Beyond Collaborations: How BGaming is Going Beyond Partnerships
BGaming is known for its collaborative approach. Your partnerships feel as though they tie in well with your products and company philosophy. What does the selection process look like when choosing these partnerships?
For BGaming, it's important that our partnerships go beyond simple endorsements or IP usage. We focus on collaborations that naturally align with our products and brand philosophy, where the partner becomes a meaningful part of the experience rather than just a name attached.
We’ve worked with a range of well-known personalities across industries - from global icons like Snoop Dogg to world-class athletes like Chingiz Allazov - developing exclusive content and game experiences tailored for our partners and their audiences. In each case, the goal is the same: to create something authentic that resonates with players and adds real value.
That’s why, when selecting partners, we look for people who are open to collaboration, willing to engage with our audience, and able to bring something unique into the product itself. It’s not just about reach, it’s about relevance and authenticity.
With Júlio César, for example, we approached the partnership as a product-driven collaboration. He is directly integrated into the game as the main character, and the concept is built around his identity as a legendary goalkeeper. We also activated the partnership offline by hosting an activity at BGaming’s booth during an exhibition in Brazil, where more than 200 attendees joined him for an autograph and photo session. That level of engagement is something we truly value.
Can you give us a brief introduction to Penalty Duel with Júlio César and how this new collaboration came about?
Our latest collaboration is Penalty Duel with Júlio César – a spin-off from our popular #Casual title Penalty Duel, which was a huge hit with players last year. The new version has been built around Júlio, with players able to put on his gloves and try to make the save, or take the kick and try to beat him. It’s not just Júlio that has been added to the game, with additional special modes also being available.
The partnership came about very naturally. Like every studio, we have had one eye on the World Cup for a long time, and when we looked at our portfolio for a title that could create a meaningful collaboration for the tournament, Penalty Duel was the obvious candidate. Once Júlio's name came up in conversation, the fit was almost immediate - the game is essentially built around the duel he spent his career winning, and his standing among Brazilian football fans speaks for itself.
What made it click for us, though, was Júlio himself. He has been genuinely engaged with the product from the first conversation, and that energy has carried through into how he has shown up at events and with players. That is not something you can manufacture, and that is why this partnership feels right.
How important is localisation and understanding local players in markets like Brazil?
As it expands globally, the iGaming landscape is becoming increasingly competitive, and the emergence of Brazil over the last 18 months emphasizes this. If you want to be successful in these markets, you need to really understand the players there and build an authentic, genuine connection.
It is not enough to simply reskin an old title with loose cultural touchstones, or to re-release a game in a different language. You need to show players in a region that you are committed to providing them with a unique, personalized experience, and working alongside celebrities and athletes with an authentic tie to the market is an incredibly effective way to achieve this.
The game with Júlio César is the perfect example of this. Football is a part of daily life in Brazil. Players there live, breathe, and sleep the sport, and Penalty Duel captures that passion.
From an operator’s perspective, what are the benefits of games like Penalty Duel with Júlio César?
These kinds of games can be extremely beneficial to operators, especially during events like the World Cup. Competition is fierce during the tournament, and content can be a key differentiator.
A product like Penalty Duel with Júlio César feels timely and strategic, rather than generic. It is the kind of game that operators in Brazil can place front and centre in their gaming lobby throughout the tournament and know that it will resonate with players. This can be extremely useful, especially when compared with a new product that needs to find its audience from scratch.
What role do these partnerships play in BGaming’s broader content strategy and long-term growth plans?
These partnerships symbolize our broader philosophy at BGaming. We want to create games that go beyond simple replayability for players. Cultural integration is central to that. The more a product reflects what players actually care about, the stronger the engagement and the longer the game's shelf-life.
We also strive to engage with local cultures and markets. It is not just our games that do this, we are also involved in local charity programmes and initiatives to support communities in the markets we operate in, including a recent partnership with Centurion, a non-profit organisation in Brazil. We carry this philosophy throughout our iGaming journey, and it has proven to be effective so far.
Of course, there is also a marketing element to these games. Collaborations are an excellent way to attract casual players and demonstrate to operators that we are committed to providing high-quality products. However, marketing is not the first priority. Our focus is on finding the right partner and creating the right product — and this, in turn, makes the marketing even more effective.
Regarding long-term plans, we are always on the lookout for new partners and collaboration opportunities that align with BGaming’s values.
