Mascot Gaming began nearly a decade ago with its own online casino complete with in-house developed software. Now, the company is in the business of game development. Set to reveal two new games at SIGMA at the end of this month, the stellar graphics and features have us waiting on the edge of our seats. In addition to slot games, they present a range of table games including the newly released blackjack, baccarat and casino hold’em titles. We couldn’t help but wonder what happens at the Mascot offices, so we got in touch with the company’s Head of Sales, Alexandr Klimenkov. Please enjoy the interview and feel free to leave your comments below.
Q: Your story began with a one-of-a-kind online casino. Please tell us more about the early days of Mascot Gaming.
A: Indeed, we started 9 years ago when we launched our own online casino. The software for our first project was fully in-house developed. We had a lot of ambitions. Straight from the very beginning we've been thinking globally. We looked not only at our domestic market, but wanted to operate around the world. Having gained certain experience and put together the technical team, we started developing games. The online casino is no longer live due to some legislative changes and also because our priorities have changed, so nowadays we are totally devoted to game development. It took us 8 years in iGaming industry to gain such an experience.
Q: Slots are clearly the most prominent titles in your portfolio. Are there any in-game features that are exclusive?
A: For a starting set we chose the most popular games and up-to-date features and formed an incredible mix for each title. Nevertheless, we don’t stop there and by the end of 2019 we are going to release a brand new gaming set with exclusive features that haven’t been used by anyone in the market yet.
Q: Can you tell us about any upcoming video slot releases?
A: Benny’s the Biggest game, Casino Hold’em and Baccarat are already released. 2 more slot games with even more complicated and breathtaking mechanics will be ready by November. We’ll present them at SIGMA Malta. It is going to be a kind of bridge between our starting pack and games with unique mechanics - Red Horde and Gems Grow. Not only that, but 2 more new games will be published by the end of 2019.
Q: In terms of table games, do you intend to launch additional products to join the current blackjack game?
A: Casino Hold'em and Baccarat are already on the market, the next one planned is roulette game. Then we’ll analyse players’ interest to our titles and if these games prove their popularity, we’ll develop this direction. In addition to table games, we are working on lottery games such as Keno. We plan to add various bonuses and free rounds there, it’s going to be a fresh interpretation of classics.
Q: Apart from game development, the company offers a range of iGaming services as well. Tell us more about that.
A: Our main focus is surely games. However, during the 9 years of professional working in the iGaming industry we've established connectivities and collected best practices which we turn into good products. Our online poker software room has been on the market for several years and it successfully works in Europe and South America. The online casino platform is currently mainly for local markets, but it starts developing in Europe as well.
Q: When it comes to white label casinos, how do you navigate through the world of compliance and do you provide the gaming license?
A: With these projects, we work mostly for certain clients who share their experience of operations. It helps us improve the platform and add new functionality as well as receive timely feedback from both players and operators. We do not deal with licensing ourselves, but we have reliable partners who do this for our clients.
Q: Finally, what’s next for the company in terms of future plans?
A: As mentioned earlier, in 2019 were are going to launch games with unique mechanics, and after that, in 2020 there will be a release of one more set with another unique gaming model which will definitely attract even more attention - first of all, players’ attention - to our products. Besides, we are working on enhancement of our remote game server. It will enable us to offer simple boxed solutions for such promo instruments as free rounds, tournaments, boosters and even more sophisticated features demanded by players.
