Achieving longevity within a sector that is rife with competition as well as fresh faces eager to make a splash in areas not yet explored is something to be celebrated. And that’s exactly what BGaming intends to do.
In conversation with iGaming Expert, CEO Marina Ostrovtsova explores the expectations that existed amidst the origins of the business, as well as looking at how the industry has evolved and the milestones achieved during these years of operation.
However, as attention shifts to the present day, future geographical possibilities, the studio’s outlook, niche gaming possibilities and importance of personalisation, localisation and customisation are also explored.
iGaming Expert: BGaming is celebrating a seven-year anniversary. When looking back at the origins of the company, would you say that you have met or exceeded those initial expectations?
Marina Ostrovtsova: We’ve definitely exceeded our expectations! BGaming started with just 10 people, and now we’re a team of 270. Back then, our big achievement was Elvis Frog in Vegas. Today, BGaming has so many iconic games that it’s hard to count them all.
But it’s not just about numbers. We’ve expanded beyond slots into casual, scratch, and crash games, introducing unique mechanics and our trademark features.
And honestly, seven years ago, I couldn’t have imagined BGaming growing beyond a game provider into a game publisher, launching projects and collaborations that go way beyond iGaming.
iGX: How would you say the industry has evolved during this time frame? What major differences have shaped your current direction?
MO: The industry has changed a lot over the years, but one of the biggest things our team noticed is how much more critical customisation has become. Players and operators don’t just want great games, they want games that feel unique to them.
At BGaming, we’ve leaned into this in a big way. Over the last few years, we’ve made over 250 custom games for brands like Stake, Roobet, Bitstarz, and Gamdom. Instead of simply adding a logo, it’s about building titles that match the brand and provide an exclusive experience for players.
Custom games help operators keep players engaged and coming back, and that’s where we see things going in the future. And the cherry on top – BGaming’s first celebrity-branded game, Snoop Dogg Dollars, created in collaboration with our partner Roobet and Snoop Dogg himself.
iGX: What major milestones would you highlight as having a major impact on BGaming during these seven years?
MO: In the last seven years, BGaming has grown in many ways. We’ve expanded our portfolio, built stronger partnerships, and received industry recognition. But what stands out most is how we’ve managed to grow while staying true to who we are. A lot of the original team is still here, and we’ve added new leaders with fresh ideas.
One big step was expanding our game offerings. We started with slots, but then we added crash, scratch, and casual games, which pushed us in new directions. Another key moment was strengthening our partnerships. We’ve built a network of over 2,000 partners, and our business account management team has been key in making those relationships stronger.
BGaming also took a big leap into gaming publishing, going beyond being just a game provider. Hackathons have become a big part of our culture, helping us keep our ideas flowing. And the ‘When Art Meets Gaming’ creative project showed that iGaming can be a platform for creativity and social impact, not just entertainment.
The industry noticed that, too. In 2024, we received recognition with major awards, including the CasinoBeats Game Developer Awards and SiGMA’s Best Game Studio Award, which made all the hard work worth it.
iGX: Bringing things into the present, which geographies are firmly on the BGaming radar for future expansion and why?
MO: We recently got our games certified in Brazil, launched in Portugal toward the end of 2024, and have made great progress in Spain. So, these markets are definitely in focus for BGaming right now, with their strong potential and growing demand for BGaming titles.
Looking ahead, the Netherlands and Italy are also on our radar for the next six months. Our games have just been certified there as well, and we’re excited to dive in, build new partnerships, and expand our presence in these regions.
iGX: We are seeing numerous studios branching out to offer a wide range of verticals. What’s BGaming’s outlook when it comes to niche gaming segments?
MO: At BGaming, we see value in niche gaming segments and are open to trying new formats, mechanics, and themes that appeal to specific groups. However, our main focus is on understanding player preferences. We put a lot of effort into analysing what players like and creating games that not only meet the market’s needs but also push things forward.
We’re also exploring how to personalise content more, so we can adjust games to suit different player types and partner needs. Thus, BGaming’s primary goal is to create titles that players can truly connect with.
iGX: Could you talk us through what your roadmap looks like for the year ahead? What major titles should the industry and players be excited about and why?
MO: It’s been fantastic to see that Snoop Dogg Dollars is still a hit with players. We created it with Roobet and Snoop Dogg last fall, and now we’ve got some fresh new games ready to roll out this year.
First up is Alice WonderLuck, an original game that takes Alice in Wonderland characters and pairs them with some of the best features from popular games. It’s all put together in a completely new way, and we think it’ll catch the eye of fans who love both classic stories and contemporary gameplay.
Next on the list is Wild Clusters, a galactic adventure with cascading clusters, high volatility, and a range of cool features that are bound to fascinate players. Lucky Wilds, Wild Blast with multipliers, and Galaxy Features like Gravity Wilds and Starlight Upgrade – this game is fully packed!
And we’ve got even more games coming up, but I’ll save the rest for later!
iGX: Personalisation, localisation and customisation are key factors to determining favourable outcomes on a global basis. What is your strategy in this regard? And how difficult is this to manage when dealing with differing preferences across a range of regions?
MO: We know that players from different regions have their own tastes, cultures, and ways of playing, so our job is to make sure our content matches what they’re looking for. It’s not always easy to keep track of everything, but we work hard to figure out what players in each region want and give them the best product.
Customising games with the help of our partners makes a big difference. They know their players best and can guide us in creating exactly what works for them. It’s a win-win when we team up with them!
For personalisation, we analyse player behavior to determine what they like, using that information to tweak the gameplay to suit each person’s preferences. Managing all this globally is tricky, but at BGaming, we see it as a chance to grow and improve.
