By Ulises Gil, journalist at G&M News.
How would you describe the current state of the iGaming industry, and what opportunities do you see today for content providers like your company?
The industry is in a very interesting phase: there is more supply than ever and a lot of noise, but also a growing demand for experiences that truly entertain. For a provider like Mancala, the opportunity lies in going beyond “just another slot” and delivering content with identity, rhythm, and tools that help operators move real metrics. Today, catalogs are saturated, so what wins is what engages, retains, and can be activated through smart campaigns. That’s where our gamification and bonus tools play a key role.
The brand has positioned itself through innovation and proprietary game development. What are the key factors to creating content that truly connects with players?
First, emotions. A game has to feel alive: art, music, and narrative that pull you in, not just a repetitive spin loop. Second, intentional math, so the game has a clear entertainment curve and memorable moments. And third, engagement layers such as progression systems and triggers that make players feel they are “advancing,” not just spinning. That combination is what turns a launch into a habit.
From your experience, how has operators demands evolved in terms of quality, customization, and game performance?
The shift is clear: operators are no longer just looking for content, they are looking for performance. They want games with a strong identity, but above all, tools that allow them to activate and segment promotions, improve retention, and do it fast, without long development cycles. That’s why offering ready-to-run gamification and bonus features, based on automatic triggers, has become so relevant.
What role do you see technology and data analysis will play in product development over the next few years?
It will be central. Not only to measure results, but to design better products from the start: understanding patterns by player type, session behavior, mechanics, volatility, and bonus activation. Technology will also be key to ensuring seamless experiences across devices and making engagement tools more powerful and easier to operate. AI will increasingly be part of this process, mainly as a support layer -optimization, modeling, and internal efficiency- without replacing human judgment.
What are Mancala Gaming’s main expectations for this year, and which areas will be the focus to continue growing globally?
This year, the focus is very clear: scaling distribution, entering several key regulated markets, launching solid content, and continuing to enhance our engagement layers. We are strongly pushing gamification applied with real results, and reinforcing our presence at key operator-focused events, such as G&M Events Mexico, where we discussed how to drive engagement that truly retains players and how to optimize retention without over-bonusing.