Mancala Gaming Interview with Emiliano Sanchez
Emiliano Sanchez shares how Mancala developed into a forward-looking gaming brand within a few years, building an innovation-focused approach to expand its varied casino-game portfolio.
Casino Ideal spoke with Emiliano Sanchez, Chief Commercial Officer at Mancala Gaming, about the company and its plans. The interview explores its beginnings, present challenges, close partners and ambitions for the years to come.
Q1: Thanks for speaking with us. Could you introduce Mancala Gaming, tell us how it got started and explain the company’s approach? You are a relatively “young” business, but already have a strong collection of games.
It’s a pleasure to take part. In 2019, our CEO Nikita, CTO Sergey, CMO Lucie and I met to discuss industry trends, social change and the gaps between game providers and operators. By that point, we had each worked in different areas of the industry, bringing a combined 25 years of experience. We understood both the opportunities and the challenges of launching a brand, and decided that making a difference meant taking the leap. I’m very glad we did. After obtaining investment, we acquired an established game portfolio and started building our own studio.
Our experience across both sides of the business has informed a “B2B2C” strategy. We aim to bring social casino, traditional casino and video games closer together, while giving operators new ways to retain players without requiring additional development resources. We also offer flexibility in commercial arrangements, based on our understanding of the different costs operators deal with.
Q2: What challenges is Mancala Gaming facing today, and did the pandemic change the company’s strategy?
As a young provider, we face the familiar challenges of distributing our games and establishing brand recognition. The pandemic made things harder by stopping in-person trade shows. We had to adapt quickly, and our network of partners across different jurisdictions has helped us gradually bring games to more markets. Our system also gives operators a flexible way to award players additional rewards without involving support staff, which can support retention over time. Our studio’s games have raised expectations for mechanics and themes alike. Our teams and adaptable approach are helping us enter several markets at once.
Q3: Which casino partners do you work most closely with? Where have you seen the best results, and what has helped drive them?
Established partners such as Vbet, Playamo and 1xBet have helped us access different markets. We also had new partnerships that we were looking forward to announcing, with the goal of strengthening our position in Europe. At the time, we were finalizing deals in Latin America and Asia to grow distribution there too. It’s natural to discuss countries: we were building a presence quickly in the CIS and gaining ground in Europe and Latin America. But we also track measures that span B2B and B2C, including total play and player retention. Our catalogue is intended to appeal to older audiences as well as millennials and generation X. We want to take a different approach to the audience, just as we are trying to do with the business. Starting the company in Prague gave us the chance to build a truly international team, with experience from many places. That perspective helps us create games for cultural and geographic differences, as well as for different generations.
Q3: How does your in-house studio operate? A few of your releases stand out: Zero Day, for instance, combines modern and retro elements. What was the idea behind it?
We’re fortunate to have talented people who work together smoothly across teams, almost like one unit. Concepts move from design into development with a range of factors in mind, including industry trends and new technology. The work behind the scenes has also helped us secure recent deals. In the end, the product speaks for itself.
The first idea for Zero Day came from our conversations, including the informal ones. We’re big video game fans, and much of the team was waiting for Cyberpunk 2077, so the direction felt natural. Once we had settled on the game’s mechanics and visual style, we needed a name. A team brainstorming session led us to Zero Day, a term broadly associated with cyberattacks and vulnerabilities in computer software. It fit the artwork and gameplay, which came together through the work of our Studio and Development team.
Q5: A new title is scheduled to launch on the 10th of March. What can you share about its name or theme?
The title is still under wraps. I can say that the game will show how much our players and partners mean to us: they are STARS in our eyes.
Q6: What did you hope Mancala Gaming would achieve in 2021?
We were aiming for growth across the board this year: our team, distribution and the brand’s overall reach. Exciting announcements were planned for the coming weeks, covering games and new partners in different jurisdictions. We were also looking to enter regulated markets and hoped to share news soon. New releases and upcoming engagement tools were intended to build on our efforts to push boundaries. Our plans for the year were designed to benefit players and partners alike.
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.
