Q&A: Chris Reynolds, chief executive, Games Marketing

Gaming supplier Games Marketing hit the headlines recently after signing a major deal with international giant Rational Group as well as establishing a content partnership with Realistic Games.

eGaming Review caught up with Games Marketing chief executive Chris Reynolds to see how the Rational relationship had been progressing and how the gaming industry will develop over the next 12 months.

eGaming Review (eGR): How significant was the Rational deal for Games Marketing, and what does it mean for you in the coming months?

Chris Reynolds (CR): Partnering with Rational is undoubtedly very significant for Games Marketing. They are new entrants to the casino market, but their ambition and advanced thinking are a sign of great things to come over the coming months.

As they extend their reach across new territories and across all platforms they will become one of the major table game providers and their development of a suite of engaging multi-player table games will be of particular significance.

It has been very exciting working with the PokerStars team. They have no preconceptions about the industry, or any architecture or infrastructure barriers to restrict the selection of game types that we both feel will work best. Refreshingly, there is a will and a way.

eGR: Are there any new agreements or launches on the way?

CR: We have a number of exciting new partnerships and new game launches that we’ll be announcing over the coming months. These are with a variety of operators and fellow suppliers who share our vision of the relevance and growing importance of table games within the online casino market.

The renewed interest we’ve seen in this sector of the market over the last 12-18 months is evidence that operators are now looking to differentiate their offering and stand out from the crowd. They want to provide greater choice to their players and to capitalise on the growth trends being seen by the early movers, who first recognised the potential of side-bet games to attract and retain new players across multiple devices.

eGR: How do you continue to innovate in an increasingly competitive market?

CR: We’re very fortunate to enjoy close relationships with many of the leading developers in the casino table game space. Thanks to those relationships we have some very strong, innovative games that we’ll be launching online over the next year. Many of these are proven performers in land-based casinos and will be great additions to the online industry.

As an industry we’re entering a phase of significant growth in the table game sector. In the main, this has been stimulated by the excellent work of leading live dealer providers, but there has also been a growing demand from operators.

eGR: Where do you see the industry moving in the next 12 months?

CR: With regard to table games, I would expect a strong move towards mobile as online development of the product catches up with user habits. I also envisage a greater focus from operators on table games as they look to re-invigorate a sector of their business that has played second fiddle to slots and brands for many years.

In addition, there will be further innovation from live dealer providers and new market entrants that will further stimulate interest and growth in table games. This will include the gradual introduction of social gaming features to live dealer and RNG table games that will add interest and enjoyment – and therefore stimulate greater dwell time and repeat visits.