As Blueprint Gaming continues to accelerate its European growth strategy, Italy has emerged as a cornerstone market for the supplier. Jo Purvis, Director of Marketing, PR & Events, discusses the company’s rapid rise in the region, the importance of localisation, and how a player-first approach is shaping its next phase of expansion.
How would you describe Blueprint Gaming’s current position and momentum in the Italian market?
Italy has become one of our standout success stories in recent years. We have gone from being a familiar name to a fast-growing top supplier in the Italian online casino space, with our games now live across around 85% of licensed operators in the market.
That growth is reflected in our performance. Over the past year, we have achieved a 41% increase in market growth, significantly outperforming the wider Italian online casino market, which grew at 17%.
Titles such as King Kong Cash Even Bigger Bananas, Kong 3 Even Bigger Bonus and The Goonies Quest for Treasure Jackpot King have ranked among the top-performing launches with multiple operators, reinforcing our position as a go-to content provider.
We are seeing strong momentum across our portfolio, including Megaways, Jackpot King and branded titles, and performance data tells us that Italian players are really engaging with our games. That gives us a lot of confidence to keep investing in the market and broadening both our portfolio and our partnerships.
Why is Italy a strategic growth area for Blueprint, and what makes the market unique?
Italy is one of Europe’s largest and most mature regulated markets, so it is absolutely central to our international growth strategy. The combination of scale, stable regulation and an experienced online casino audience makes it a market where we can build long-term, sustainable business, as evidenced by our continued growth since entering the market in 2018.
What makes Italy unique is the personality of its players. They are highly knowledgeable slot players with clear preferences, but they also respond incredibly well to content that taps into local culture, especially football and iconic entertainment brands. Our success with culturally relevant titles, including the Maradona series, highlights how important that localisation is.
That mix of maturity and passion is exactly the kind of environment where we thrive, allowing us to combine proven mechanics with themes that resonate deeply with local audiences.
What key product developments or upcoming launches are most significant for Italian players and operators?
For Italy, a big focus is on the titles that have already proven themselves as favourites. Our Megaways and Jackpot King games continue to perform strongly, alongside branded slots such as The Goonies Quest for Treasure Jackpot King, which has been one of our standout launches in the market.
We have also seen exceptional engagement from our core franchises. The Kong series, for example, continues to resonate with Italian players, with King Kong Cash Even Bigger Bananas becoming our top-performing title in the market and subsequent releases maintaining that momentum.
We continually refresh these franchises with new mechanics and features to keep them feeling fresh. That includes major upcoming branded launches such as Game of Thrones, as well as continued investment in culturally relevant content.
Our Maradona-inspired titles have already delivered outstanding results, including a number-one-performing game in early 2025, and we are excited to build on that success with new football-driven content aligned with major global events like the 2026 World Cup.
How does Blueprint tailor its roadmap or content specifically for Italy?
We never just copy-paste a UK roadmap into Italy. We start with Italian data and Italian feedback: how players stake, what volatility they prefer, which themes and brands resonate, and which mechanics keep them coming back.
That approach has been a key driver of our success in the market. Titles like Maradona El Diez demonstrate how effective true localisation can be, combining globally recognised mechanics with themes that have genuine cultural relevance. The result is content that not only launches strongly but sustains performance over time.
From there, we decide which existing franchises to prioritise, which new titles to fast-track through certification, and whether we need to build something that feels uniquely Italian. It is why our content consistently delivers strong engagement metrics, including high plays per user across key series.
In what ways is Blueprint strengthening its Italian presence, and how are recent additions contributing to future growth?
Our growth in Italy has been driven just as much by people as by product. We have invested in a dedicated native team, including an Italy Country Manager and a new Italian Head of AM – International, to ensure we have experts on the ground who understand the market and can speak our partners’ language – literally and figuratively.
That local presence is key to maintaining and growing our footprint, which already spans the vast majority of licensed operators in the country. It also enables us to deepen relationships with partners and ensure our content strategy aligns closely with operator needs.
Our team is in constant contact with Italian operators, feeding back insights that shape our roadmap and promotional strategies. At the same time, we are strengthening our relationships with affiliates, streamers and other local stakeholders, helping to increase visibility and drive long-term performance across our portfolio.
What are the biggest opportunities in Italy over the next 12–18 months, and how do you plan to capitalise on them?
We see three big opportunities over the next 12-18 months. First, deepening our presence with existing partners by delivering more exclusive launches, tailored investment and aligned roadmaps that genuinely differentiate their offering.
Second, continuing to expand our market share. While we already have strong coverage -reaching around 85% of operators – there is still room to grow our slot wallet share and further strengthen our position across the market.
Third, leaning into what makes Italy special: strong branded content, culturally relevant mechanics and football-driven experiences. The success of titles like Maradona El Diez, which performed strongly for a sustained period across major operators, shows the potential of this approach.
Our plan is straightforward: keep listening to Italian players and operators, keep investing in local insight and partnerships, and continue delivering high-performing games and franchises that feel like they were made specifically for this market, not just adapted for it.
