GMB - What technological advancement trends do you think we will see this year in your industry?
Fabíola Jaeger - I believe in the continued dominance of mobile devices, in the increase and advancement of cryptocurrencies, NFT-games, as well as regulations being updated and advancing in several countries.
Advanced data-driven analytics, applying machine learning algorithms, which is a branch of artificial intelligence, look like promising trends as well.
How far do you envision the player's customs and requirements to satisfy in 2022?
We try to make games to meet the most different profiles of players. There are those who like quieter and less volatile games; others like games with more action, more volatility. The types of games, as well as the themes, mechanics, graphics, sounds and the emotion that the game goes through, all of this is quite relative, sometimes some people like it and others don't. It's like a movie, you can find a great movie and I don't.
Some players prefer to have a more comfortable, long and nostalgic experience, while others want a more radical, noisy experience with high earning possibilities, and still others want a mix of both experiences or something funnier, dramatic, cute, comical…, the list is extensive.
Therefore, having a diverse portfolio with distinct styles and constant innovation, as well as making periodic updates to support new languages and currencies, I believe are important points to consider.
How do you think the pandemic will affect business results in 2022?
We have seen an increase in demand for our products since the beginning of the pandemic, as most land-based casinos remained closed for a long time and had to look for other solutions for their business models.
In any case, we have already learned that the impossibility of in-person entertainment increases the demand for online leisure alternatives. However, the competition for users' attention is not limited to games from other providers, but also includes other online entertainment options. Keeping an eye on that makes sense.
Which markets and/or countries do you see as the greatest chances for progress and opportunities for growth?
We believe in LATAM, especially in Brazil, which has good chances of moving forward with regulation. On the first day of the year 2022, I met by chance and briefly with our current president, Jair Bolsonaro, and in our handshake I tried to convey good energies to inspire him to reflect positively on this topic. Let's see if it works! :)
There is also some progress in the United States and we are aware of that.
What do you envision for the Brazilian market in terms of gambling legislation and regulation?
The desire is for regulation to be broad and cover all industry verticals. Limiting the legislation to one or two branches or allowing gaming only in casinos within large resorts would not be democratic for the market in my view, as it limits both players and companies that could operate in the sector.
Brazil has enormous potential and arouses a lot of interest in the entire gaming industry worldwide. They are all, like us, immensely looking forward to the regulatory framework.
I believe that Caleta is well positioned for regulation and can offer excellent growth opportunities.
What are your company's main goals for the year? Are you planning more releases than in 2021?
In 2022 we will make important releases and innovations with a focus on quality and a commitment to creating better and better games, which is even our slogan. We will continue to focus on engagement and creating premium features for our games. There is also the possibility of producing custom games with strategic partners.
We ended 2021 with 90 games and I'm sure we will reach the 100 games milestone in 2022.
In addition, we want to increase the distribution of our games, obtaining other licenses and certifications for strategic markets.
Today, we are widely recognized for our agility, quality and efficiency in game development. All production is done in-house through our proprietary tool, GP5. Therefore, we also aim to continue improving our platform, as well as continuing to provide agile API integration to online casino operators and aggregators around the world.
To continue doing a good job with current customers, as well as attracting new ones to achieve greater distribution and visibility, continues to be our greatest motivation.
To reach your goals this year, do you plan to make more investments and hires than last year?
Yes. We have an excellent partner-investor, YOLO INVESTMENTS, with whom we are always very well aligned.
About hiring, in 12 months our team doubled, today we are 20 and we are looking for new talents. We continue in the expansion phase, determined to maintain this healthy growth, being very attentive in our selection process. Luckily, our office is very well located, in the city of Florianópolis, a beautiful city and at the same time a technological hub. A lot of people want to live here.
Could you name three events within your industry that will be pivotal in 2022? Why did you choose them?
ICE London 2022 - The biggest event on the market, where we have the opportunity to find partners, customers, analyze trends and do good business.
SiGMA AMERICAS SP and BIS 2022 - the last BIS event in December 2021 in São Paulo was a success, I believe that the next events here in Brazil will also be, as the Brazilian market has received a lot of attention from the main companies in the field recently.
G2E Vegas 2022 - We hope that by then the pandemic situation will be completely resolved to participate in this very important fair in the sector, in addition of course to kill the longing to play in the amazing Las Vegas casinos.
Source: Exclusive GMB
