Interview with Toni Karapetrov from Habanero

In this Slotsoo exclusive interview Tony Karapetrov, Habanero’s Head of Corporate Communications, took his time to answer our questions regarding the game provider’s background, slot catalogue and future plans. Habanero slots can be found at many European online casinos and are characterized by the distinctive game mechanics they offer. Continue reading to learn more about this hot provider!

Participants

• Interviewer: Maria Johnsson, Slots Expert at Slotsoo
• Interviewee: Toni Karapetrov, Head of Corporate Communications at Habanero

Hi Toni Karapetrov, thank you for doing this interview. Could you give us a TL;DR version of Habanero. When did it start? Where are you based? Why the name Habanero? How many people do you have now? And most importantly, what kind of games do you offer?

Habanero was founded in 2012 and our headquarters are based in Malta, the home of iGaming and a major hub across the globe. We have roughly 200 employees working in Malta and around the world, including Bulgaria and other regions within Europe. In terms of our portfolio, we offer a wide range of exciting themes with a variety of distinctive mechanics, putting Habanero firmly on the map as a world-leading provider of slots.

Also, please tell us a bit about yourself and your background in the online casino industry. Do you like playing slots or how did you end up working with them? How long have you been a part of Habanero Systems Limited?

At Habanero, I work on multiple strategies, bringing these to a global audience and how we can tailor this approach. My job is also to bolster existing and new client partnerships, demonstrating Habanero’s versatility in engaging with old friends and new opportunities.

Before I started at the company, I worked within the customer retention sector. I am glad I made the jump to Habanero when I did as this is a company that is going places, delivering high-level and immersive content to players globally.

You have had an MGA licence since 2021, which allows you to offer your games to casinos on a global scale. Are players from certain countries particularly drawn to your slots or is it very mixed? What would you say the typical Habanero slot player looks like? (Age, sex, location etcetera)

I think players from all regions where we hold an MGA licence are drawn to a host of slot themes that we supply. European players tend to select games that have a more classic feel – the Hold and Win mechanic still resonates with European players on a wider scale so that offering needs to keep being subtly adapted to remain fresh and unique.

Other, newer slots mechanics and themes will be better aligned with a newer demographic, so players in LatAm and Africa can enjoy these slots.

There are hundreds of active game providers on the European casino market. How do you stand out from the competition and get the casinos and players to notice you? And is there any other game provider that inspires you personally, that you would like to give a shout-out to?

At Habanero, we ensure that our slots stand out from the crowd in a number of ways. Firstly, the gameplay must be thrilling and action-packed, sending players on a journey into the unknown. Our slots are always accompanied by cutting-edge animations, resonating with a younger demographic of players and showcasing the quality of our brilliant design team.

Delivering distinctive mechanics, features and modifiers is also important, keeping our portfolio one step ahead of our competition.

Slot games is definitely your biggest product category and it is continuously growing. How do you come up with the themes for the games? Which one has been Habanero’s most popular slot to date? And which one is your personal favourite?

Our diverse portfolio of slots is adorned with a multitude of themes. Over the past year, I feel that our portfolio has increased in both quality and quantity, providing players with numerous storylines to keep them entertained. In terms of popularity, Zeus Deluxe and Legendary Beasts have been well received. Being Greek and Oriental-themed respectively, they can transport players to different eras and regions, showcasing our adaptability in offering timeless classics.

From my perspective, our newest slot Vampire’s Fate is a terrifyingly thrilling voyage to the depths of the unknown. With an eerie soundtrack and chilling animations, this title can boast a state-of-the-art player experience that catapults our reputation skyward.

Habanero also received a Swedish license in December 2023. What is your plan for this market? Will you create new games specifically geared towards Swedish players? For example a Swedish fish themed slot game?

Sweden, and the Nordics in particular, are becoming a real area of interest for games providers the world over. Providers are making their presence felt in Sweden already so getting a licence was of paramount importance and we were delighted to get this at the end of 2023.

Creating a game based towards just one market is a tricky scenario, as this wouldn’t necessarily resonate across other regions worldwide but we are sure Swedish players will enjoy our varied portfolio and we are excited to showcase our full offering in the region.

Final question: Let’s talk about Habanero’s general plans for the future! Will you expand to new markets or product categories or continue with the current recipe? Any plans to release slot games with a skill element?

We have a very high ceiling of ambitions and where we want to get to over the next few years. Firstly, we want to keep our portfolio fresh and engaging, making sure it stands out across jurisdictions all over the world, and upgrade our series of promotional tools.

There are plenty of markets that we are currently assessing. The Balkans are high up on our list as well as regions within LatAm, so watch this space and keep tabs on our progress as a high-quality provider!