What were Altenar's major highlights in 2020?
Despite the pandemic that affected all of us, if we exclude the months when there were no games, I can say that Altenar kept growing. We launched some interesting new projects this year in several countries, and we’re starting to see promising results now.
Given that Altenar is a provider of sportsbook software and services to licensed gaming operators, could you detail how customer demand shifted when the first lockdown measures were implemented across the globe? What are operators currently demanding?
I would say that each market, each region, has its own characteristics. When the first lockdown started, we saw land-based operators facing nearly zero income. At the same time, online operations managed to retain part of their business or, in some cases, even increase their volumes.
During that time, we saw some operators shut down their operations. Some providers didn’t want to listen to customer requests or offer any support. We listened to our customers, and even though we were in a difficult position ourselves, where possible, we did our best to accommodate their needs.
Which are currently the most popular products and services offered by Altenar?
Altenar’s main product is our Fully-Managed Sportsbook solution. It is the core of the company. During 2020, we expanded our offering by adding more Virtual games and Esports events from various suppliers to differentiate our portfolio of solutions.
Do you believe customers are noticing changes in terms of the age, gender, etc., of their target audience?
The audience is changing. Faster and more accessible internet connections allow more people to access different forms of entertainment—and betting is one of them. Operators must understand that they are not only competing against each other, but also against other media platforms like Netflix and Amazon. They must acknowledge this and tailor their offerings to attract users to spend more time on their websites rather than shopping on Amazon.
In what other ways do you believe the online, mobile, and land-based verticals have changed as a consequence of COVID-19?
I believe that many land-based operators have come to understand the necessity of diversifying their offerings by expanding into online. This is the area where I’ve seen the most change over the past six months.
Could you detail Altenar’s plans for the remainder of 2020 and into next year?
We have launched our new Sportsbook software, which allows operators to access a renewed set of tools. By 2021, we’re working on another project I cannot disclose yet, which will provide even more flexibility than what we currently offer. In the coming days, we will go live with a land-based Peruvian casino as part of a new partnership. We are also launching several exciting new projects in LATAM that will be live by the end of the year. We continue to grow and expand our presence across South America and Europe.
