World Cup fever is upon us. Now the Champions League final has been played out, the major European leagues have concluded and all eyes are heading towards the US, Canada and Mexico. While a huge opportunity for sportsbooks, casino operators can also acquire new players during the tournament through cross-selling. But sports fans need relevant content if they are to provide a strong LTV and be a recurring user.
Wazdan is a slots provider that intrinsically understands this. The supplier has released Score the Jackpot, a new series of football-related games designed for football fans throughout the World Cup and beyond.
Amid this, iGaming Expert sat down with Wazdan CEO Michal Imiolek and CCO Andrzej Hyla to discuss the Score the Jackpot series and explore why seasonal content is so powerful.
iGX: In a vertical where there are thousands of games competing for demand, how can seasonal or event-led content help stand out from the crowd and boost player engagement?
AH: Seasonal and event-led content gives operators an opportunity to connect with players around moments that already have a high level of visibility and emotional engagement. Whether it is a major football tournament, the festive period or other culturally significant events, these occasions naturally create stronger player attention and increased activity across online entertainment channels.
MI: In a market where there is constant competition for visibility, themed content can help operators cut through by giving players something that feels timely, familiar and relevant. However, the success of seasonal content depends on much more than simply applying a temporary theme. Players still expect strong gameplay mechanics, recognisable features and long-term entertainment value. If the experience does not deliver beyond the visual concept, engagement can quickly become short-lived.
From a supplier perspective, the objective is to combine seasonal relevance with proven gameplay foundations that players already trust and enjoy. When that balance is achieved, operators are able to build more engaging campaigns around moments that players are already invested in, while also extending session times and encouraging repeat play.
iGX: Why are operators looking for more series of games rather than just one-off seasonal titles and how can you cater to that demand?
MI: A series can provide much stronger long-term value than standalone seasonal launches. A successful series creates familiarity and recognition for players, which can help reduce the barrier to engagement when new titles are introduced. Players already understand the core mechanics and gameplay flow, while operators benefit from content that can support recurring campaigns over time.
AH: From a marketing perspective, a series also creates greater continuity. Instead of promoting a single game for a limited period, operators can build broader campaigns around an established collection of titles, helping to improve retention and maintain visibility across different seasons and promotional windows.
MI: At Wazdan, we focus on developing series that are flexible enough to evolve around different themes and player interests while maintaining a consistent gameplay foundation. Collections such as Coins™ and Mighty Wild™ have demonstrated how familiar mechanics can be adapted into new experiences without losing the elements players already enjoy. This approach allows operators to continuously refresh their offering while still benefiting from the recognition and trust that successful game series generate.
iGX: How can these series of games help operators create more integrated and relevant marketing campaigns to support player acquisition and retention?
MI: A strong game series gives operators the ability to create a much broader and more integrated campaign narrative compared to promoting a single title. Instead of relying on one launch window, operators can build ongoing activity across multiple channels, including CRM campaigns, lobby placements, social media activity and personalised retention offers.
AH: From an acquisition perspective, recognisable series help create clearer messaging because players are already familiar with the brand or gameplay style behind the content. That familiarity can improve click-through rates and encourage players to explore related titles within the same collection.
On the retention side, game series create stronger reasons for players to return regularly. New instalments, seasonal variations and connected promotional campaigns can all contribute to longer-term engagement. It also gives operators more flexibility to segment campaigns towards different player preferences while still maintaining a cohesive overall message.
Ultimately, integrated campaigns work best when the content itself supports continuity and game series provide operators with a much stronger framework for achieving that consistently.
iGX: Tell us about the titles within Wazdan’s new Score the Jackpot series and how it applies the theories we have already discussed.
AH: Score the Jackpot has been developed as a football-inspired campaign designed to help operators maximise engagement around one of the biggest sporting periods of the year. Rather than focusing on a single release, the campaign combines four complementary Wazdan titles into a broader promotional package that operators can use across multiple marketing activities.
MI: The line-up includes Mighty Wild™: Gorilla, Cash Grotto™, 16 Coins™ x5000 and Fisherman’s Luck™, with each title bringing something different to the overall campaign structure. Mighty Wild™: Gorilla Score the Jackpot introduces dynamic feature-driven gameplay from one of Wazdan’s established series, while 16 Coins™ x5000 Score the Jackpot builds on the recognisable appeal of the successful Coins™ collection. Cash Grotto™ Score the Jackpot adds additional visual and gameplay variety, while Fisherman’s Luck™ Score the Jackpot complements the wider summer-focused direction of the campaign.
The package combines recognisable gameplay foundations with seasonal relevance, while also giving operators a ready-made framework for broader promotional activity. Instead of relying on one football-themed title, partners can create a more complete campaign experience built around variety, familiarity and flexible marketing opportunities.
iGX: How does this series leverage the World Cup frenzy and how can it support operators looking to cross-sell sports bettors during the summer?
MI: Major football tournaments naturally generate significant levels of player engagement and increased traffic across sportsbook products, creating a strong opportunity for operators to extend that momentum into casino verticals as well. The World Cup places football at the centre of entertainment conversations globally, which makes themed casino campaigns particularly effective during this period.
Giving operators football-inspired casino content that fits naturally alongside their wider summer sportsbook campaigns. The objective is not to replace the sports betting experience, but to complement it through relevant messaging, familiar themes and integrated promotional activity.
AH: By aligning casino content with the wider sporting calendar, operators are able to create a more connected entertainment experience for players while maximising engagement across multiple verticals during one of the busiest periods of the year.
iGX: What is your approach to ensure that football fans engage with and enjoy the series but also that experienced casino players engage with it too?
AH: The key is finding the right balance between thematic engagement and strong gameplay fundamentals. Football fans should immediately recognise the energy and atmosphere connected to the sport, particularly during major international tournaments, but the games also need to deliver the quality, pacing and mechanics that experienced casino players expect from modern slot content.
MI: Score the Jackpot’s football theme acts as an additional engagement layer rather than the sole focus of the experience. The gameplay itself still needs to stand on its own through clear mechanics, entertaining bonus features and recognisable structures that appeal to regular casino audiences.AH: This is especially important because players engage with content for different reasons. Some may be drawn in through the seasonal football connection, while others are primarily focused on gameplay quality and feature potential. By combining strong thematic presentation with proven mechanics and varied game styles, operators are able to appeal to both audiences simultaneously without compromising either experience.
