GPWA Times Magazine - Issue 34 - February 2016

Before joining mFortune Partners, you worked in marketing for NERO Pipeline Connections. Tell us everything you know about pipes. I was the Marketing and Business Development Manager for three and a half years at NERO and worked for the largest machine tool manufacturer in the world prior to that. Stainless steel pipes are a huge part of the chemical, pharmaceutical, water, marine, hydraulic and pneumatic industries, to name but a few. If you ever need to know the difference between a flange and a ball valve, just give me a call. You signed on with mFortune just a few months ago. What attracted to you to the online gambling industry, and to mFor- tune specifically? The first time I spoke to mFortune I knew it was the job I wanted and the company that I wanted to work for. They are more than just a gambling company; they are an innovative technol- ogy company. I am interested in gambling and I am interested in technology, so it was a perfect fit. What did your family think when you told them you were going to work in the on- line gambling industry? I think the com- pany I was working for was more impor- tant to them than what type of industry it was in. All my family were very happy for me; they knew I wasn’t destined to stay in the engineering industry forever. What are some of the major differences between working in the online gambling industry and working in the stainless pipeline products industry? Obviously the products couldn’t be further apart, but generally the goals of most companies are similar: We want success for ourselves and for our partners. I believe marketing boils down to a few core concepts that can be adapted to any industry. If you mix that with some hard work, then it doesn’t matter what industry it is. Did you get a chance to go to BAC in October? If so, what was your impres- sion? I did make a fleeting visit to BAC; we flew into Berlin in the morning, went to the show then flew back home. Having attended my fair share of exhibitions in the past, I was actually a little under- whelmed. I won’t mention any names, but having spoken to some of the competition it made me feel confident about growing our affiliate program. I have heard very good things about LAC, though, and we will be exhibiting there for the first time in February. When mFortune launched, a mobile-fo- cused online casino was pretty forward- thinking. While I know you’re relatively new to the company, can you describe the evolution of the industry when it comes to smartphones and tablets? mFortune launched in 2008, and our other brand, PocketWin, was launched in 2011. mFortune did the reverse of most compa- nies who expanded their desktop games to mobile. We were totally optimized to mo- bile from the beginning, and then we went to tablet and desktop. We are well ahead of the game when it comes to mobile and guarantee the same immersive gaming experience on all devices. For many years we have been waiting for the technology to catch up to our ambition, and now with the impressive smartphones on the mar- ket it is our time to shine. How does a mobile player differ from a player that is playing on a desktop or laptop? Do they play more often? Are their sessions longer or shorter? Mobile players tend to play in shorter, lower val- ue sessions than desktop players; howev- er, they do play more often. The beauty of mobile gaming is that you can really do it anywhere. If you have 10 minutes to spare on the bus on the way to work, what is to stop you having a few spins? It is more important than ever that players enjoy the experience and are entertained, to keep them coming back. Five years ago, offering a mobile plat- form for casino games was a unique selling point. Now nearly every major site — many of which have huge exist- ing customer bases — offers a mobile platform. How does mFortune compete with the industry’s heaviest hitters? We are 99% mobile-focused, operating all of our games’ own technology. Having 100% control of our own product means we can innovate and pass on these ad- vantages to our partners and customers. Not having to pay license fees on games means higher net values. I don’t think any of our competitors have the flexibility that mFortune enjoys. mFortune designs all of its own games. Why did the company go in this direc- tion, rather than accessing the games libraries of some of the larger software providers in the industry? We are a tech- nology company first, and we want com- plete control over what our players expe- rience so we can be as player-centric as possible. Don’t get me wrong, I am sure there are lots of other good games out there, but we have no intention of becom- ing just a branding company like so many others out there. What games are the most popular among players at mFortune right now? At the moment Cat and Mouse is very popular because of the large progressive jack- pot. I would say our new game Sherlock Holmes: Murdered to Death has been very popular, along with some old fa- vorite slots such as Busta Safe and Viking Storm, and bingo, of course. Generally our newer games have now come of age and taken on a new level of animation and graphic appeal. The terms and conditions at mFortune seem much more player-friendly than many of your competitors’. Not only do you have a £5 no-deposit bonus, but you also allow players to cash out bonuses once the initial deposit and the bonus have been wagered through one time. How can you afford to of- fer such generous terms? Do you see a lot of bonus hunters at the site? The terms are very generous and we often get asked this question. We do take a hit to begin with, but we are a player-focused casino and that helps us retain our play- ers for a long period of time. To be hon- est, we don’t see that many bonus hunt- ers; it isn’t really an issue for us. I think players appreciate the respect we show and generally do not abuse the offers. AFFILIATE MANAGER INTERVIEW SERIES JAMES BORAN mFortune Partners Affiliate Manager Interview Series