Play'n GO's Magnus Olsson on the company's plans in the Americas

Online slots supplier Play'n GO has spent 2022 expanding to regulated markets in the US, while continuing to build on its presence in Latin America. Yogonet spoke with chief commercial officer Magnus Olsson about entering US states, making a G2E debut, and plans for the LatAm region.

This year Play'n GO entered the US online casino market for the first time, in Michigan and more recently New Jersey. What is your approach in this large and diverse country?

Entering the US market is nothing short of a landmark moment in the history of Play'n GO. We're already the leaders in regulated gaming worldwide, active in more than 25 jurisdictions, so it was a logical next step for us, but we're taking nothing for granted.

We're looking forward to bringing some of the most popular online slots in the world, like Book of Dead, to audiences across the US. As we are already seeing in Michigan and New Jersey, each US state poses unique challenges and requires a bespoke approach. We have confidence in both our portfolio of games and our ability to adapt. We've never taken shortcuts at Play'n GO, and our focus on building world-class entertainment puts us in a great position to succeed. This is already resonating in the US, and as more states regulate, we're planning to expand.

Ahead of G2E in Las Vegas, what is Play'n GO most looking forward to about the event, and what opportunities does it offer this year?

This will actually be the first time we've ever exhibited at G2E, so we couldn't be more excited. The show is a fantastic opportunity to meet some of the people we'll be working with in the US over the coming years, while also building upon existing relationships. Of course, Play'n GO is already well-known across this industry, but we take this as a chance to really communicate what we are about as a company, the way we approach challenges, and why we're an ideal partner for operators looking to deliver the very best experience to their players.

We're also coming to the conference with an open mind, and ready to listen and learn. These are new markets, and we want to hear from the people working on the ground every day.  We also have plenty to share from our own experience of more than a decade working across regulated jurisdictions worldwide. It's a great platform to exchange some of this knowledge.

Play'n GO has long been a popular content supplier among operators across Latin America. How has this experience been, and what do you have planned next?

Latin America's online gaming market has become a real focus of the industry over the last couple of years, but we're proud to have been active in the region for far longer than most of our competitors. We entered Mexico way back at the start of 2018, and received certification in Colombia around the same time too. This process continues to pick up pace as new markets regulate. Just last year, we received accreditation in Buenos Aires City and Province.

We always saw a bright future for regulated gaming in Latin America, and we're proud to have played our part in the early part of this process. Now, of course, this opportunity is on everyone's radar and we must stay one step ahead. Markets such as Brazil offer huge potential once they finally introduce regulatory frameworks, and we know our experience in the region will serve us well when that happens.

You recently launched new titles including Mount M, Champions of Mithrune, Bull in a Rodeo, Forge of Fortunes and Leprechaun's Vault. What do you have planned for the rest of the year, and what have been the biggest strengths of your recent releases?

We've been really pleased with the early reception these titles have received. At this stage, we understand players so well, that the challenge for us is finding a balance between giving them what they want while still surprising them with innovative features that catch their attention. We always say that we aren't just building games, we're creating experiences, and that really shines through in games like Mount M and other recent releases.

In terms of what comes next, we've got some of our most game-changing titles to date on the horizon, including Count Jokula (the latest in our popular Joker series), Boat Bonanza (our twist on the classic fishing game) and Clash of Camelot, which is a sequel to Diamonds of the Realm and sees us explore Arthurian legend once again.

Perhaps the upcoming launch we're most excited for is another music-themed licensed game called Dio - Killing the Dragon. It's based around the heavy metal band Dio, who famously popularised the devil horn sign you see at rock shows. The game challenges players to guide the band through a musical quest while taking on fire-breathing dragons. It's going to be a blast.