Exclusive interview – Dinos Stranomitis, COO and co-founder of Altenar, reflects on the future of the industry and the path ahead for the company.
Over its decade in business, Altenar has earned a reputation as a flexible and versatile online sportsbook provider, adapting to meet the needs of customers in a variety of markets.
So where does it go from here? The biggest challenge will be meeting the increased demand, says COO and co-founder Dinos Stranomitis, in a new interview with Focus Gaming News.
It’s important to understand the post-COVID landscape, Stranomitis says, noting that things have changed more than we sometimes realize. Some companies struggled, but Altenar is “here and much stronger than before.”
“We have moved to an online-mandatory approach.”
Dinos Stranomitis, COO and co-founder of Altenar
“What’s coming after the recovery is a completely different world than what existed before,” Stranomitis says. “We’re not going back to 2019. On the contrary, we’re moving forward ten or fifteen years. Nothing is the same.”
“We have health protocols. We have different approaches to doing business. Even very traditional institutions learned how to work remotely. People now have a different approach to everyday life. Personal freedom has changed dramatically—not necessarily for better or worse, just different.”
He notes that people have become more agile and business-oriented, and perhaps most importantly for the industry, online has become mandatory.
Expanding Markets
Altenar has pushed ahead with new developments during this period, including going live in Colombia with Betsson. However, the largest portion of its business still lies in Europe, especially in Italy, Spain (where it has two new partnerships coming), Belgium, the UK, Sweden, Denmark, Latvia, and Bulgaria, where it leads the market.
In Latin America, Altenar is going live with several smaller operators across various countries to build a solid regional presence.
And what about the U.S.? Stranomitis admits it’s the question he gets asked the most.
“The U.S. is something for the future,” he says. “We just don’t have a date yet.”
He adds: “I believe that a customer must have a need to invest. I don’t believe investment brings business. I believe business brings investment.”
The challenge for 2022? Managing increased demand. Altenar is growing rapidly year over year at a time when “everything is urgent.”
Now with a staff of around 240, Stranomitis says the company is constantly recruiting. Another major challenge is working efficiently with the banking system—an area where Altenar is placing a strong emphasis on compliance.
Future Products and the Importance of Data
Altenar has a robust roadmap, and Stranomitis highlights the growing importance of data. One major development on the horizon is the company’s own pricing models. This will be a significant leap forward for a sportsbook provider that already boasts its own bet builder and a 65-person trading team.
“Altenar is planning to have its own pricing models very soon,” Stranomitis says. “I think this will give us a level of independence that will definitely take us to the next level.”
“We’re moving very fast when it comes to big data analysis,” he adds.
“When you log in to the website, you should see what you usually look for, not a standard layout we decide to show you. Algorithms will decide what content to deliver to each user. That’s what’s coming.”
Check out the full interview with Dinos Stranomitis on the Focus Gaming News YouTube channel. Don’t forget to subscribe!
