Inside Pragmatic Play: An Exclusive Interview with Head of B2C Marketing Daniel Hansen
In this interview, Daniel Hansen, Head of B2C Marketing at ARRISE, the company behind Pragmatic Play, discusses what he sees as driving the supplier’s growth in online casino gaming. He talks about its game development approach and response to a changing market.
The discussion covers Pragmatic Play’s growth, its development process and its stated commitment to player satisfaction. For readers exploring its catalogue, Hansen talks about the design and positioning of Pragmatic Play games for online casinos.
Q1. Can you tell us about Pragmatic Play’s journey since its beginnings? What has helped the company stand out and succeed in such a competitive industry?
Hansen portrays Pragmatic Play as a relatively young supplier that has expanded quickly. He points to the team’s ambition and a track record of learning and development from modest beginnings. In his view, the company has responded to industry changes and sought to create games that help define their genres. He suggests that this mix has contributed to its rapid growth and ongoing presence in the sector.
Hansen says there is no one-size-fits-all formula for success in gaming. Instead, he describes Pragmatic Play’s approach as starting with what casino players might want from a game, then building its features, themes and graphics around that idea. He also emphasizes mechanics designed to encourage players to return to games across the catalogue.
He points to John Hunter and the Book of Tut Megaways™, as one example. Special expanding symbols can cover the reels and help unlock additional wins, all within an adventure tied to the John Hunter series. The game also uses the familiar Megaways™ mechanic as part of its format.
Hansen says players have come to associate Pragmatic Play slots with a consistent standard, a principle he says guides the supplier’s catalogue. He credits the company’s progress in part to its continued effort to bring what it views as high-quality slots to the market.
Q2. What does Pragmatic Play do differently from other iGaming companies to make its games more engaging and entertaining for players?
Hansen says Pragmatic Play releases a large selection of premium games each month, catering to varied tastes and markets. A steady release schedule, he explains, gives the company opportunities to assess player response and refine its approach. Sequels, new themes and mechanics may be developed side by side, helping the team identify which features players prefer in its online slots.
That approach, he says, gives the studio space to test ideas and use what it learns to inform future releases. He points to Wisdom of Athena™, released in June, as a combination of mechanics and features also seen in Gates of Olympus™. It features pay-anywhere wins, multipliers and a tumble after each win. A series of consecutive wins can uncover mystery symbols above the board, potentially improving the chance of another result. The game draws on elements that Hansen says have resonated with audiences elsewhere in the supplier’s catalogue.
Q3. Pragmatic Play offers a broad range of games, from slots to live casino. How does the company develop a new title?
Hansen says development of new slot formats and Live Casino games starts with an idea. Team members consider potential concepts, themes and features, and their input helps set the direction for each title. He says feedback from customers in different jurisdictions is also taken into account. After an initial concept is established, teams work on the artwork, music, animations, mathematics and other components. Compliance specialists are involved throughout, he adds, so games can be tailored to each jurisdiction’s requirements and player safeguards can be considered. In his view, combining perspectives and expertise from different disciplines helps bring the finished game together.
Q4. Can you tell us a little bit about your Live Casino operation and its top games?
Hansen sums up the Live Casino portfolio with three goals: add a twist, transform and elevate the experience. He points to Snakes & Ladders Live™, a Live Casino take on the familiar board game, as one example.
Hansen says the supplier also gives well-known Live Casino formats a fresh presentation. In Vegas Ball Bonanza™, players purchase tickets linked to numbered balls drawn at random from a tumbling machine. Lucky Numbers and Bonus Multiplier features introduce variations while keeping the game-show format recognizable.
Sweet Bonanza CandyLand™ brings together ideas from the Sweet Bonanza™ slot and a Live Casino presentation, with six bet types available during play. Hansen also cites Blackjack and Baccarat as popular classics, adding that these games use 4k cameras and low latency streaming. Cinematic effects and newer technology help create a more immersive presentation.
Q5. As of 2023, which games from Pragmatic Play's portfolio are most popular, and why do you think they've won players' hearts?
Hansen says several long-running titles continue to bring players back and have become familiar picks for slot fans. One is the award-winning Gates of Olympus™, whose Greek theme, pay-anywhere format and rising multipliers still appeal two years after its release. He highlights the possibility of multipliers reaching 500x in both the base game and free spins, a feature that can significantly affect a win and bring added suspense to each spin.
He also describes Zeus vs Hades Gods of War™ as a newer title that drew attention with its depiction of two battling titans. Players can select a volatility level, which changes the graphics, symbols and bonus mechanics to create two distinct play styles. Hansen says that choice has helped encourage replay since launch. Sugar Rush™ has received multiple Game of the Year awards since release; he attributes its appeal to simple rules, a sweet theme and multipliers that rise over time.
Hansen adds that Wisdom of Athena™ has become a favorite among some players, thanks to its mystery reel and familiar tumble feature, also found in Gates of Olympus™. Beyond slots, he names Sweet Bonanza CandyLand™ and Spaceman™ as popular games that combine ideas from different categories, expanding the entertainment options players can enjoy in a session.
Q6. In recent years, there's been an increasing emphasis on responsible gaming. How is Pragmatic Play addressing this in its games and overall strategy?
Hansen says protecting players is the company’s top priority and forms part of its stated commitment to making enjoyable games. He describes responsible gaming as a consideration throughout development and release, from a title’s initial concept to decisions about its marketing.
As Pragmatic Play supplies games in markets with different regulatory frameworks, Hansen says meeting the requirements of each regulated market is a key part of preparing titles for release.
Q7. What upcoming projects or ambitions does Pragmatic Play have? What might players look forward to over the coming year or two?
Hansen said players could expect more polished releases focused on entertainment and engaging play. He also mentioned a pipeline of upcoming titles for audiences to discover.
Starlight Princess 1000™ was slated to launch on the 26th of October, featuring multipliers of up to 1000 times. The planned addition to the Starlight Princess™ series was pitched to fans of anime-themed games.
The interview also offered a preview of Sugar Rush Xmas™. Pragmatic Play’s sweet-themed slot was scheduled for November, bringing a festive spin to its classic 7x7 Slot format.
Along with those new slots, Hansen called out Treasure Island™ as an eagerly awaited Live Casino release. The game was described as using cinematic technology to create a mystery-and-treasure adventure on a deserted island. Its launch was set for the 29th of November.
The interview’s release preview also featured Lucky 6™, which was planned for December. The game show was described as a Roulette variation with Lucky Numbers and other features, presenting additional chances to win as part of its format. Hansen called it another example of the supplier’s effort to bring fresh twists to Live Casino games and reshape the player experience.
Evan Carrington brings more than 12 years of experience in the iGaming industry, specializing in online casino reviews, slot game analysis, and player safety assessments. Their expertise includes casino licensing, RTP, volatility, bonus terms, and withdrawal policies. Combining hands-on reviews with independent research, Evan provides clear, evidence-based coverage to help players understand gambling platforms, their features, and possible risks.
