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BetGames, a top-tier live dealer betting provider, has teamed up with Dutch online gaming operator Bingoal.nl in a strategic move to broaden its reach in the Netherlands. The deal introduces Bingoal.nl’s players to four of BetGames’ standout live titles: Bet on Poker, 6+ Poker, Network Roulette, and the fast-paced Flash Roulette.

Known for their interactive gameplay and real-time excitement, these games aim to elevate the player experience for Bingoal.nl’s audience. The partnership reflects BetGames’ ongoing push into regulated markets while reinforcing its reputation as an industry innovator.

Strengthening Market Position

Gary Francis, Head of Account Management at BetGames, emphasized the significance of the deal. “We are thrilled to partner with Bingoal.nl, a highly respected operator in the Dutch market. This collaboration underscores our commitment to expanding our reach in key regulated territories, delivering top-tier live dealer entertainment.”

He added, “We are confident that our games will resonate strongly with Bingoal.nl’s player base, offering them an unparalleled live gaming experience.”

Dany at Bingoal echoed the enthusiasm, highlighting the alignment with their goals. “BetGames’ content offers a truly immersive and high-quality experience that we believe our players will thoroughly enjoy. This partnership perfectly aligns with our commitment to continually enhance our offering and provide the very best in online gaming entertainment to the Netherlands,” he added.

By joining forces, BetGames and Bingoal.nl aim to set a new standard for live dealer entertainment in the Dutch market.

BetGames has long prided itself on driving industry innovation, consistently delivering class-leading content. From its pioneering work in the live dealer space to its recent expansion into slots, the supplier places innovation at the core of its product development. Now, as it prepares to launch its first-to-market horizontal slot, Lucky Lenny’s Jetpack, we sat down with Ian Catchick, Chief Product and Business Development Officer, to explore what fuels BetGames’ creative approach — and how it continues to stand out in an increasingly competitive market.

What has inspired BetGames’ culture of innovation?

We operate in a competitive market, and one of the things that helps BetGames stand out is its range of innovative and fresh products. While not every game we develop is groundbreaking, we dedicate a significant amount of time to innovation, constantly striving to challenge convention. Although it takes much longer to build something from concept to completion, this motivates us and has become embedded in our corporate DNA over time. We have progressively expanded our product portfolio to offer something new and exciting to our players and partners.

How important is it to empower developers and designers outside of leadership positions to be creative?

We often see the same concepts repackaged within the industry, and many partners are seeking something new to help them stand out. It is challenging for everyone in an organisation to be creative, as we all have different ways of thinking and behaving. Still, the mix of creative talent able to push boundaries – such as in our quarterly hackathons – working in teams alongside more operational and process-driven individuals, creates an environment where nothing is impossible.

Therefore, in terms of importance, creative minds need to be challenged to do just that sometimes, and when you partner this with team members who have different, rather than purely complementary, skills, remarkable things can happen. This collaborative spirit, for instance, was key in shaping Lucky Lenny’s Jetpack, transforming a unique idea into a compelling new style of slot. It takes time, patience, some structure – though not too much – and trust, which must flow throughout the organisation to bring the best ideas to the table.

How do you decide when to follow market trends versus when to try to set them?

We have a roadmap that balances following the market in some cases, testing it in others, and disrupting it at different times. We examine player behaviours in detail, gather partner feedback, and track feature usage to see if minor adjustments are needed to enhance the experience. At other times, we aim to create genuinely innovative solutions that push boundaries, always considering one key question: what do players want, and can we offer them something different that addresses an unrecognised market need?

Some products follow market trends, while others are entirely new. For example, the development of Lucky Lenny’s Jetpack involved extensive feedback and review sessions alongside careful analysis to ensure it not only met existing desires but also introduced a fresh gameplay experience. We understand that innovation takes more time than developing familiar products, so every innovative launch is approached as a longer-term endeavour requiring careful, but swift, decision-making.

How do you avoid stagnation in a highly competitive and often risk-averse industry?

We don’t spend too much time asking ourselves how we can replicate what already exists in the market over and over again. The teams are far more motivated by creating new propositions, and as a challenger brand, it is vital that we offer opportunities to stand out, recognising that not everything will succeed on the first attempt.

This drives us, not the fear of failure. Innovation is challenging, and often much effort doesn’t lead to immediate success (although we have also seen some impressive successes as a result of challenging convention), but for every failure, we gain success and insights that inform our thinking, pushing our game designs to deliver genuinely new and innovative products to the market.

The evolution of Lucky Lenny’s Jetpack into a new kind of slot game is a testament to this philosophy, demonstrating our commitment to breaking the mould and offering something genuinely unique.

Is innovation more important from a gameplay or UX perspective?

They are part of the same challenge – how do I create a truly brilliant, unique, and enjoyable player experience, and how do I build something that may be complex but appears simple to the end user to enjoy? What begins as a good idea takes time to thoroughly review all elements of gameplay, while focusing on one thing: how do I try to give the player what they want, even if they haven’t told me they want it yet?

What do you think will define the next generation of iGaming products from an innovation standpoint?

Consumer behaviours change over time, and while we can’t predict the future, we see that disposable playtime is valuable but short for some players. We aim to provide the best entertainment experience in every session to suit this.

However, in certain verticals, the opposite is true, and the next generation of iGaming products must carefully consider the type of consumer they target, ensuring their offerings match the habits of disposable time.

One size won’t fit all – it doesn’t now, and it won’t in the future. Therefore, think very carefully about who you are creating for, why you are creating it, and how it enhances their entertainment experience compared to the current portfolio of products.

Bad Baboons Deluxe and Gold Adventure join growing library of top titles.

Leading games provider BetGames has bolstered its RNG content portfolio with the launch of the anticipated sequel, Bad Baboons Deluxe and a brand-new Wild West quest, Gold Adventure.

Following the success of the original release, Bad Baboons Deluxe reintroduces the familiar mischievous monkeys and jungle setting, but on an enhanced 6×3 grid, offering more ways to win.

Landing five gold monkey coins activates the Hold & Win feature with three respins, where symbols can carry cash values up to 10x or the Mini, Major, or Mega Jackpot worth 20x, 50x, or 200x, respectively. Filling the entire grid with coins awards the maximum 10,000x Ultra Jackpot.

Free spins can be triggered by landing three to five scatters, awarding between 10 and 15 spins. During this bonus, all banana wilds that contribute to a winning combination expand to fill the entire reel, boosting payouts.

Similar to Bad Baboons Deluxe, the action in Gold Adventure centres around free spins and Hold & Win bonuses, with the action taking place in an American Frontier town. Five or more sheriff badges trigger the Hold & Win feature, with each that lands carrying cash prizes up to 200x, while filling the entire grid awards a 5,000x maximum win.

Both titles have a card and ladder gamble, as well as a bonus buy option integrated for specific markets, emphasising BetGames’ drive to grant the player greater control over how they play.

Since making its debut in the slots vertical in January 2025, BetGames has developed and released numerous engaging titles that diversify its offering and make it a standout supplier in the iGaming space.

In addition to the new slots, BetGames has also unveiled Instant Roulette, a refreshing RNG roulette title with fast-paced betting rounds and seamless visuals, designed to deliver an immersive experience across devices.

Ian Catchick, chief product and business development officer at BetGames, said: “BetGames’ product roadmap is tailored to accommodate customer feedback, ensuring we develop games aligned with their unique audience preferences.

“After receiving overwhelmingly positive feedback about the original Bad Baboons title, it was clear there was demand for a sequel, which refines the experience while retaining the charming essence of the first iteration.

“We’re also incredibly excited about Gold Adventure, which leverages the proven popular Old Western theme. A collection of gritty outlaws line the reels set against the dusty settlement backdrop, making for a truly captivating journey back in time.”

BetGames has appointed Maciej Smolarek as its new Chief Technology Officer, reinforcing its leadership team as the company looks to scale its technology operations and expand its igaming product portfolio.

Smolarek brings more than a decade of experience in software development and engineering leadership, including senior roles at Huuuge Games and Yggdrasil. His background includes overseeing R&D functions and launching scalable RNG products, positioning him to support BetGames’ strategic focus on growing its random number generator and live content offerings.

In his new role, Smolarek will lead efforts to enhance product quality, platform stability and user experience, working closely with engineering teams to support the supplier’s commercial objectives in the igaming sector. His appointment comes at a time of increased emphasis on content diversification and product innovation across the BetGames portfolio.

Andreas Koeberl, CEO at BetGames, said: “Maciej is joining the fast-growing BetGames business at the perfect time, aligning with our transition into placing more emphasis on our wider RNG product portfolio.

“We are going through a significant transformation while growing 50% YoY, meaning execution excellence and the knowledge of how to ship games are absolutely key.

“His wealth of experience in overseeing the development and launch of iGaming content makes him the ideal person to fuel our progression and ambition to build the next wave of innovative RNG content. I have no doubt he will be an invaluable addition to the team.”

Maciej Smolarek, CTO at BetGames, added: “BetGames has already made a name for itself as a disruptor in the Live Casino space, and I look forward to helping the company build its reputation in the RNG vertical too.

“I can’t wait to get started, shake things up, and work with the product team to deliver real entertainment value to the iGaming industry.”

Sequel to popular original boasts extra reel, enhanced features and bigger win potential.

Leading games provider BetGames embarks on a captivating journey to the heart of Asia in Lotus Wealth Wonders Deluxe, the highly anticipated sequel to its player-favourite original.

Boasting an extra reel and new features, the title guides players through a gameplay experience through the east to even greater win potential.

Building upon the beloved features of its predecessor, Lotus Wealth Wonders Deluxe introduces an expanded 6×3 grid, offering more ways to land incredible wins. Players will once again be immersed in a world of serene beauty and thrilling opportunities enhanced by familiar mechanics.

The popular Hold & Win mechanic returns with expanding wilds in the base game, teasing big wins. Instant Mini, Major, Mega, and Ultra Bonuses keep anticipation alive with their tendency to drop at any point during play, further enhanced by an optional gamble feature and the chance to buy into the bonus round.

Designed for seamless play on both mobile and desktop, the game adheres to BetGames’ operator flexibility options of customisable branding and variable RTP levels.

Ian Catchick, chief product and business development officer at BetGames, said: “Lotus Wealth Wonders Deluxe is poised to be another smash hit, delivering a refined and more rewarding experience for players who loved the original and newcomers alike.

“The addition of the extra reel and the retention of popular features, combined with flexible options for operators, make this a must-have addition to any game portfolio.”

Dr. Andreas Koeberl is the CEO of BetGames, a leading supplier of iGaming content, and co-founder of Autonomous Minds, a startup building Enterprise AI solutions. With a background in software engineering and marketing, Andy specialises in competing within competitive, high-tech industries.

Dr. Andreas Koeberl, CEO of BetGames, explores the exponential growth of AI in iGaming, how studios are harnessing its power for efficient product development, and what the future looks like for machine learning technology in the sector.

We are living in a new age of technology. Artificial intelligence (AI) has infiltrated every commercial and creative sector, and those that fail to adapt risk being left behind. In no industry does that ring truer than iGaming, where relentless iteration and differentiation are pivotal in remaining ahead of the curve in this hyper-competitive sector.

AI’s Meteoric Rise

The sophistication of AI has skyrocketed in the last decade, with every new technology upgrade offering greater potential than the previous. As the technology readiness improves, it becomes more adept and applicable to broader business needs. This has resulted in the topic gaining widespread attention and breaching the mainstream – it is no longer an underground trend discussed on forums by engineers or applied by data engineering teams. Instead, we are seeing a growing number of companies and C-suite executives committing huge resources to successfully integrating AI processes. It is now generally accepted that companies must learn to incorporate AI if they are to remain at the forefront of industry progression.

The rise of AI in iGaming is fuelled by intense market pressure. It is an incredibly saturated industry, with new start-ups created almost daily, and failure to adopt evolving technologies will see you surrender market share. It has never been more important to innovate, prototype, fail, learn, and iterate at real speed, allowing more time to double down and invest in successful ideas. This is one of the main drivers of AI integration. It is vital to free up engineers’ valuable time – assisted by AI, they can now produce code in hours that would have previously taken days. The capacity of Generative AI tools to produce code, artwork, and game characters makes it an invaluable tool that maximises operational efficiency. There has been much talk about technology taking over from humans – in reality, people should be less concerned about being replaced by AI and more about being replaced by someone who effectively leverages AI to speed up and elevate the quality of their work.

Streamlining Product Development

Creating a new game is comparable to producing a new TV show; you never know if it will strike the right chord with your target audience. While an idea might feel like a winner internally, you essentially remain blind until you test and validate it. AI has unlocked a new realm of possibilities when it comes to prototyping. Now, you can turn a written concept on a page into a fully functioning game prototype within a day, carving out more time for testing. Providing someone with a working demo to gauge their sentiment is far more effective than explaining the concept via a PowerPoint slide. Within 60 seconds of trialling a prototype, you can ascertain if the idea has merit or if you need to kill it and move on to the next.

Aside from prototyping, AI can also be utilised in a variety of ways to analyse player behaviour to steer future product development. Machine learning algorithms can measure key performance metrics, predict CLVs, segment players, and assign bonuses in real-time, as well as compile data about patterns in strategy, all of which provide unparalleled insight into how a player engages with content. Performance data is one side of the coin. The other side is measuring usability, which is a direct consequence of UX and QA developments. Some tools use heat map data to provide insight into where exactly a player is tapping on the game, how long it takes them to execute the desired action, and which design of the same game appeals to which player segment. This highlights whether the design is strong enough from a user experience perspective, and what to improve based on the data fed into the AI models. Together, these AI-driven insights create a powerful feedback loop that informs smarter design decisions, ultimately enhancing player satisfaction and overall game performance.

The Future of AI

An interesting paradox is that we are seeing engineering roles being more affected by AI than roles like secretaries or personal assistants. Traditionally, a software engineer would have been considered a niche, highly skilled role, but the reality is that AI is better equipped to take on these tasks. In contrast, professionals specialising in people-facing roles requiring relationship management and the juggling of multiple chaotic tasks continue to be highly sought after. Good luck trying to replace a CEO’s personal assistant with AI!

In the next five years or so, we will likely see businesses consolidating their product teams as a direct result of constantly improving AI technology. Development teams will scale down as machine learning programs are entrusted with coding, and we will reach a point where a small number of engineers will be tasked with orchestrating several AI-driven projects. It isn’t easy to comprehend the full potential of AI. As it stands, we are heading towards a future where roles are adapted to get the best out of AI rather than replacing humans with technology altogether. Whatever the future looks like, those who commit to embracing this technology will position themselves to reap the rewards.