Evoplay: "Our aim is to make iGaming more diverse and provide players with exciting new entertainment experiences"

At this year’s SBC Summit in Lisbon, Evoplay marked its eighth anniversary while outlining its priorities for the months ahead. The company used the event to meet with partners from Latin America and Europe, highlight a slate of new titles, and reflect on the milestones that have shaped its growth.

In this interview with Yogonet, Alex Malchenko, Head of Sales at Evoplay, discusses the company's expansion into new markets, the balance between classic and experimental formats, and what the next stage of its journey might look like.

What were Evoplay’s main goals at this year’s SBC Summit? Are there specific markets or products you prioritised during the show?

For Evoplay, this year is all about expanding in the right markets, and Latin America is a top priority for us. During the SBC Summit in Lisbon, we had several meetings scheduled with regional partners, providing an excellent opportunity to meet face-to-face. There's something about talking in person that makes a big difference; you can explain ideas more clearly, gauge reactions, and showcase our games live. It just helps to forge those genuine connections that online calls can’t quite match.

SBC Summit is also the place where, year after year, we meet many of our European partners, as well as colleagues from other regions. Most of them are regular visitors, and it’s always good to catch up, talk through what’s working, and make plans for what’s ahead.

On the product side, we had a lot to showcase this year, from favourites like Chosen by the Gods and Hot Triple Sevens, as well as their sequels, to newer titles like Oath of Steel and Instant Soccer. And, a real highlight was Adrenaline Rush: Scratch, our first-ever lottery-style game.

What also made the event memorable for us was sharing Evoplay’s eighth anniversary with our partners and friends in the circle. It was about marking the moment together, in a place full of energy and new ideas. For me, the highlight was a reminder that while numbers and performance matter, this industry is really about relationships and enjoying the journey together.

Evoplay is celebrating its 8th birthday this year. Looking back, what are some of the most significant milestones that shaped the company, and what's your own personal history working for the company?

The first point I’d emphasise is building our core portfolio of classic, innovative games. We then expanded into more unusual formats, such as the first-ever RPG-inspired slot, Dungeon: Immortal Evil, followed by Star Guardians, which drew heavily on the video gaming world, and later our flagship Adrenaline Rush, the first-ever 3D racing title with manual control in iGaming.

I’d also like to highlight the growth of our instant games portfolio. That’s been a milestone in itself, as it’s the area where we experiment the most and see real potential to bring the next generation of players into iGaming.

Reflecting on my journey at the company, when I joined, I knew Evoplay was already a well-established and innovative company, but I couldn’t have imagined how far it would go. Back then, it already felt advanced, with fresh ideas and a strong team. Looking back now, I can see just how much further we’ve come, our games are more original, our planning sharper, and our projects with partners deeper and bolder. Every part of the company has moved forward.

These days, our focus is on scaling and on projects where we can add our own twist. Sometimes that means shaping classic formats, such as lotteries and bingo, and other times it’s about creating something completely different. What I really enjoy at Evoplay is that there isn’t just one path; there are lots of directions to grow, and we dive into all of them with real energy.

This eighth year has seen Evoplay further grow its footprint, entering new regulated markets such as Peru and Ontario. What can you tell us about these milestones and the company's broader expansion strategy?

Expanding Evoplay’s presence globally has always been part of our growth strategy. Entering the Canadian market this year marks a significant milestone for us, as it was a primary goal, and the team has put considerable effort into making it happen. With its thriving trend and large scale, the Canadian market is certainly promising, with Ontario’s regulated iGaming sector already reporting around $3.2 billion in revenue for 2024-25.

At the same time, strengthening our presence in Latin America by launching in Peru was also very important. Every market, including these new ones, is an opportunity for us. Each one teaches us something, helps us improve, sparks new ideas and projects, and pushes us to be more inventive. Our aim is to make iGaming more diverse and provide players with exciting new entertainment experiences by giving them access to our high-quality portfolio. This means that every time we enter a new market or expand in one we’re already in, it really counts.

As you pointed out, Evoplay has been experimenting with new formats in titles such as Adrenaline Rush: Scratch. How do you strike the balance between innovating with fresh formats and delivering the classic experiences that players still demand?

For us, balancing is about creating something that will really strike a chord while experimenting with new formats, such as Adrenaline Rush: Scratch. We know that iGaming players’ tastes vary significantly: a more mature audience often prefers classics, while younger players tend to lean toward fast-paced, action-packed gameplay. We try to offer both, and sometimes meet them right in the middle.

iGaming is all about opportunity, creativity, and taking chances. By blending familiar experiences with a touch of innovation, we aim to satisfy those seeking something new, while still honouring the classics. To strike the right balance, we rely on in-depth analysis, ongoing dialogue with our partners, rigorous testing, and close monitoring of trends. Ultimately, it enables us to surprise the industry, attract more players to our gaming adventures, and spark genuine interest among our partners.

Earlier this year, you launched Evoplay’s biggest promotion to date. What impact has it had on player engagement and brand visibility? Do you plan to build on this momentum with more large-scale promotions in the near future?

Launching such a large-scale campaign like Big Adventures has been a completely new experience for us, as we’ve never done anything like this before. We are already seeing very positive results, with increased player engagement and excellent feedback from our partners.

I’d also like to emphasise that the campaign has boosted our brand awareness, which is another significant benefit. We’ve noticed that more and more partners are showing interest in our promotional tools, even those who hadn’t engaged with our campaigns before are now reaching out, asking questions, and clarifying the details. That’s really inspiring and motivating!

Naturally, we plan to run more campaigns like this in the future, and we’ll remain flexible with their content and scale. Since the campaign spans over nine months, we’ll only be able to conduct a complete analysis at the end, which will provide the insights we need to shape future campaigns of a similar scale.

Evoplay was nominated for Casino / Slots Developer of the Year at the SBC Awards in Lisbon. How do awards and nominations influence your brand’s reputation and future roadmap?

Firstly, this is one of the top awards in iGaming, and being nominated with so many strong competitors is already something the team can be really proud of. Beyond the honour, it gives us a real boost to keep creating exciting experiences and fresh ideas that keep players coming back and make partners eager to work with us. For the team, it’s an extra source of motivation to work even harder, continually develop, and come up with fresh concepts for games and campaigns.

And now, with the SBC Summit closing with Evoplay being named Industry Innovation of the Year, we’re beyond proud of this achievement. It’s a true recognition of our innovative vision and the team’s creativity.

What can players and partners expect from Evoplay in the remainder of the year?

For us, the rest of the year is about delivering on our plans, from achieving business goals and launching new games to expanding into new markets, including the Czech Republic and Spain.

Players can look forward to fresh and engaging titles, and we also have several significant projects in progress that will not only introduce something new to the industry but also include a few surprises. Some of these might begin to reveal themselves before the year ends, though not necessarily fully, so it’s definitely worth watching what’s coming next.

What does Evoplay’s next phase of growth look like?

For us, the next phase is all about being bold, curious, and ambitious. It means creating fresh, diverse games, launching player-focused campaigns, working closely with our partners, and exploring new areas of iGaming that excite us. With the experience we’ve gained and the energy of our team, I am genuinely excited to see how far we can go next.