Livespins CCO Michael Pedersen walks us through the company, the very origins of the project, its success with top-flight iGaming brands, and the recent partnership opportunities Livespins has been able to claw for itself. The innovative model has captivated audiences, enabling Livespins to continue revolutionizing the way people consume and enjoy slot gaming. Speaking of the limitless opportunities the model creates, Pedersen walked us through what we should know about Livespins as of today.
Q: Can you tell us a bit more about how the idea behind Livespins came to be and where do you find yourself after you originally launched?
Livespins was launched with the sole purpose of leveraging the meteoric rise of online slot streaming and allowing operators and game studios to get in on the action in a way that was not possible before we made our debut. We knew that players had a big appetite for slot streaming – in 2021, more than 280 million hours of streaming were consumed in the slots category on Twitch alone and the chat function is always on fire with audiences communicating with each other and the streamer.
This stood as our proof of concept, but we wanted to take this to the next level which is why we allow those watching the stream to also bet behind the action taking place on the reels. This allows operators and game developers to monetize, but unlike Twitch and streaming affiliates, this is done within a reputable, compliant platform. We really believe this is the future of not only slot streaming but ultimately live casinos, and we are going all in.
Since we announced Livespins in October 2021, we have gone live with the popular online casino brand CasinoFriday where the early data and performance stats have surpassed all expectations. We have also integrated a large number of studios including the likes of Yggdrasil Gaming, iSoftBet, Kalamba, Fantasma Games, Playson, and more.
Q: You have been signing a number of new companies over the past several weeks, and even days. Can you tell us how important are such gaming partnerships for you?
Studio partnerships are incredibly important to Livespins. Content is crucial to the popularity and success of any slot stream and that is why we are looking to work with the best developers in the business. To thrill and excite their audiences, streamers must-play slots that provide explosive action with each spin. That’s not to say it is all about hitting bonuses and landing big wins, just that the gameplay needs to be captivating. By partnering with a wide range of studios, our streamers can access a selection of quality slots and play the ones that best meet the expectations of their audiences.
Q: Where does the customer benefit in opting for the Livespins experience and how is it different than other online casino gaming?
We see Livespins as an entirely new way for players to experience online casino. Instead of just watching a casino streamer, players can now join the action and bet behind the streamer and do so together with many other players on the same spin. This creates a group bet and a shared, social experience where each player can select their bet value and the number of spins. Players are no longer happy sitting at home spinning the reels and are seeking social gambling experiences – Livespins is the first to provide this in the online casino space via a reputable, regulated platform and product.
Q: Do you reckon your model has still room for big innovation and if so, where do you see those opportunities available?
Absolutely. The Livespins revolution has only just gotten underway, and we are working on some incredible innovations as we look to build even more value into the platform for operators, streamers, studios, and, most importantly, players. This includes onboarding additional casino game categories, additional bet formats, and a constant focus on adding engagement features to the product. We are also exploring how to help operators bring more entertainment into their casino lobbies as opposed to pure gameplay, a format we expect a lot from in the coming months and years. Livespins is essentially putting a broadcast studio into the operator’s lobby and the opportunities this creates are literally limitless.
Q: What is Livespins immediate goals and do you have a clear roadmap as to what you want to achieve in 2022?
We are now live with our first operator and preparing to launch additional brands in the upcoming weeks, so all immediate focus is on delivering a core product in a great way to our early brands. Inevitably there are curveballs to navigate when launching a product that has never been done before, so we put our focus and energy into our core product first and foremost. In addition, we are currently going through several licensing processes and continue to onboard additional game studios and partnerships with operators across the globe. There is a lot to do and it will be a busy year for sure.