Throughout the interview, Christoph Härtel, Managing Director at 21VIRAL highlighted the achievements made during their presentation and exhibition at SBC Summit Lisbon, including the formation of valuable connections and the signing of new contracts with operators in Latin America. 

He also spoke about the expectations they had prior to the show and how they were exceeded thanks to their team's strategy. In addition, he gave an insight into the growth of the gaming market in Portugal and Europe, comparing the opportunities in the region with those in Latin America, where they see a promising future. 

On the other hand, Härtel underlined the importance of its GameConnector solution, which is very well received by operators as it facilitates the integration of new suppliers without the need for additional resources.

Strategy and GameConnector Solution

21VIRAL's strategy included careful planning to take advantage of all the facilities and tools the event had to offer. ‘We planned and utilised all available facilities at SBC Summit to promote our attendance and book meetings in advance,’ explained Härtel. This advance preparation allowed the company to maximise its presence, resulting in a series of pre-arranged meetings with which they were able to make valuable connections. The three days of the fair were intense and very productive, according to Härtel, who emphasised that ‘it was a very productive three days in which we made excellent relationships’.

One of 21VIRAL's main focuses during the event was the presentation of its GameConnector solution, designed to address the needs of both gaming operators and providers. As the CEO explained, ‘We helped discuss how 21VIRAL's GameConnector solutions can solve the problems of gaming operators and suppliers alike. As a result of the success of this show, we have won several contracts with operators in Latin America’.

What were your expectations before the event and how have they been met?

I am delighted that our team did a fantastic job preparing for this event. Being the first time the show has been held in Lisbon, there was some concern about whether the show, with its huge space, would be able to meet the needs of all attendees.

Our aim was to network and build relationships with colleagues in the gaming industry. I am pleased to say that we have succeeded. Our portfolio of enquiries is strong and we have already established important contacts that will benefit our future projects.

How do you see the growth of the gaming market in Portugal and Europe compared to other regions? 

Portugal is definitely a growing market when it comes to online gaming, and this is noticeable by the number of local operators and suppliers present at the show.

In Europe, although some markets are mature, the region still offers medium-term growth prospects. New and innovative solutions are coming to the market to attract different audiences to responsible gambling products.

Our business is focused on Latin America, a region with a promising future. With more countries regulating and global indicators of population size and economic growth, we are confident in the long-term growth prospects of our business model.

What do you think has been your most outstanding product that you have presented at this show?

Prior to the Lisbon show, we gathered extensive information from suppliers, platforms and operators about our competitors and operators before the Lisbon show. 21VIRAL addresses operators' pain points, including the critical time-to-market. The bottleneck for operators is the limited resources available from their in-house developers to integrate new game providers into their platforms. We solve this with reverse integration, which means that we integrate our GameConnector platform into their systems. 

This way, operators don't have to make any effort: win-win negotiation.

How was the public's response to your brand or your products during the fair?

In a word, ‘fantastic’. As we have already said, we understand the internal and external constraints of operators looking to quickly add new gaming content that generates player interest, attention and monetisation. GameConnector streamlines integration times and offers transparent pricing to all parties involved to generate and secure trust that other aggregators fail to achieve. 

We also encourage game operators and suppliers to communicate directly with us about promotions and other marketing activities.

Again, it's about building trust, creating solutions and reducing friction for all parties involved. 

Where do AI and new technologies fit into your products?

As a technology company, we diligently evaluate many technologies before considering their adoption in our stock.  
Technology should improve overall business processes by automating routine tasks, improving quality control and testing along with our workflows and performance results.

As I have just pointed out, our use of AI is not just for our own benefit. The main benefits for the customer mean that we can facilitate faster integration between the operator and the games supplier. This is crucial in today's market, where ‘time’ is of the essence to market a robust, quality product. By leveraging AI, we can increase the end player's attention to your brand, ensuring that our technology not only improves our processes, but also enhances the customer experience. 

How do you rate the networking you were able to do during the event?

Networking is a vital component of participating in any event. Networking events play a crucial role, facilitating and enhancing initial conversations and, most importantly, building trust and knowledge. 

These are the foundations that lead to successful and successful deals.

21VIRAL may be a technology provider, but we are in the relationship business. Meeting like-minded people and sharing the same perspectives is essential to ensure a lasting and mutually beneficial outcome for all parties involved. 

How much has the regulation of gaming in Portugal influenced your decision to participate in this event? 

Regulation in any gaming market is vitally important for everyone within the iGaming ecosystem to thrive. Like all regulation, it is a balance to ensure that everyone's interests are taken into account and that frameworks are enacted in an adaptive manner.

Therefore, as a company, we wholeheartedly support regulation and responsible gaming frameworks. We believe this is the only way to ensure the longevity of the sector for all stakeholders. 

Key trends for the future

Turning to the most relevant trends for the future of the gaming industry, Christoph Härtel paused to reflect on the importance of artificial intelligence and Web 3.0, noting that these technologies will continue to generate significant opportunities. ‘Very good question,’ he commented before delving into how AI and Web 3.0 will facilitate process automation, improving efficiency in tasks that were previously much more time-consuming.

‘The additional time saved with the introduction of AI will not only lead to more critical thinking and creativity, but also the reassurance that AI is a tool that can be leveraged to introduce innovations that truly enhance experiences around more personalised and unique products for players to consume and enjoy,’ Härtel added to conclude the interview.