“In 2021, on the web gaming was once again the vertical that benefited from the basic situations with developing revenues” | Yogonet Intercontinental

In an job interview with Yogonet, two customers of NOVOMATIC’s Board of Directors,  Johannes Gratzl and Ryszard Presch shared an overall year-stop assessment of the gambling industry’s recovery. They shared insights about the company’s market growth plans and hopes for the upcoming 12 months.

What would be your calendar year-end evaluation for Novomatic, particularly concerning the gambling industry’s restoration, and crucial developments in the different markets and verticals you run?

Johannes Gratzl: The initial fifty percent of 2021 was continue to drastically impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, as many nations around the world continued to employ actions these kinds of as lockdowns or short term closures of company premises to consist of the unfold of the virus. In most of the NOVOMATIC AG Group’s marketplaces, the lockdowns lasted many months during which the gaming operations ended up compelled to keep on being closed. This non permanent suspension of business enterprise brought on the Gaming Operations phase to history major declines in profits.

Yet, a noticeable route out of this disaster emerged as the year continued, not the very least many thanks to steadily rising vaccination rates in quite a few international locations. Toward the summertime months, the scenario eased and permitted a gradual return to procedure, albeit with the respective safeguarding and distancing actions in place. By the conclusion of June, nearly all gaming functions experienced reopened, but restrictive actions remained in position in most markets, such as minimal distances in between gaming equipment and tables, limited opening hrs, or the introduction of a utmost range of buyers on the premises.

Ryszard Presch: The circumstance impacted the NOVOMATIC AG Group’s proprietary functions in the very same way as it impacted our customers’ enterprises. Through the durations of lockdowns, NOVOMATIC targeted on the one particular hand on the finest possible help of its B2B consumers and on the other hand, on the enhancement of fresh new and new products and solutions for the minute when business would slowly return to a new type of typical and operators would take into account investing in new goods all over again. The NOVOMATIC R&D models placed a distinctive target on the Progressives segment, with solutions such as the Dollars Connection Joined Progressive multi-video games that proved in particular preferred with both equally operators and players.

In 2021, on-line gaming was again the enterprise vertical that benefited from the general problems with growing revenues, the two in the on the web gaming and betting segments. The lockdowns in the a variety of marketplaces as well as industry entries in a quantity of markets had a constructive affect on on the web organization actions. The thriving launch in Germany, the market opening in the Netherlands as well as the important chances in the US with a amount of states presenting recently regulated on-line sporting activities betting and gaming marketplaces made area for unparalleled progress.

Where by will Novomatic’s aim be in 2022 and what new milestones ought to we be expecting the business to obtain? Which priorities, aims, and options for next yr could you anticipate?

Ryszard Presch: Principally, we hope that in 2022 the pandemic will be pushed back again so far that this 12 months will yet again be one particular that is marked by particular shopper get in touch with, be it at big occasions this kind of as trade shows or consumer visits. Hopes are powerful that the gaming sector will be granted the option to get at ICE London at the very least sometime in spring. Whilst the intercontinental NOVOMATIC groups eagerly search ahead to personally meeting buyers and associates once again, we ought to even so physical exercise caution and secure the well being of our customers and workers as most effective we can. In the meantime, the R&D departments are placing the ending touches on a portfolio of new solutions that are all set to inspire and which will definitely have the prospective to come to be milestones.

A different precedence will unquestionably continue to be our target on consumer needs, each in terms of provider and aid as perfectly as in conditions of merchandise improvement. The very best way to assist our prospects is constantly to deliver merchandise that produce premium effectiveness on the floor and yield a rapid ROI. That is our ultimate aim in conditions of item enhancement – and in periods like these, even extra so. In the existing financial weather, B2B prospects are forced to think about each financial commitment significantly very carefully. As a technological innovation supplier to the business that at the similar time, operates in numerous marketplaces as a gaming amusement service provider, NOVOMATIC has the exclusive edge to be in a position to depend on very first-hand working experience when it arrives to market-unique player tastes. Our prospects don’t have to test the goods in their gaming premises – we have previously tested them in ours.   

Johannes Gratzl: In regional terms, we will even more expand our market place management in our European main markets, these kinds of as Germany, Italy, Spain, the British isles, the Netherlands, and numerous countries in Jap and Southern Europe. In our progress marketplaces these types of as the United states of america, Australia, Latin The us, and Africa, we also be expecting to accomplish important growth in market share above the up coming couple several years. Owing to the expected more industry liberalization in some US states, we proceed to see specifically wonderful likely in the United States. We have now been capable to leave a sustainable footprint in this market place with our subsidiary NOVOMATIC Americas and our investment in the Australian firm Ainsworth Recreation Technological innovation Ltd.

What are your outlooks, expectations for 2022, and what do you consider will be the new troubles, the two for the gambling industry and Novomatic in certain? What will be the primary troubles driving the agenda?

Johannes Gratzl: Initial of all, we hope that ICE can finally take put later on this year, of study course with all prevailing safeguarding steps and protocols in put. Substantially of the year’s market outlook is dependent on this key marketplace function and the climate it sets for 2022 and we – yet again – hope that it will be a spirit of optimism.

The additional progress of the NOVOMATIC AG Group for 2022 is predicted to be favourable. Irrespective of new COVID-19 mutations these types of as the Omicron virus variant that complicate the assessment of the further more training course of the pandemic, the increasing world availability of vaccines as perfectly as the climbing vaccination costs, in individual, signify that the normal circumstances need to be a lot less restrictive. Practically all marketplaces in which the NOVOMATIC AG Team operates have currently calm their restrictive measures in the previous months. Knowledge has shown that as soon as gaming functions reopen, guests return in high ordinary quantities.

Ryszard Presch: NOVOMATIC will continue on to meet any challenges in 2022 and beyond with its very well-well balanced business enterprise model that builds upon the gaming functions company, the enhancement and income of gaming systems and alternatives as perfectly the pursuits as a company to the ever-expanding worldwide regulated On the web and sports activities betting markets.