Q&A: Irina Cornides, Mandalay Media MD
Cornides on the launch of Mandalay's new Costa-branded slots site and life following its acquisition by Intertain
The emergence of The Intertain Group last year was a seismic shock for the UK online bingo market. And while it was the £425m deal for Gamesys’ Jackpotjoy, Starspins and Botemania brands that grabbed the headlines, the acquisition of Costa Bingo-owner Mandalay Media last year was what first got the ball rolling.
Mandalay, which has now been under the ownership of Intertain for more than a year, has quietly posted strong year-on-year growth and recently expanded its casino operations with a new Costa-branded slots-focused website. eGaming Review caught up with Mandalay’s managing director Irina Cornides to discuss the launch and find out what the future holds as part of the Intertain family.
eGaming Review (eGR): You have just launched Costa Games. What can you tell us about it?
Irina Cornides (IC): We are very excited about this new venture. We feel that Costa Games offers a new gaming experience, while maintaining the fun and friendly vibe which is central to the Costa brand. We have also implemented our proprietary systems in the website, which make it unique on the 888 platform. The VIP Club, for example, offers players the chance to self-manage their promotions and exchange loyalty points for free spins, deposit bonuses, cash as well as products. It’s already extremely popular on our bingo brands and I am sure it will also do well on the games site.
eGR: Why did you decide to expand the Costa brand into the casino vertical?
IC: Slots are already an integral part of our bingo offering. Over 85% of our bingo players also play instant games, so this felt like a natural progression.
eGR: How do you intend to market the product and should we expect a mobile launch anytime soon?
IC: We are going to market Costa Games to our own database, via affiliates as well as pay-per-click campaigns.
eGR: How has life changed for Mandalay Media since its acquisition by The Intertain Group?
IC: It has been a very exciting time. Intertain are making gaming history and are now one of the top 10 online gaming companies globally. It is incredible to be a part of that. With the end of our earnout fast approaching we are looking to harness the synergies between the various Intertain companies and leverage the expertise already held by the group.
eGR: How has Costa Bingo been performing over the last 12 months?
IC: Costa and Mandalay have had an incredible year overall. We have launched 11 new brands and have seen top line growth of 27%. Costa Games is our latest addition and we are looking forward to offering our customers even more choice.
eGR: Will bingo always remain the core of Mandalay Media’s strategy?
IC: Bingo is not only the main focus of Mandalay, but also integral to Intertain’s strategy. However the key for us isn’t the product as much as the female demographic. Women are our core customer group and we will continue to offer them the best gaming experience possible via a wide range of brands and products.
eGR: Do recent market changes – regulatory and M&A – concern you at all?
IC: Changes in the market are always a factor, of course. Point of Consumption (PoC) has eroded margins and is leading to consolidation within the industry, which Intertain has been a part of. PoC has further intensified competition, as evidenced by a sharp increase in gaming advertising spend in the UK this year. For us this is an opportunity. In such a highly contested market, only the best can succeed and we are uniquely placed to excel. Intertain now has a large portfolio of fantastic brands that span across various platforms, allowing us to offer players a much wider choice.
eGR: What do the next 12 months hold?
IC: I believe that the next year holds enormous opportunity for us. We will continue to focus on aggressive growth and are planning to expand both our bingo, as well as our games offering. We have developed a lot of proprietary features that distinguish the Mandalay brands from other competitors on the 888 platform and we are planning to expand on this strategy. As mentioned before another key component of our strategy is to harness synergies with other Intertain businesses and to exploit the advantages of being part of a global gaming powerhouse.