Casino July-Aug 08 P30 24/6/08 11:33 Page 30
CRYPTOLOGIC
Cryptologic
Cryptologic develops and licenses online gambling software, and are
loved by players for their Marvel character-based games. The company
is pushing for new business though, as Justin Thouin, VP of Product
Management and Business Development told Casino International.
Cryptologic’s
Justin Thouin
C
ryptologic responded the the US online Poker into India, until that point they’re going to be
gaming market shutdown by simply marketing to Indians from all over the world.
focussing on its growth elsewhere. Also what you’ve seen from us recently is the
Recent months have seen a flurry of launch of our most recent game pack, Avenue Games,
activity at the company, so we spoke with highlighted by Street Fighter II, which we licensed
Justin Thouin to find out exactly what's what. exclusively from Capcom. The game has done
phenomenally so far, Street Fighter II really did
Casino International: Cryptologic has been very change the way video games are played and kind of
busy recently – tell us about it. create the fighting genre within the video game
Justin Thouin: We have been busy, and it’s part of space, and we think we’ve created a great slot;
our new strategy. In the past when the US was open Capcom’s happy, our licensees are ecstatic, the
for business with respect to online gaming, players are loving it. Alongside of that we launched
Cryptologic was very focused on having a small four games that are linked by a four-level jackpot,
number of licensees and providing them with the Cryptologic’s first four-level jackpot, called the Movie
absolute best product, be it casino Poker or business Mayhem slot. Players are loving it so far.
services, in the world, and what we’ve seen is since
the US has closed, the European and UK CI: With the closure of the US market for online
marketplaces have become far more competitive. To gaming, how hard were you hit as a company?
grow at the rate our company wants to grow at, which JT: Extremely hard. We lost 30 per cent of our
is over 20 per cent revenue in earnings annually, we revenue, and we lost 70 per cent of our earnings so it
found we needed to extend the distribution of our was a very big adjustment for us but we’ve changed
products because our current licensees simply aren’t our strategy and we’re adding new licensees to the
able to grow at that rapid a rate in the more mix, we’re targeting more geographies and in terms of
competitive landscape. Our large strategic the US, I think there’s light at the end of the tunnel
imperatives are now to extend the distribution of our but we not banking on it. If the US happens that’s
product. Take for example the partnership with kind of our cherry on the top of our sundae, but
888.com – we’ve taken some of the world's best we’re not expecting it.
games, leveraging the partnership we have with I would suggest that in the next five years you’ll see
Marvel and casual games like Cupid and Bejewelled legalised gaming again in the US, in what form you
and proprietary games, we’ve created Millionaire's would have the licences in that is anybody’s guess.
Club, that’s created the largest jackpot winner in There’s a lot of pressure on the US government to
history at over eight million. regulate online gaming and to legislate it so that the
In addition to that has been further new partners US will benefit from legal online gaming taxation.
for us. We signed up OPoker which we think is going
to add significantly to our Poker liquidity or our CI: Has the company's attitude changed with that?
shared Poker network. We’re confident that they’re JT: We’ve really focused on our current licensees
going to be a success. There’s been two other new and not adding anyone else, but we want to move
customers that we launched: one is Maharaja Club, forward while being flexible, being customer-centric
and we’re excited about that because we got them on and being able to provide the best gaming solutions
board from one of our competitors. It's a site that to target operators' gaming needs so what if they
targets South East Asian expatriates and they’ve need a full turnkey solution for our marketing, plus
created quite a community, and we’re very pleased to our games, customer service, cashier, we can offer any
be launching casino Poker with them. Finally or all of that to customers. We’re being more active as
KhelGalli, which is our first real Asian licensee and an agency, you’ll see us advertising more, you’re
they're going to be targeting the Indian market. going to see us at shows… Cryptologic is back but
They're anticipating receiving a licence from the we’re not going to change, creating the most
Indian Government to legally offer online casino innovative and player-loved games in the industry.
30 JULY/AUGUST 2008
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