GREENBET: Your primary task is to offer a good product to clients and partners

13.07.2018

Sometimes rebranding is only the tip of the iceberg. A couple of months ago, UB Gaming changed its name to GREENBET and completely reshaped its conception. The organization’s core values currently are legality and client-centeredness. Moreover, the company moved from B2B to B2C. Its top manager Andrey Urekin told the press service of RGW how ex-UB Gaming was reshaping its mission within seven years and why it is ready to share knowledge with young businessmen. The expert also dwelled on foreign clients, cryptocurrencies, and impressions of the twelfth RGW.

Interview: press service of Russian Gaming Week (RGW)
Speaker: Andrey Urekin, Head of Sales Department at UB Gaming/GREENBET (A.U.)

RGW: Your company has been present on the gambling market for 7 years. Tell us please how were the rules of the game changing during this period?

A.U.: Compared to its state seven years ago, the legislative framework is much tougher. Meanwhile, our company gained a solid experience. In Russia, legal functioning of betting operators is a constant compromise between the needs of the target audience and legislation. Within recent years, much stricter regulations have been introduced, which prompted major market players to search for new solutions.

Our company currently works within the legal framework and deals with cutting-edge licensed products corresponding to international standards.

RGW: Why did you decide to change the brand’s name from UB Gaming to GREENBET?

A.U.: Rebranding is the tip of the iceberg. The main point lies in our moving towards openness and transparency, particularly, our company has launched a completely legal betting website greenbet.ru. Here, we offer diversified content that fully complies with the law.

RGW: Which trends in betting services promoting do you see nowadays? Which advertisement campaign is the most effective?

A.U.: In terms of the legislation, betting services can be placed on sports websites. That is why we can see ads on large online platforms, partnership with media holdings often with celebrities as guests. Meanwhile, so-called viral marketing has become widespread nowadays. There’s no shortage of betting ads in social networks, streaming services, even on the resources having nothing to do with gambling. Late night TV and contextual advertising is also very popular. Everything depends on the company’s tasks and possibilities.

It’s difficult to say which channel is the most effective. Your primary task is to offer a good product to clients and sponsors. Their positive feedback would be the best endorsement.

RGW: You are a frequent visitor at European gambling events. Are there any differences between the conferences held in the CIS and Western Europe? Where people are more open to new acquaintances and business partnership?

A.U.: Yes, we used to travel a lot for exhibitions, but within recent years, the Russian market has become our primary focus. All in all, the format of exhibitions remains similar, the only aspect that differs is their scale. Organizers of international events tend to welcome more exhibitors than Russia, particularly in the gambling-friendly countries.

Concerning people’s openness: a country doesn’t matter though product demand does. In order to make your product sought-after, tons of time is needed to investigate the local market. That’s the reason why our company decided to focus on Russia. We’ve changed our strategy and chose a B2C approach. Our company intends to develop its products by focusing on players’ needs. After all, products’ manufacturers as well as partners pursue the same target – please their player. We chose this target, and our player is Russian.

RGW: How many foreign clients do you have?

A.U.: We really have foreign clients, but their number is considerably lower than the Russians’. I have already explained why the situation is like this. We pursue the following target: provision of all-round upmarket products, which requires the involvement of many market research experts. Currently, we focus on the Russian market; in the future, maybe, we will expand our expertise.

RGW: Do you accept cryptocurrency bets? If not, do you plan to start?

A.U.: We don’t work with cryptocurrency. At least, right now. That is partly due to the legislation issues: cryptocurrency still does not have an official status. Since GREENBET works within the legal framework, we try to stay clear of disputes and conflicts at state level. As soon as crypto transactions are legal, we will weigh this possibility. By the way, our primary audience comprises players that come to our clubs, and I doubt whether a half of them has a pair of bitcoins on hand.

RGW: Tell us please about your GREENBET product. What is its peculiarity and what differs it from other similar products on the market?

A.U.: As we’ve stated before, the whole organization is currently at the stage of rebranding. GREENBET is now its basic name, and the brand book has prevailing bright and warm colors to create right associations: we are not in the basement but in open space ready for cooperation and fruitful work. There’s nothing to conceal and hide, we operate within the legal framework.

The peculiarities of our products: currently, they are PABK (a software and hardware betting complex) and Quick bets with many various visualizations and such original gambling content as Penalty and a Quick bets line. A Jackpot function can be set by each individual partner depending on their needs and the strategy of betting shop managing.

Line + is one of the latest products allowing partners to display up to four lines together on PABK’s betting terminals. It has inbuilt marketing support to carry out more drawing all over the network. Meanwhile, our partners don’t need to fork out for large prizes, and all players wherever they live in Russia can win a great prize.

So, our primary strength is client-centeredness.

RGW: What did you present at RGW?

A.U.: At RGW, we presented the products and solutions I’ve mentioned before. Our task was to show our partners that the process of betting shop establishment can be legal, simple, with no high investments. Our company was the first to find out the prospects of franchising in betting industry. Compared to franchise in the beauty or fast food industry, we definitely possess all-round better positions. A quick payoff period (2-4 months), marketing support in any Russian region. We are a reliable partner, multiple awards and continuing partners prove it. At RGW, or organization presented a new conception, a motto ‘We offer innovations, maintain traditions, and determine the future’ as well as an updated logo. We also announced a new sports line to be launched in January 2019 and demonstrated a new format of cooperation for all active investors: ‘GREENBET identification points’.

GREENBET also announced two new programs for continuing partners: GREENBET Affiliates and ‘Loyalty program’. They both are aimed at additional rewarding as well as a special status and privileges. When greenbet.ru is run in mid-June 2018, our partners and we will break new ground.

GREENBET remembers potential clients of its platform and developed a trade-in program offering extremely favorable conditions for those who want to change a licensee.

RGW: What are your impressions of the exhibition? What was new and memorable for you?

A.U.: The exhibition produced the most positive impressions on me. It was a nice surprise to receive Betting Awards in the nomination ‘The Innovator of the Year in the Bookmaker Industry’. Our company also found interesting the speakers at the open lecture zone. Particularly, the presentations dedicated to blockchain, website network defense, and benefits of digital marketing. We enjoyed a cozy atmosphere, relaxing and informative communication with the guests of our stand.

All in all, it’s great that Russia holds such events as Russian Gaming Week. This proves the progressiveness of the Russian gambling business. I wish we had more similar exhibitions.