QTech Hybrid

As QTech Games pushes into ever more emerging markets, with a particular focus on the rising peaks and hard-to-navigate valleys of the African landscape, we all recognise that the future of retail demands a hybrid solution that speaks to evolving needs across the planet’s second-most populous continent.

Ultimately, we’ve placed a premium on understanding markets at a hyper-local level, while bridging the gap between retail and online channels to define a flexible gateway to success in this unique betting ecosystem. With this in mind, over the past year, we’ve created and continued to refine QTech Hybrid, a transformative retail solution rolled out across territories that continue to maintain a strong retail presence supported by an agent structure. In line with this, our agent management system (AMS) can be run to include both cash and credit-based operations. 

Essentially, QTech Hybrid is a software service that combines QTech Games’ AI-powered casino lobby with a land-based (retail) management system and the aforementioned integrated AMS to manage both retail outlets and agents. For operators, it allows them to scale their brick-and-mortar operations online –  without the need for expensive terminals, as QTech Hybrid runs on cost-effective computers/tablets. For players, this means they can enjoy the full suite of games at home or on the move after they’ve left the retail premises. Moreover, QTech Hybrid fashions a new style of gameplay, allowing players to play at physical terminals or on their mobile devices and seamlessly transfer their progress across multiple devices.

It’s just the latest example of our broader effort to elevate the end-user experience by seamlessly marrying online and offline. This trademark ingenuity is another sign of our commitment to under-served regions in developing products that have a high local demand, wherever you set your scene on the map. This system is already proving a game-changer, revolutionising the gaming experience for our partners’ players.

Of course, while the pandemic acted as a catalyst, the trend of customers moving online from retail environments represents a deeper, global commercial tide that is only rolling one way. And in Africa, with its mobile-first penetration, rising adoption rates and ramping digital economy, there are now two generations of players demanding a solution that effortlessly migrates from retail and back. 

Naturally, though, every market has its own specific characteristics. And internet infrastructure in Africa still differs significantly from the Western world, necessitating tailored adaptations. Add to that the salient fact that Africa is highly fragmented, presenting localised risks and regulatory challenges. Small wonder, then, that few brands have successfully expanded across borders in these regions, often facing limitations due to capital and technological constraints – a challenge that has affected several European companies in Africa as well. 

Effectively navigating these markets requires deep platform expertise combined with years of hands-on regional experience. QTech excels in this domain with our strong handle on local dynamics, coupled to a better integration of online and retail channels.

To illustrate the point, let’s get under the hood to really unpack the benefits of QTech Hybrid for both operators and their players:

Players: can now enjoy all the games from the comfort of their own home on mobile devices, or play at physical terminals in-shop with effortless transferability to other handheld devices.

Operators: no longer need expensive terminals, as QTech Hybrid runs on cost-effective computers/tablets. It is ideal for operators looking to extend their reach across multiple platforms, providing the flexibility to operate both land-based and online through the AMS.

Seamless Transition Between Channels

QTech Hybrid integrates QTech Games' casino software with terminal hardware, allowing seamless gameplay across mobile and terminal devices.

Cost-effective and Versatile

QTech Hybrid runs efficiently on affordable computers and tablets, eliminating the need for expensive terminals and enhancing multi-channel offerings for operators.

Ultimate Player Freedom

QTech Hybrid revolutionises slot gameplay, allowing players to seamlessly switch and access their games across mobile, desktop, and terminal devices (i.e. any device can be used).

Designed For Operators

QTech Hybrid empowers operators to enhance multi-channel customer experiences, providing flexibility to lead the market in both land-based and online gaming sectors.

Simplified Cash Interface

QTech Hybrid's cash interface simplifies fund additions, boosting brand trust through easy deposits and withdrawals at venue terminals or computers.

Direct Play & Transactions 

Players can play at the store terminal, deposit money, receive winnings, and instantly transfer games to personal devices.

Comparative performance

• QTech Hybrid fuses in-person and digital elements, and can be located in bars, restaurants, or kiosks.

• Instant on-site transactions, accepting cash or credit with no additional fees.

• Expands game variety by featuring online games with a physical presence.

• Lower operational costs than land-based casinos, slightly higher than online casinos.

• Offers promotions and loyalty rewards, combining online and offline benefits.

• Customer support blends in-person assistance and digital help – direct like land-based support, combined with comprehensive 24/7 online support.

We’ve already rolled out QTech Hybrid to instant acclaim among our pilot clients in Africa, and it was quickly recognised when we won  Most Innovative African Partner at the Africa Gaming Expo in Lagos earlier this year. That award now sits alongside other notable wins over the past 12 months, including Leader In Online Casino at last month’s Eventus SBEA+ Summit Awards, so it's great to see international industry judges validating the recent work of our diligent team. Beyond Africa, we have seen an increasing interest from LatAm in the hybrid product, which is promising and confirms that demand exists. 

Needless to say, technological innovation is an unstoppable force that continually disrupts existing business models, often leading to significant improvements. To thrive, it's essential to remain adaptable and ahead of emerging trends. Accordingly, as the leading distributor in emerging markets, our goal is to educate our partners, boost adoption rates, and address customers’ everyday needs through faster, more intuitive, and secure solutions. Our commitment to delivering high-quality content remains steadfast, and we also view cryptocurrency as a valuable asset in driving revenue for our partners in Africa, because banking remains a burdensome cost in Africa, particularly when operators onboard customers and process payments across the continent.

And we have a suite of other product improvements, like QTech Hybrid, designed to keep our partners ahead of their rivals in a continent where no leadership position can be taken for granted. Furthermore, our proprietary technology means we’re the only aggregator that not only  showcases fantastic games but also adds engaging features (such as our recommendation engine’s peerless machine-learning techniques, alongside Tournament and Jackpot elements) to illuminate QTech’s pioneering position across emerging markets. 

We’ve also recently launched a high-frequency, multi-tiered progressive jackpot mechanic designed to improve player engagement and boost operator retention across a continent that embraces the jackpot or long-list sports-betting accumulator model more than any other. It’s another component of an innovative rewards system helping to lift all boats. Consequently, QTech Games is now so much more than just a leading aggregator, adding value and driving business at every consequential juncture. We’re confident that consistent, impactful innovation will reliably boost acquisition and activity numbers for a wide variety of operators across Africa and other emerging markets.

Ultimately, like any top-class aggregator, we’re constantly adding new content to the platform and prioritising suppliers that deliver unique, localised content. Take, for example, our burgeoning range of “light” games for Africa, designed to overcome familiar local obstacles to engagement, such as handset quality limitations, restricted access to fast networks, or high data costs. 

As another extension of this “think local” philosophy, we recently selected Malaga in Spain as the site for our new tech hub and dedicated QTech Hybrid team – precisely because of its unique position at the crossroads of Europe and Africa. This Malaga hub has already expanded QTech Games’ tech capacity, improving connectivity and supporting our ongoing growth in Africa’s emerging yet fragmented ecosystem, whose timezone and proximate geography align well with southern Spain.

The hub has also allowed us to scale our tech organisation more quickly and harness the right elements to ensure we consistently stay ahead of innovative trends and technological requirements. Malaga has become a fertile breeding ground for tech talent and offers excellent international flight connections and universities, making it an ideal environment for future-proof digital innovation and the differentiation that sets QTech Games apart in the aggregation sector.

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Author Bio: Ekaterina Mayorova is a Senior Sales Manager with 14+ years in iGaming, driving growth for leading companies across Europe and Africa. She specialises in heading African markets, building strategic partnerships, and expanding operator reach in one of the fastest-growing regions in the industry.

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