IN-DEPTH: Interview with Parlay Entertainment’s CEO Scott White
Parlay Entertainment is making the transition from a software development and licensing firm to an internationally-focused turn-key managed solutions provider.
In July this year, the company introduced its Alderney-based PGS offering as an internationally focused central liquidity solution, offering remote gaming and Registration, Verification and Banking services. Built on the Parlay5 multi-language and multi-currency technology, PGS allows pooling of liquidity across currencies.
Specifically, the company has expanded its business model with the addition of managed solutions in Alderney and North America.
These additional business models, according to its CEO Scott White, give Parlay greater access to the lifecycle of the customer.
“We will become very competitive in these areas in the next two years, while at the same time continuing to expand our software licensing business to a worldwide customer base,” White told Bullet Business’ Ritesh Gupta. He also spoke about the company’s foray into the network bingo market and other initiatives. Excerpts:
Demands on a network are becoming increasingly complex. How do you assess the situation from Parlay’s perspective?
We have only recently entered the network bingo market with our Parlay Games Services solution. This new solution will balance growing market demand for managed services with market demand for commercial software deployment. Operating a network will also give Parlay the ability to access the customer prior to its decision to move outside of a network, which we believe we will see with increasing regularity as the on-line bingo category matures in each market.
Parlay delivers the ability to mix all different game types within a single bingo room. Can you reflect upon how have online bingo sites benefitted in terms of sign-ups and retaining interest especially considering the challenging business environment?
Offering the ability to mix all different game types within a single room provides both a sense of familiarity for existing land-based players and an introduction to bingo games not normally played in an existing market. For example, offering 80 ball bingo games between sessions of 90 ball, provides the UK land-based market with a scenario very similar to what they would find in their local halls. Offering a mixture of 75, 80 and 90 ball games in any market introduces those players to games they may not have played before but give them something fresh and exciting to play and win!
How do you think software companies have succeeded in offering solutions that simplify the process of configuring bingo games, jackpots and chat rooms using multiple languages and currencies? What new trends have you witnessed in this arena?
Parlay has spent the past 10 years developing a commercial grade software product which allows the operator to manage its business completely. Parlay5 was designed to allow the operator to manage and expand its business without repeated customisation from the software company. The more flexible the toolbox, the less we have to do once a customer has our product.
Of course, simplifying the process of game configuration for all offered markets benefits both the operator and the players. Operators are able to update their product for a new market with little work. Players are able to register, deposit and play on sites in their own language and currency, therefore allowing them a sense of comfort in what they see and make the entire process easy for them.
Can you explain how Parlay’s software helps the online bingo sites in developing a unique personality? What are the challenges in doing the same?
Parlay5 offers the operator the most promotional real estate and flexibility in the industry. This new innovation was designed to give the operator total flexibility in relation to branding games and sites. Creating a fresh look and feel for a site develops it’s personality to players. Parlay5 software offers operators the ability to market, brand and theme any of their bingo rooms without additional customisation from us. They can update their sites as often as they want – without our help – giving the operator complete control. This is a key feature to get that unique feel that players want in their online community and only each operator knows what they will want to do in terms of marketing. Players want to feel comfortable and have a sense of belonging and developing something unique gives that to them.
The larger land-based operators have built their own operations in-house rather than white-labelling. Considering that the overhead of managing this is high do you think some of these operators are going to struggle with technology developments and growth?
Yes. This is always the challenge when determining whether to buy or build. Generally speaking the large brands run their businesses with a view of having complete control over the business and the intellectual property. We have spent the better part of 10 years learning from our mistakes. A fully scalable Internet bingo product is a difficult technology offering to develop – primarily because of its multi-player nature. The road is littered with companies that have attempted to build their own technology offerings and have failed. There is no question that some operators will face challenges in the years to come.
Operators are looking at retaining their customers via offerings such as bingo bonus systems, VIP rooms and proactive live chat based on bingo playing behaviour. How do you assess such developments?
Bonus systems and chat rooms are the back bone of the bingo site. Players have come to expect bonuses being awarded, but that does not mean they will go to a site solely for that reason. The bingo chat room creates the atmosphere players look for in a site. The community is the most important aspect on a site and that will not change – however we see a new generation in sophisticated loyalty programs as a product requirement in the years to come. Most bingo operators believe that VIP programs are loyalty rewards programs. They are not.
Bingo operators in the most part are seduced by the thrill of new player acquisitions. However, there is a school of thought that suggest bingo players are not keen on, for example, collecting points that they can later be redeemed for cash or prizes and products. Do you agree with this?
No. Adding anything to the social networking value proposition of a bingo site will only help retain existing players. As is the case with any business, your best customer is the one you already have.
