Keith Goddard at Blaze Gaming, says Japan is an exciting market for online casino operators and game studios with plenty of growth potential for those that can deliver localise and authentic experiences to players.
What is the current state of play in Japan? Is it an attractive market for operators?
Online casino is legal and regulated in Japan. The market is still evolving with increasing interest from players as more operators enter the scene and launch marketing campaigns that drive awareness for their brands and online casino in general.
To date, a few key operators have made strong headway by offering engaging and entertaining experiences that have been deeply localised to suit preferences and tastes – Japanese players tend to enjoy fast-paced content that’s visually appealing and created around cultural themes and anime-inspired designs. They also appreciate innovative mechanics, as seen with the popularity of instant win and skill-based games.
How has Blaze Gaming approached the market?
So we have focused on creating localised content for operators live in Japan so that our partners can deliver the experiences their players are seeking. We do this by using a mix of storytelling and sleek design that resonates with Japanese audiences, combined with compelling gameplay.
Japan offers immense potential for studios such as Blaze Gaming, especially when it comes to producing bespoke games that not only meet but exceed player experiences. We are further capitalising on the opportunity by partnering with local providers and operators and working with them to create dynamic, culturally relevant content.
As Japan’s market continues to grow, this, and a commitment to innovation and adapting to shifting player preferences, will help us stay ahead of the curve.
You mentioned that some key brands have hit the ground running in Japan. Who are these operators and what have they done to really engage players?
There are several operators that have quickly established a strong presence by delivering a localised and highly entertaining experience to players. Brands like Veras & John, Casumo and 888Casino have successfully tailored their offerings to meet the preferences of local players.
This includes content developed especially for the Japanese market and ensuring their platforms are intuitive and user-friendly. These brands have also been able to differentiate from others in the market, and they have done this by incorporating popular themes, high-quality graphics and gamification that resonate with Japanese players.
Their ability to provide a seamless mobile experience, as well as local payment options and native customer support, has also played a part in their early success.
Tell us more about the content that’s resonating most with Japanese players.
Japanese players are drawn to fast-action games that are visually striking. In terms of themes, anime, manga and stories from history and culture are in the highest demand – of course, these themes need to be executed with authenticity.
I’d say this is what really sets the Japanese market apart from others – players really do enjoy games based around traditional festivals and mythical creatures in a way we haven’t seen in other parts of the world. Game design is really important, too – players gravitate towards visually striking slots, pachinko-inspired games and those with creative storytelling at the fore – again, this must be executed with the highest levels of authenticity.
In terms of mechanics, we are seeing a strong preference towards skill-based games and those with innovative bonuses triggered and features. Beyond slots, instant win and live dealer games are super popular, especially when they include elements of luck and strategy. This is different to Western markets where strategy-heavy table games or sports can dominate. This cultural influence must shape how operators and providers such as Blaze approach the market and the content offered to players.
Can you go into more detail about how you are localising content for Japan?
The key to localising any content for any market is having a deep cultural understanding and in Japan, we have undertaken extensive market research to ensure we have this. Then we have focused on creating games around the familiar themes mentioned above and wrapping these themes around gameplay mechanics that deliver fast action and tap into the preferences of skill and instant win game formats.
In addition, we have localised language and user interfaces as well as payments and customer support. This commitment to cultural relevance and innovation has allowed us to deliver engaging content that feels uniquely Japanese while at the same time maintaining our USPs so that players know they are spinning the reels on a Blaze Gaming slot.
Do you see Japan as a core market for Blaze Gaming?
Absolutely. Japan is a fast-growth market for sure, especially given the increasing interest in online casino entertainment. The market is still young compared to other jurisdictions so there is plenty of room for growth, especially for operators and suppliers that can innovate while maintaining authenticity.
The strong demand for visually captivating, fast-paced games influenced by anime and cultural themes aligns well with our expertise in creating compelling casino content. This is also a market where mobile dominates, and we can develop content for this channel providing smooth play on smartphones and tablets.
We are also excited about the evolving regulatory framework which presents the potential for long-term partnerships with more local operators as the market continues to expand.
What plans do you have for Japan moving forward?
We are going to keep forming strategic partnerships with local studios that have a deep understanding of cultural themes and player preferences and use these collaborations to create games that hit the mark with Japanese audiences.
By blending our global expertise in game development with insights from these local studios, we can develop culturally relevant themes, mechanics and gameplay features that stand out in the market, allowing us to foster most operator partnerships which in turn will drive more players to our games.
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