Interview with Toni Karapetrov from Habanero Gaming
Toni Karapetrov, Habanero’s Head of Corporate Communications, discusses the studio’s approach to game development and its business plans.
Could you introduce yourself, explain your role at Habanero, and share what you were doing before you joined?
I’m Toni Karapetrov, and I lead Corporate Communications at Habanero.
How does Habanero’s game-making process work, from the first ideas to a finished title?
We start by bringing the team together to compare ideas and discuss how to develop them. Habanero gives its staff plenty of creative freedom, with each person contributing their particular strengths.
Detailed market research also informs our content development. Understanding what players want helps us tailor products to the regions where they’re set to launch. Our flexible RTP options are one example: partners can choose an approach that reflects local players’ preferences around risk.
Which considerations guide you when you’re developing a game?
We bring experimentation and fresh ideas together with established approaches that have worked well for us. Our aim is to pair original features and concepts with proven elements whose value has stood the test of time.
Habanero games combine striking visuals with engaging sound. Their themes and mathematical models can also be adapted for the audience they’re designed to reach.
We believe strong games can appeal across borders, while recognising that adapting content to individual regions can help our partners grow their businesses.
Against the worldwide challenges of 2020, how did Habanero’s own 2020 unfold?
2020 was a tough year for businesses and individuals around the world, including people in gaming. Lockdowns hit land-based venues and retail betting hard, while the online sector was not affected to the same extent.
Habanero had a strong year, signing agreements with companies such as LeoVegas, Bet365 and Lottomatica. The studio was also busy releasing games for players around the world. I’m especially fond of Scopa, which turns the traditional Italian card game into a slot, though there are plenty of other titles for players to explore.
What does Habanero have planned for 2021?
We’ve already released several successful titles this year and plan to keep launching games. Our latest release, Before Time Runs Out, takes buccaneering players on an action-packed journey through the Middle East. Its Duel Feature offers prizes of up to x1,000,000.
Earlier this year, we released Orbs of Atlantis , an underwater-themed slot with a distinctive reel layout built around our Big Reels feature.
More lively titles are on the way. We’ll keep introducing players to the polished graphics, immersive audio and carefully developed mathematics that define our games.
Habanero is expanding in markets such as Italy and Romania. Where is the company looking next?
In recent weeks, we’ve been extending our commercial reach internationally. A Critical Gaming Supply licence from the Malta Gaming Authority gives us a route to agreements with tier one operators, which we look forward to announcing.
We’ve also secured a supplier licence from Romania’s national regulator, ONJN. This lets us bring games such as Egyptian Dreams Deluxe and 5 Lucky Lions to players in that market.
Greece and Holland are also on our plans for the coming period, subject to further regulatory developments. We’re preparing for a full schedule in 2021, in Europe and beyond.
Evan Carrington brings more than 12 years of experience in the iGaming industry, with a focus on reviewing online casinos, assessing slot games and examining player safety. Their work covers casino licensing, RTP, volatility, bonus terms and withdrawal policies. Drawing on practical testing and independent research, Evan provides clear, evidence-based reviews to help players understand gambling platforms, their features and possible risks.
