Q&A: PlayStar’s CEO on hitting the ground running in North America

EGR: What are PlayStar’s main USPs and is there anything in particular you pride yourself on doing differently from your competitors?

Peter Ekmark (PE): PlayStar is a US-facing igaming operator, licensed in New Jersey and pending in Pennsylvania. It’s a true challenger brand with a casino-only product, which really allows us to zero in on the aspect of igaming we know best. By offering customers a personalized service – which included a huge number of promotions that were run in tandem with local businesses across the state – we have already managed to climb into the 13th market position in New Jersey within only a year of launching.

EGR: In terms of your product offering, what games does PlayStar supply?

PE: PlayStar offers a highly personalized product in New Jersey. Since we pride ourselves on being experts in online casino, we’re also niching ourselves as a casino-only brand. PlayStar.com currently offers around 300 games and this number is steadily growing, but what really separates us from the competition is how we try and look after our players. We offer a concierge service, a very comprehensive loyalty program and the PlayStar club.

EGR: You recently stepped up from the PlayStar board to replace Per Hellberg as CEO. Given you’ve been involved in the igaming industry since 2007, are there any specific learnings or strengths you think you’ll bring to the new role?

PE: I’ve had the pleasure of working in the igaming industry for 17 years, both at startups and major brands. I’ve also worked in regulated and unregulated markets, which gives me a pretty holistic overview of how everything fits together. This certainly helps in my role as CEO of PlayStar because in my opinion the US market is a mix of it all. It’s a huge market, with some of the biggest brick-and-mortar brands in the world, but it’s also a market that only recently regulated online igaming. This combination creates a challenging but exciting opportunity for companies like PlayStar, and I find it a privilege to work with such an experienced team who really knows how to service its US customers.

EGR: PlayStar has already enjoyed a successful online debut in New Jersey. Looking back, how do you evaluate that initial launch and were there any key takeaways that will shape your approach in other states?

PE: PlayStar is – and will continue to be – solely focused on the North American market, which gives us a fairly unique perspective on how we approach doing business in any of the states that we choose to go live in. We know what the market in the US looks like and we certainly know our online gaming. As we’ve seen in New Jersey, the type of service – both online and offline – really resonates with customers and we’ll ensure this remains the backbone of our strategy going forward.

EGR: Personalization and community engagement featured highly in PlayStar’s New Jersey launch, in particular, working with local brick-and-mortar businesses to offer a number of “offline” perks to customers. Why did you choose this creative approach and will you repeat it in other markets?

PE: PlayStar’s mission in all of its markets is to redefine the standard of personalized service, setting the stage for a truly unforgettable online casino experience. Off the back of our success in New Jersey, we’ll continue to raise the bar in terms of the perks we offer to customers in each state that we enter, meaning we’ll always be at the heart of the community and able to provide incentives that players won’t find elsewhere.  

EGR: As an operator looking to expand its presence in North America, what are the main challenges you face in terms of entering other states?

PE: Currently only six states in the US allow online casino, compared to the 34 that allow online sports betting. As igaming in the country matures, online casino will grow its share of the overall market – but this is a development that can´t be rushed and must be allowed to evolve in its own due course. As a casino-only brand, PlayStar will be perfectly placed to react and contribute to this evolution as it happens. From a regulatory perspective, the North American market is not much different from operating in various markets in the EU, and the PlayStar team has plenty of experience in this respect.

EGR: Are there any notable differences in what North American online casino customers value compared to those in other countries/continents? As the market is still fairly new, how do you go about establishing what works and what doesn’t? 

PE: In my personal opinion, I’ve found that US casino players tend to appreciate the entertainment part of online casino more than players in other markets. They like the little details that go into games and tend to be a bit more demanding in terms of features than players who have grown up mainly playing land-based slots. They’re also happy to share their experiences online and are especially loyal to brands that offer them a high level of customer service. These things combined make North American casino customers a very important audience for any brand that has the product to retain them successfully.