As we prepare for the 2024 AskGamblers Awards, we start with our traditional series of interviews with last year’s winners. We talked to Srdjan Kapor, Head of Affiliation & Acquisition at BitStarz Casino. BitStarz won the Best Casino Award at the AskGamblers Awards last year and they’re hoping to repeat this time around. Kapor shared some exciting insights and principles that made them successful, so there’s a lot to take away from it, so let’s jump right to it:
At BitStarz Casino, we didn’t expect to win anything, so getting the award wasn’t just a big honour but also a huge surprise to say the least! I think the first award really inspired us to work harder, and served as a huge motivator for us to be even better. We really felt we had to live up to the expectations that came with the award and that’s what we’ve been doing ever since.
I’m not gonna lie, that would be absolutely amazing. To be very honest, our main focus has always (and always will be) been on delivering a really good product to our players. But of course, if we’re able to defend the title, we’ll be extremely proud and grateful for that.
I couldn’t agree more with that statement. If you’re ahead, that automatically means that everyone else is out to take your spot. If you’re running a marathon and you’re in the lead, the only focus the rest have is to beat you, and they will work extremely hard to do so. I therefore believe that it’s vital that we always keep that in mind, and use that as a motivator to keep pushing.
It’s important to stay humble and constantly look for improvements and what exciting new features we can come up with. If your mindset is that you’re the best out there, you’ve already lost. It’s important for us to not just motivate but also scrutinise ourselves and everything we do, so we can provide the best product possible.
First and foremost, my advice to other casinos seeking success is to prioritise honesty and integrity with their players. Without trust, you’re nothing. We have to bear in mind that many casinos offer the same things. Same games, payment options, bonuses, etc. But none of that actually matters unless you’re reliable and trustworthy.
A casino can offer a 1000% on first deposit but if they cannot cash out because the casino is making it extremely difficult, that 1000% bonus isn’t worth anything. I’m not gonna say that what I say is the holy gospel, and I’m sure that everyone has their own opinion, but mine is that if you want longevity in this business, you have to be transparent, honest and trustworthy. Your reputation is everything.
For me, an award is only as good as the institution giving it out. That’s why we’re so proud of receiving awards from AskGamblers. As you guys have been one of the pillars for player arbitration and a meeting ground for casino players from all over the world, it gives a lot of credibility to all the awards you give out.
PS: You also throw the best awards parties, and I appreciate being able to dress up like James Bond.
It’s fair to say that all businesses will change one way or another, and the casino industry is no different, of course. Everyone loves to throw out buzzwords like AI and Machine Learning, but I think it’s important to pair those terms with something tangible and see them as a supporting tool rather than relying on them to be autonomous.
I also want to keep my job and not be replaced by ChatGPT, of course. But I think it’s fair to say that we need to really see the individual and refrain from looking at too wide groups. Because, let’s face it, we are all different, and utilising AI and Machine Learning to actually pay attention to and act on individual player needs and preferences is the key to making any business successful.
It was the founder of McDonalds who said “Look after the customer and the business will take care of itself.”
After a decade in the industry, one of our most significant challenges is striking the balance between staying innovative while remaining true to our core identity. Our founding principles will always be true: great support, reliability and trust.
It’s worth mentioning that once we’ve launched a new feature, we immediately have to start thinking about the next one. If you stagnate, you’re already two years behind everyone, so it’s constant innovation that is the challenge. It’s not just for the sake of innovation; it’s innovation that is appealing.
We’re committed to maintaining our position at the top, and one of our most exciting recent developments is our BitStarz Original feature called Jackpotz Mania. This innovative concept allows players to get a free chance of winning one out of two jackpots – every day.
We’re convinced that for many people, the idea of a jackpot is extremely appealing as you don’t need to have a huge bankroll to win big. At BitStarz, we’ve taken it one step further by giving people a chance to win these jackpots with no bankroll at all.
A lot of the inspiration comes from social casinos. Despite not needing a bankroll you can heavily increase your chances of winning by becoming a depositing player. There’s so many other elements to this original feature that you’re encouraged to check out (and play your daily jackpot spins of course). But to make a long story short, it’s a beautiful merge of social and traditional casinos.
Of course, we’re having a lot more projects in the pipeline I wish I could share, but then I wouldn’t have an excuse to try to come back for a future interview, haha.
We want to thank Srdjan Kapor for taking the time and everyone else at BitStarz Casino, who join our awards winners. We wish them and all the other casinos the best of luck at this year’s AskGamblers Awards.