Toni Mazrekaj: “Your brand matters, and we are here to empower your brand”

Toni Mazrekaj, Head of Account Management at RubyPlay, sits down with Casino Guru News to discuss the company's recent and rapid expansion into North America, highlighting the milestone of the Ontario license RubyPlay has recently obtained. Focusing on a brand-driven approach and creating games that fit operator needs is a guiding principle in creating content and navigating the commercial landscape in the region. With the company's recent success in Canada, RubyPlay is poised to continue its push across North America at the tip of the spear.

Q: RubyPlay has rapidly expanded in North America, first entering the US market with major operators and now securing its Ontario licence. What has driven this strategic push into the region, and how does Ontario fit into your broader North American roadmap?

RubyPlay’s strategic expansion into North America, including our recent move into Ontario, is driven by the region's immense market potential and the strong fit of our games and mechanics with local player preferences. Our portfolio includes titles like Diamond Explosion Patriots, which are specifically designed for the US market, with its specific theme and popular mechanic. Feedback from our partners has consistently indicated that our games would resonate well in this market, further supporting the decision to expand.

Our close partnerships with major US operators have been instrumental in our entry into the market. These collaborations not only give us access to established player bases but also provide valuable insights into market trends and player preferences. Securing the Ontario license is a key milestone in our strategy, offering a stable and growing environment with a significant player base. It's a strategic foothold in Canada that positions us well for further expansion into other states in the near future.

At RubyPlay, we're all about empowering our clients' brands, which aligns perfectly with the North American market's emphasis on strong brand recognition. We pride ourselves on delivering relevant content quickly, which is essential in this fast-paced market. By doing so, we help our partners capitalise on emerging branding opportunities and enhance their brands even further. Overall, our expansion into North America, including Ontario, is part of a broader strategy to tap into the region's vast potential and continue growing our global presence.

Q: What can players in Ontario expect from RubyPlay’s games?

Players in Ontario can expect a diverse and engaging portfolio of games from RubyPlay, designed to cater to a wide range of player preferences. Our games blend proven mechanics with innovative twists, ensuring a fresh and exciting experience. Whether players prefer games with a more traditional, land-based feel or those with modern, volatile math and wider grids, we have something for everyone.

Our games are crafted to maintain high player engagement, with a notable average of rounds per player and sustained retention even months after release. For example, our Diamond Explosion Patriots game has achieved significant success in the US, entering the top 10% of new releases, and we anticipate similar success in Ontario. With our commitment to quality and innovation, we are confident that our games will resonate with players in this market.

Q: Your entry into the US with Rush Street Interactive and FanDuel was a major step for RubyPlay. What key learnings have you taken from your US expansion that you’re applying to your Ontario launch?

Our successful entry into the US market with Rush Street Interactive and FanDuel has provided us with valuable insights that we are now applying to our Ontario launch. One of the key takeaways is the importance of being highly organised and having a clear roadmap. This structured approach has been instrumental in our success, and we continue to emphasise it in our expansion efforts.

From a compliance perspective, we have learned the importance of ensuring that our best-performing games are ready for launch and that our newest releases are available as soon as possible. This not only meets regulatory requirements but also ensures that players have access to the latest and most engaging content.

On the commercial side, we have found that maintaining smooth and clear communication with our clients is crucial. We listen to their needs and tailor our products to fit their unique brand identities, rather than adopting a one-size-fits-all approach. Understanding and highlighting the unique selling points (USPs) of each brand has been a key asset for RubyPlay. Our goal remains to help our clients strengthen their brands through our innovative and tailored offerings.

These lessons are now guiding our strategy as we enter the Ontario market, where we aim to replicate the success, we've achieved in the US by offering a personalised and compliant gaming experience.

Q: The North American iGaming market is highly competitive. How does RubyPlay differentiate itself in terms of game development and player engagement to stand out in this evolving landscape?

More than anywhere else in the world, the US market is driven by brands. We see this clearly with traditional brick-and-mortar gaming venues, to younger brands that focused initially on the sport space and started getting very active in the iGaming space. These Brands have widespread recognition with players and in popular cultures. To make things even more interesting, a lot of the affiliation work in iGaming is also driven by strong brands, some are even personal, such as influencers and celebrities.

What we realised at RubyPlay is that for us to really stay ahead of our competition, we need to focus on our clients’ brands, and the brand collaborations they engage.
Your brand matters, and we are here to empower your brand!

We do this in many ways, first building a stable technology that allows us to integrate and support brands with little effort. We also have a top-performing library of games we can utilise to create relevant bespoke and branded content. We focus our future roadmap on brand-enhancing tools.

We think, breath and live brands. Our client’s brands.

Q: What’s next for RubyPlay in the region? Are there plans for further expansion, new game innovations, or further partnerships?

As we continue to build on our successful entry into the North American market, RubyPlay is poised for further strategic expansion. This year, we are excited to enter Delaware and Pennsylvania, with plans to expand into additional states such as West Virginia and Connecticut in the following year.

In terms of partnerships, we have a robust pipeline of collaborations lined up. Our experience in the North American market has given us valuable insights into what resonates with players in terms of game mechanics and development. Building on this knowledge, we are eager to introduce our next big hit,‘J Mania Buffalo’, which will launch exclusively on April 17th. We invite everyone to stay tuned for this exciting release!

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