Our team at The Slot Buzz was lucky enough to get an exclusive interview with Habanero, a leader in the iGaming industry who have been releasing hit RNG casino games over the last decade. The company has a deep understanding of what operators need in the industry plus what we as players want. This symbiosis creates rich content which is engaging and entertaining to all slots fanatics alike.
The following interview with Arcangelo Lonoce, Head of Business Development will give you a snippet of the drive and vision of Habanero, key insights of this iGaming giant, and what we can expect for the future of Habanero.
Hi Arcangelo, how was your 2021 considering the pandemic of course? Is there anything you wish you did differently in the year and are you working to rectify any issues with Habanero moving forward?
It was a great year for us for two reasons, the first being from a financial perspective. We saw truly outstanding results in 2021 and we keep growing as a company as we constantly look to go live and establish footholds across new markets like Spain, Argentina, Holland, and Germany.
The acquisition of our MGA licence has also opened a lot of new doors for us, and we’re greatly building out the team based in Malta to better serve our growing global customer base.
Looking at 2021, it lacked any form of face-to-face opportunities – especially at the beginning of the year which was especially challenging – but as the year progressed and events finally returned, such as the SBC Summit in Barcelona, iGB Live and SiGMA in the second half of the year, and it was fantastic to bring everyone in the industry back together again.
To compensate for the lack of face-to-face in 2021, I’m sure we’ll be spending plenty of time at events this year to continue making new connections and discuss the opportunities that the wonderful world of Habanero can bring. Moving forward, I believe that we will continue to grow in the same way we have done over the past 12 months, with plenty of new debuts in the pipeline for us, the likes of the US are places that we’re keeping a keen eye on, given it is a highly dynamic market with plenty of potential.
As Head of European Business Development in Habanero, what is your favourite aspect of your role?
Travelling and meeting people was always my favourite part of the job, so it’s great to have that aspect back! Staying on the pulse and identifying new strategies and solutions as a result of these meetings has always been my passion, so having that back and will prove key to our success in the years ahead.
So much success from business comes from contacts and networking – as well as identifying and delivering these opportunities to the company – all of which is something I have always strived to do and will continue doing for many more years!
What is your vision for Habanero over the next 5 years?
Our vision is to become a truly established global presence by continuing to expand the process we’ve set in motion to distribute our content across every major operator group in the industry – and we’re well on our way to achieving that. I believe that our business model and brand offer a unique selling point in gaming for admirers of mathematics, immersive design, pitch-perfect sounds top-notch client service. I would argue that this is what will continue to set us apart from competitors in the years to come and will define our strategy over the next five years as a true tier-one supplier.
With so much being made of the announcement of the metaverse and with it the movement to expanding life online to larger centralised hubs – what role do you see your company having in this future?
We’re certainly keeping sights on the Metaverse’s evolution with great interest, but for us at this moment, it’s still a very niche product. I’m sure that there are certain pioneers in iGaming that are looking beyond the horizon in terms of strategy, but as far as we’re concerned, we’re clear that our focus needs to be on delivering great games with great maths and fantastic gameplay, and at this point in time, nothing distracts us from that.
Of course, the way that these games are used and delivered will change with time, such as via the Metaverse. We’ve timed this perfectly in the past, a great example of this was being at the forefront of the HTML5 evolution around 10 years ago when it was all about the advent of mobile. When the right time came, we identified that need and actioned it as soon as it was required.
Looking to what the Metaverse can hold, I believe there’s plenty of potential for growth and to become a pioneer, but it’s too early in the adoption curve for us to be investing resources and energy at this time.
What is the role as you see it for legislation in the iGaming world and are there any improvements you would like to see?
Regulation is all about striking a careful balance, but for this to be most effective, there needs to be a deeper involvement of stakeholders in the regulatory process. It is becoming more and more apparent that it is possible to achieve a mature legal framework that enables businesses to be regulated fairly in the interests of all taking parts – which includes operators, suppliers, and players.
To achieve this sweet spot, you need involvement from industry stakeholders from both a business perspective and a social responsibility perspective, with an enthusiastic approach to improving the environment for all, rather than a knee jerk reaction.
What would you be most excited to see come from ICE, in April?
Having everyone back together, of course! We had great success at our events last year, and ICE’s much-anticipated return would bolster our efforts to network and bring on new partners.
Of course, there is uncertainty as to what form it goes ahead in, but for me, the notion that it could go ahead is exciting in itself. Naturally, we would like to see high attendance and lots of business coming through, and I’m sure there will be – it’s been way too long!
Are there any final words you would like to add?
For sure! Many thanks for the interview, it’s been a pleasure and great to take part in. We’re excited to be part of iGaming’s evolution and contributing to the waves of change that it is going through in terms of entertainment and engagement.
For us it’s all about riding the waves of change and delivering customers and players exactly what they want when it comes to engagement. After all, business is all about agility and the ability to evolve.
