Daniel Long

Page 27 of BettingBusinessInteractive June 2017 edition:

Habanero’s secret ingredient
“Bigger is not necessarily better,” says Daniel Long, Habanero’s sales director, from his seat at Habanero’s thriving G2E Asia booth.
With a working portfolio of 80 slots, ten table games, and ten video pokers, it’s a truism the company has borne out – Habanero’s focus on quality over quantity saw year-on-year sales up some 3000 percent in 2016.
“The last 12 months have been phenomenal,” Long… Show more

Page 27 of BettingBusinessInteractive June 2017 edition:

Habanero’s secret ingredient
“Bigger is not necessarily better,” says Daniel Long, Habanero’s sales director, from his seat at Habanero’s thriving G2E Asia booth.
With a working portfolio of 80 slots, ten table games, and ten video pokers, it’s a truism the company has borne out – Habanero’s focus on quality over quantity saw year-on-year sales up some 3000 percent in 2016.
“The last 12 months have been phenomenal,” Long reiterates. “We now have a good portfolio, we’re not going to stamp out games like a factory just because we can. We’re just focused on doing very high quality html games on mobile, that the market likes and appreciates.”
Habanero’s strategy is all about refinement – front-end and back. “At the front end we’re focusing on the uniqueness of our games: unique math, unique graphics and unique sound. Nothing in our portfolio is a reskin.”
One hundred percent of Habanero’s games are html5, Long assures, while many firms with larger portfolios struggle with only one fifth. All games can be played on landscape or portrait, and all of them have in-game translation.
“It’s small UI’s like these that make a huge difference to the players.”
Yet Habanero’s real USP lies in the company’s responsiveness. “A key component that people don't see in Habanero is the back-end client services,” he explains.
“At the end of the day we could have great products, but if we have terrible customer service, our clients are going to run. So far, all our clients attest to our great customer service.”
If an operator wants a language or even currency change, Habanero can sort it in a week, whereas “if you’re with our competitors, it might take a month, it might take three months.”

“So asides from great games, great sounds, great graphics – and innovative tables and features – small UIs make a difference to the players, and customer service makes a difference to our clients.”
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Article on Page 47

1on1 - Habanero's Daniel Long on going from east to west

Wednesday, October 12, 2016 22

EiG debutant Habanero discusses European opportunities
It is quite rare for Asian-based online gaming companies to take the plunge and seek out business in Europe with the complications of differing cultural approaches to gambling are perhaps a cause of the lack of flow between the two regions. But Habanero are one such company taking up the challenge. Although the company has been owned… Show more

1on1 - Habanero's Daniel Long on going from east to west

Wednesday, October 12, 2016 22

EiG debutant Habanero discusses European opportunities
It is quite rare for Asian-based online gaming companies to take the plunge and seek out business in Europe with the complications of differing cultural approaches to gambling are perhaps a cause of the lack of flow between the two regions. But Habanero are one such company taking up the challenge. Although the company has been owned by a group of European investors since 2012, it is only now looking to expand into the European games sphere.

TotallyGaming.com took the opportunity ahead of the company’s debut at EiG to discuss with head of sales Daniel Long what the company sees as the both the opportunities and the challenges of bringing Asian-flavoured games to the market – and why it means more than simply adding a few dragons to a game and hoping that will do.

Totally Gaming: I understand you have moved to focus on gaining ground in Europe - how tough have you found the licensing and certification processes for many European jurisdictions? Has the level of difficulty and hoop-jumping surprised you?

Daniel Long: It has been difficult, to be honest, and time-consuming. That’s partly out of necessity because jurisdictional authorities have high standards that must be maintained, but there is the inevitable bureaucracy too. We were ready for it, and have a good team in place that was ready for the paperwork and requirements to prove the accurate and solid game performance and design credentials we knew we already had. But if you ask any supplier or operator, it is one of the less enjoyable parts of the job. Not that we’re complaining. Regulation is important and we take player protection in particular very seriously. There are no shortcuts – and there shouldn’t be either.
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article on page 38

Local knowledge and good contacts are the keys to success in burgeoning Asian markets, according to content and systems developer Habanero.

Daniel Long, the company’s head of Asian operations, told TotallyGaming.com that operators can only be certain of gaining ground across the continent, which is growing in importance to the gaming industry, by working with regional specialists.

Habanero, a provider of slots and table games for both the online and land-based casino industries… Show more

Local knowledge and good contacts are the keys to success in burgeoning Asian markets, according to content and systems developer Habanero.

Daniel Long, the company’s head of Asian operations, told TotallyGaming.com that operators can only be certain of gaining ground across the continent, which is growing in importance to the gaming industry, by working with regional specialists.

Habanero, a provider of slots and table games for both the online and land-based casino industries, has operations and offices around the world but its particular area of expertise is considered to be Asia.

Long, who formerly headed Asian business development for Microgaming, said that slots will be an area of particular growth in Asia in the coming years.

“Local knowledge is key,” Long said. “Everyone knows Asia is going to be the next big thing and its untapped potential, particularly for online operators and suppliers, is huge.

“The Asian middle class is expanding rapidly and the traditional enjoyment of table games has been joined by a new trust in and enthusiasm for slots, particular among those who’ve grown up playing console games.

“Games that work elsewhere won’t necessarily work in Asia, either across the region as a whole, or in individual countries. You need to tailor content and its delivery and you have to understand the customer. You need people on the ground and good relationships at a local level, and that’s where we come in.”

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