Arcangelo Lonoce: “If you are static, you are being left behind”

Habanero has started the year on a strong footing, securing major B2B licenses in Greece and Brazil. In an interview with Casino Guru News, Arcangelo Lonoce, Head of Business Development at Habanero, discusses the company’s new strategy, the evolving impact of regulations, and the role of Artificial Intelligence in game development. Emphasizing the importance of innovation in an increasingly competitive market, Lonoce shares insights into Habanero’s approach to delivering high-quality, engaging content. As the industry rapidly evolves, one thing is certain - remaining static is not an option for those aiming to stay ahead.

Q: A lot is happening with Habanero right now in what can be described as a heady start of the year. You have secured a B2B license in Greece. Let’s start here. How important is this and what does it achieve as part of Habanero’s larger growth strategy?

Gaining our Greek licence is an exciting step forward for us as we look to further grow our presence across regulated markets. With our games being well received in other parts of Southern Europe, we feel confident there will be a natural crossover of player demographics, and we will gain good market penetration with our best-in-class products. It is the latest in a number of new licences gained by Habanero, with our commitment to growth evident across the last six months.

Q: How have recent regulatory changes across Europe affected Habanero’s broader strategy? Do you see the tightening of iGaming regulation as something that disrupts current operations or something that further accentuates the most competitive products?

Regulatory shifts are something that happens constantly as gambling commissions react to new technology, trends, and player behaviours, so being agile in regard to our product delivery is extremely important.

As a provider that adheres to varying different frameworks, we believe our games, with their unique math models and engaging mechanics, can stand out as these tightened regulations impact different sectors of the market.

Q: Speaking of promising markets, you have similarly launched your products in Brazil. How big is this for you and what do you hope to achieve in the Latin American market?

It is no secret that the entire industry has high hopes surrounding Brazil, and gaining our licence in the market gives us a good launchpad to deliver some of our thrilling games to Brazilian players.

Latin America has been a major focus of ours for a while, and Brazil is just the latest step on this journey. With a healthy appetite for iGaming across the continent, we have experienced plenty of success so far, and hope this only continues as we gain a presence in Brazil.

Q: Competition has surely tightened over the past years, especially now that generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) has futuristic-like capabilities. How has this impacted your strategy for 2025 and the products you want to see released?

Artificial intelligence is a real buzzword for the industry, but from Habanero’s point of view, it is not something that is used in our game delivery process. There is an increasing movement against ‘AI slop’ for generic creative content, and we don’t want our slot products to become part of that. Unique mathematics, artistic design, and engaging sound is all a key part of what we do, and we feel that the creativity of all of this is enhanced through humans being involved in every step.

While AI is an exciting development for the industry, it has not impacted our roadmap at all this year.

Q: What are the biggest challenges for a supplier this year?

As a supplier in the industry, if you are static, you are being left behind, so constantly exploring new mechanics, tools, and themes to keep our games fresh is a must for us. With so many different providers in the market, it can get crowded, so developing standout products is a must.

While it is a challenge, it is of course also an opportunity, and one that we eagerly embrace. If we can continue to produce fantastic games, then our passionate player base will only grow.

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