iGP: Redefining strategy

The last six months or so has been a defining period for iGP. As a team we have had to make some brave, strategic decisions to ensure we remain on track with our ultimate aim of being front and centre in the minds of operators in the B2B platform and aggregator space. We made the decision to decommission the white label vertical of iGP, which was an important step to take in order to allow us to focus solely on our B2B offering.

There is an old saying my mother likes to use – “one person cannot sit on two chairs” – and this is true for us. The white label area of our business was very resource intensive and took a great deal of focus from our staff, which meant they were spread thinly and unable to dedicate time to other projects that would help our growth.

Additionally, and something I consider is fundamental to growth, is reviewing and improving internal processes across the business. We have done this to great success at iGP, and this has had a direct impact on our delivery capabilities. We now have the capacity to launch several brands in a matter of weeks and maintain this level of performance to our partner operators, an ability I believe separates us from others.

Expectation

I look at the partnership between an operator and the platform provider as a marriage. It is important to put a lot of effort into understanding what is the best fit for the operator’s vision because no one gets married to get divorced, and in gaming terms divorce is migration, which can be a painful process.

During my time as managing director of a prominent European-facing operator, we spent a great deal of time detailing our requirements to providers. Operators know their brands best, so delivering those insights to suppliers is important because that’s where providers learn how to create a suitable solution.

From an operator’s perspective, for so long there was no variety in processes or offerings, and lifecycles within them were very formulaic. Operators yearned for dynamism, greater variety of products and solutions to satisfy the needs of the modern player, who are provided with nuanced experiences in other industries.

Operators need tech that can perform highly and guide them to their ultimate goals. What I saw is that when operators choose their partner player account management software (PAM) and aggregators correctly, it can solve many of the issues operators face, with a greater emphasis on flexibility allowing them to have greater control of their business. Choose poorly and you don’t hear from those operators again.

There is always a fine balance between how good the technology is versus how fast the delivery is, and from what I have seen there are not many that have both. Depending on the requirements of the operators, they will choose the strengths of a provider that better aligns with their vision or products.

Technology is ever-evolving and ours is a very fast-paced and competitive industry. What meets an operator’s requirements today may be obsolete or inappropriate for the requirements and opportunities that emerge tomorrow, and there can be a race to deliver offerings that appeal to potential partners.

Competition

The igaming industry is one that will always be competitive, such is the constant stream of technological advancements, and this makes for a dynamic and exciting sector as we all compete to better ourselves and drive one another on.

There is a concern there might come a point where the market becomes saturated with platform options, but I don’t believe we will get to this stage. Take game studios as an example, new studios emerge regularly and, while some of the content delivered may be similar, utilising popular themes and mechanics, a diverse range of values and interpretation within each studio offers variety.

I think the same can be said about platform providers. Each one has a different long-term strategy and distinct ideas about who they want to serve and how they want to position themselves. Yes, there are new platforms entering the market, but I believe there is room for competition such is the vast player base, and this is something we welcome as it drives us forward and motivates us.

Remember the player

I believe sometimes there can be too much emphasis placed on the operators and making them happy and not taking the end-users into account. Without players engaging with products or content, we have no industry, so they need to be carefully considered when developing strategies.

Of course, profit for the operator is crucial too, so there is a fine balance to strike, but I do feel greater emphasis needs to be placed on the player, which has been lost.

To be a leading company in this space, you need to be able to deliver the best of both worlds to your partners and I fully believe we do this at iGP. Technology without delivery and vice versa simply just isn’t enough for the modern player.

This is where I believe I have a role to play and with it, iGP.

Jovana Popovic Canaki is the CEO of iGP and an international executive with a career in the gaming industry that spans over 17 years. Regarded for her negotiation skills, business acumen and operational expertise, Canaki has demonstrated an ability to drive growth and success in various leadership roles. She was appointed CEO of iGP in January 2025.