Peter Nolte, Salsa Technology CEO For the UK bingo community, 2020 has been a year of overcoming challenges. The offline bingo world has been rocked with the five-month closure of bingo halls. Meanwhile, the online bingo sphere continues to show growth, but under the watchful eye of the UKGC.
For Salsa technology, formerly known as Patagonia Entertainment, this year has seen some exciting new partnerships and releases. Most recently, the Brazil-based company released its latest online bingo game, Crystal Monsters Bingo, to strong critical acclaim.
BingoDaily got the chance to catch up with Peter Nolte, Salsa Technology's likeable CEO, and talk bingo. Here's our conversation:
BD: Salsa Technology has established itself as one of the best bingo content creators in the world, how did this specialty come about?
Peter Nolte: My personal history and iGaming knowledge derives from Bingo and that formed the foundation for Salsa Technology. Brazil first welcomed gaming in 1994 after a new law and regulation framework was introduced for the region.
Salsa Technology’s roots are in Bingo and from that we had the foundation to drive the market. We haven’t looked back since we took the decision to build the very best HTML5 Bingo games, known as Video Bingos.
Our Video Bingo games stand out from the competition not only thanks to their quality, but because they are games designed from scratch for the Latin American market. We take into account the tastes of the players, as well as the limitations (connection speed, etc.) that exist in the different regions of Latin America.
Salsa Technology
BD: What challenges do content creators face in 2020?
Content creators face the constant challenge of making games that players love and being ahead of the curve. Behaviours change significantly through LatAm and those who understand what players really want, will be best placed to succeed. Bingo is a community game and we’re seeing the convergence of online and social gaming. The new world needs new generation games and that is what Salsa Technology strives to deliver with every release. Games must appeal to new players and game creators cannot rely on just rolling out tired versions as they will quickly become irrelevant.
BD: How has the coronavirus impacted Salsa Technology?
As a business the negative impact of the pandemic has been limited and we have actually benefited as people look for at-home-entertainment. The pandemic has shown the importance of having a diverse offering and not solely focusing on sports betting, as many operators have tended to do. As sports were struck from the calendar the importance of casino and localised games accelerated dramatically. Localised games, such as Video Bingos for LatAm, were in huge demand and that’s Salsa Technology’s core strength.
BD: The Latam market remains an enigma for many gambling brands, why is the Latam market so hard to crack?
LatAm is a hugely exciting region and there is huge potential still to be realised. Making a success of the market relies on local knowledge and experience. Operators must adapt to the varying player preferences to deliver a unique, localised user experience. LatAm is not one market, but many individual ones that each have their own characteristics and nuances. We have vast experience in LatAm and know what makes players tick.
BD: Which trends can you see affecting gaming over the next few years?
Regulation will continue to play the leading role in helping realise the vast potential in LatAm. It allows companies to follow the appropriate steps in a clear and transparent manner. With further regulation on the horizon, Brazil is being viewed as the great opportunity as it has the largest population in the region and has a rich history in gaming. Another benefit of proper regulation is increased taxes for Governments to reinvest within the country to help industries which have been adversely affected by the pandemic.
Convergence to social will be the way to attract a new generation of players. Slot titles need to be more fun and as engaging as the social games which are becoming ever more popular. At Salsa Technology we are developing new games with social and engagement features to make players feel more connected.
BD: Are there plans for any more partnerships or game releases?
Salsa Technology’s creative studio will be releasing more Video Bingos during 2020 and will also be turning its attention to our inaugural slot title. We’re very excited about this prospect as it will further diversify our offering. On top of this, Salsa Technology recently acquired a new gaming studio in Brazil, called WILD RABBIT that will prioritize the development of localized slot games. The newest game to be launched this month is PILE IT UP which offers a unique player experience. New slot games will be launched before the end of the year, and all will be automatically available through the Salsa Technology Game Aggregation Platform (GAP).
BD: Finally, How do you see the UK online bingo market?
The UK Bingo market is more mature when compared to Latin America. The games here tend to be focused more on the social element and the themes are a reflection of local trends. This is where Salsa Technology has concentrated its creative energies and the results have brought rich rewards.
The BingoDaily team thank Peter and Salsa Technology and look forward to reporting more Salsa Technology success.
Ben has been an massive bingo enthusiast and fan since playing at the seaside as a kid. Dedicated to bringing you the latest and best bingo news from the UK
