Awager Q&A: Is innovation a gamble?

EGR: Talk us through the Awager product and what makes it so innovative?

Roy Greenbaum (RG): When I founded Awager, my mission was simple: bring genuine land-based play online – no compromises. Our latest releases prove it. Remote Reels™ with Caesars, streaming live from Tropicana Atlantic City, and Live Slots with FanDuel, broadcast from our dedicated studio in Atlantic City, do exactly that. Players tap a title in our lobby and, within seconds, they’re spinning a real slot cabinet. We capture a full 4K video feed and ambient sounds so the experience feels indistinguishable from standing in front of the machine. Our product is unique in its ability to create the authentic immersive experience that is predicated on our ability to offer all casino floor content, and not limited to a subsection of the floor.

EGR: In your experience, do operators really understand innovation and the importance of stocking their lobbies with new and exciting formats?

RG: From day one, we focused on finding the right partners – operators who share our vision for live‑streamed physical slots and see the potential. We were fortunate that buy‑in from tier‑one brands was overwhelming: operators such as Caesars and FanDuel are already live, and several other leading brand names in the US market have given us tremendous momentum and proved our model works. Their success is paving the way for our upcoming European roll-outs. When we are in the final stages of securing leading partners that lean into true innovation, both sides unlock exceptional value long after go-live.

EGR: Just how difficult is it to bring something truly innovative to the market?

RG: It’s tougher than most people realise. Our vision has been more than a decade in the making, with multiple hardware and software generations refined before FanDuel and Caesars signed on. But flawless tech is only half the battle – you also need to win operator trust, satisfy regulators, and, most importantly, deliver a unique and unmatched real casino experience to the players. When we saw the engagement numbers and gameplay patterns from our latest rollouts, we knew we were on the right track. Innovation demands stamina, yet once you deliver an experience that resonates with players, the sustainable competitive edge is enormous.EGR: How expensive is it to innovate? And what does the risk/reward equation look like from the perspective of the supplier?

RG: Innovation is capital-intensive. You pay for trial‑and‑error, specialised hardware, and compliance in every jurisdiction. At Awager, we accepted that risk early because we believed the payoff – owning an entirely new category – outweighed the upfront cost. Today, those bets are paying dividends: major operators are already live, we have kicked off our go-to-market in North America, and additional operators will launch the platform in the coming months. We’re also lining up several European rollouts before year‑end, powered by our newly built EU facing studio.

EGR: How important is it to identify the gap in the market before moving forward with an innovative idea?

RG: Essential. Before Awager, “live casino” referred only to table games, even though slot machines occupy most floor space and generate most revenue in brick‑and‑mortar venues. We recognised that disconnect and set out to create what is now Awager. When innovation and business objectives align, the results speak for themselves: identifying the gap our technology could fill was crucial to shaping the product and ensuring we deliver maximum value to our partners.

EGR: Why do players want to play a traditional slot machine online, rather than just a standard online slot?RG: Two reasons stand out. First, familiarity drives trust and authenticity. Players know the feel and rhythm of their favourite physical cabinets, so when they see those exact machines streamed live – complete with the original sounds and lighting – they identify with their casino experience and feel genuine excitement, but via an online channel.

Second, Awager unlocks far broader access. Our solution is machine‑agnostic, allowing us to live-stream any slot cabinet on the casino floor. That gives players a much deeper library of titles, including local favourites that never made it into digital RNG form.EGR: What advice would you give to someone trying to bring the next big innovation to the gaming industry?

RG: Start with the pain point – or the gap in the market. Study it, validate it, own it. This journey is long, so choose the right people to walk it with you.

Prototype fast and don’t fear iteration. Put a working demo in front of real users early; their reactions – not your assumptions – shape the winner.Secure one lighthouse partner – investor or business ally. True collaboration with that partner is crucial to the destiny of your innovation.

Play the long game. Gaming innovation is a marathon of hardware tweaks, software rewrites, and sleepless nights. Stay mission-focused, keep listening to players, and the payoff will be worth every step.

Roy Greenbaum is co‑founder and CEO of Awager, a patented platform that brings real land‑based slot cabinets online. For more than a decade he has pushed the boundaries of live‑streamed gaming and, in 2024, led the majority sale of the company to Oaktree Capital Management. Greenbaum continues to run Awager and steer the company’s M&A strategy and global expansion.