participation at SiGMA Europe will showcase our latest bespoke offerings, including our flagship WA.Platform, alongside individual platform solutions WA.Casino, WA.Sports, WA.Fantasy, WA.Lottery, and WA.Poker. 

We’re excited to showcase our latest updates at WA.Sports Sportsbook Platform, which will allow our clients to offer an upgraded version of their sportsbook to their players. Recent updates include features such as live streaming, Betbuilder, Free Bets Campaigns, automatic and partial cash out, faster settlement, faster live betting acceptance, and new Front End layouts that incorporate a variety of display widgets. Our updates will give the user a new personalised and immersive experience, with unique Specials and Boosts markets suited to players, customised offers, customised interface, and, generally, a more attractive and dynamic experience.

We also have a brand new fantasy platform available from the WA.Fantasy team – B2B Daily Fantasy Sports Network (DFS). This exciting new product will be available to all brands in early 2024. It will empower them to provide DFC games to players by leveraging their position and forming a robust network for fantasy games.

A common issue some brands face when offering these products is a lack of liquidity. By providing a network similar to poker networks, the operators can expect an increased user base, enhanced liquidity (for bigger prizes), and gamified products for sportsbooks and casinos, which will set them apart from the competition and better their offering to their players. 

What are the features that an online gaming platform must have today?

Players now are more discerning. Gifting players with up-to-the-minute content, such as fast-paced, engaging gamification, is crucial to boosting retention and engagement. Players want immersive, personalised gaming experiences. Platforms must integrate many verticals with multiple provision types – like live betting, fantasy games, crash games, and streaming capabilities. 

As with any new platform, prioritising security and stability is essential. Not only for our clients but also to create a safe and enjoyable experience for their players. Some critical features and considerations from the perspective of security and stability in the current technological landscape include data encryption, multi-factor authentication (MFA), anti-cheat measures, DDoS mitigation, and secure payment processing, to name just a few!

Overall, modern online gaming platforms must continually adapt and evolve their security and stability measures to ensure a safe and enjoyable gaming experience for their user base. We have to take on board all of these factors and more for each new client.

What place does data management occupy for customers?

Data management is of paramount importance for our clients and their customers. We recognise data’s crucial role in shaping personalised experiences. By comprehensively managing data, we ensure security and privacy and curate an enriched and seamless gaming journey.

Efficient data analysis is the backbone for delivering tailored gaming experiences that resonate with the individual. Through meticulous reporting, correlations and applied machine learning, platforms can craft personalised recommendations, bonuses, and rewards that align with the specific gaming inclinations of each player, thereby fostering a more engaging and fulfilling gameplay experience.

For our clients, data management translates into enhanced trust and transparency. We are dedicated to implementing robust data security practices that safeguard the sensitive information of our clients and their players.

Upholding stringent data protection, encryption at rest and in transit, granular access rights and information security policies empowers our customers to engage in our igaming services with confidence and peace of mind. Ultimately, we understand that data management is a technical process and a commitment to building lasting relationships with our valued customers.

Previously at SiGMA Americas, WA.Technology highlighted the value of Brazil for the online gaming industry. How do you assess your path to regulation, particularly the provisional measure that regulates sports betting?

We are following the progress and changes closely. Our Brazilian experts are working with our partners to ensure that everything we do concerning Brazil will stringently follow the regulations. 

We’re lucky to have a fantastic team of country-specific experts with a shared knowledge base of all the nuances and localised strategies we need. Our country managers have a broad understanding of the Brazilian and LatAm markets, and our sports team specialists are highly knowledgeable about sports and sports betting in Brazil. We count ourselves very lucky on that part! That’s the key to any platform or brand wishing to succeed: know the country, the people, and the regulations.

We already have an established set of clients in Brazil, with one of our biggest – Pixbet – being among the first platforms to pass the initial stages of sports betting accreditation in several states: a high achievement indeed and a testament to their professionalism and standing in the Brazilian iGaming community.

What challenges did you face in launching the platform in Rio de Janeiro at the hands of Pixbet?

Pixbet is an incredible brand to work with. We didn’t face any challenges; we’ve had a successful partnership with Pixbet for over two years. Pixbet is a household name in Brazil, and their success proves their accomplishments and professionalism. We share the same beliefs and passions: a love for sport and exceptionally high standards. Hearing of their success was a cause for celebration for both teams.

Concerning Pixbet in Rio de Janeiro, we knew the importance of security measures in creating a successful, compliant platform, which is one of the reasons Pixbet trusted us to be their provider. Our focus is providing exemplary service 100 per cent of the time. Our team has an extensive knowledge of Brazil, which is why we have so many Brazilian clients.

“Our focus is providing exemplary service 100 per cent of the time.”

Tim Scoffham, CEO at WA.Technology.

Our priority was keeping up with the constant news circulating from Brazil and closely monitoring any developments. That is the biggest challenge facing any platform wanting to break out into the Brazilian market, but with our expert team on our side, it was never a problem for us. We’re sure Pixbet will continue to expand in Brazil, which is an exciting prospect for everyone involved. 

Everyone at WA.Technology can’t wait to discover the future for our expansion in Brazil. Whatever the future may bring, we’re up for the challenge. Bring it on!