Interview Spotlight: Ollie Castleman at OneTouch

Welcome Ollie, we appreciate that you’ve taken some time off your schedule to chat with us. Could you please introduce OneTouch and yourself to our readers?

My name is Ollie Castleman, and I’m the Head of Marketing at OneTouch, a leading mobile-first table and slot games developer. Our company’s story starts in Tallinn, Estonia, in 2015, with a team of online gaming experts who founded OneTouch.

As something of an epicentre for our industry, we felt that the Estonian capital made for an ideal location in which to set up an innovative new studio. Surrounded by a wealth of iGaming knowledge and talent, we embarked on what would be the most exciting journey of our careers.

What’s the OneTouch vision?

OneTouch was founded on the premise that players should be able to enjoy their favourite games on the move.

We set out with the vision of playing the latest and greatest games on a phone in one hand while holding the handrail of a bus with the other.

Our mission, therefore, is to create premium quality, mobile-first casino games. This goal is not just the product of a creative vision, but also rigorous market analysis. Statistics from the UK Gambling Commission show that more than half of the country’s online gamblers have placed bets on a mobile or tablet. Our own figures vindicate this approach, with the majority of our turnover from mobile.

You’ve developed and released a mix of casino games, and most of your releases are table games. In your opinion, what’re the most important aspects of a quality table game?

OneTouch has earned a deserved reputation for putting an innovative twist on the classic table games that players love. For example, we’ve created one of the industry’s first real-money iterations of Andar Bahar, India’s most popular card game with routes dating back hundreds of years.

We were also one of the first providers to design table games that are fully customised for portrait mode when it comes to both the position of the buttons and the table layout, creating an entertainment experience that is truly mobile-first. Only a select few table games are popular enough to be enhanced for mobile, but our fresh approach has attracted a large and diverse variety of players, particularly within the VIP segment.

In 2018 you released your first video slot and since then you’ve released a total of 14 slots. What has that journey been like?

Since 2018, we’ve unveiled a string of immersive slot titles to sit alongside our impressive table game collection. These include recent hits such as the futuristic Neon 2077 and the royal-reeled Queens of Glory, in addition to long-time players favourites like Lucky Lion and Bubbles Bonanza.

Even though our games utilise an advanced raft of technical features, we also strongly believe in the power of simplicity.

It’s important not to lose sight of what players love most about slot games – spinning the reels for a thrilling chance to win big. That’s why so many of the titles in our portfolio are unashamedly simple and easy to enjoy - Juicy 7, for example, showcases a classic 3x3 grid alongside a retro soundtrack and timeless fruit-based casino symbols.

What does your roadmap look like, what games can we expect in the coming months?

Our product roadmap for the coming period comprises a combination of high-quality table games and advanced in-game engagement functions. Although we are passionate advocates for the power of simplicity and quality, gamification also remains high on our priority list.

Our games will therefore be supplemented by a host of free bet and tournament features to boost player retention for operator partners across the globe. Add slot titles boasting flawless playability in both portrait and landscape modes to the list, and it’s clear that we’ve lined up an action-packed agenda for the weeks and months ahead.

How do you see the competitive online landscape today compared to two years ago?

In an iGaming market that is overloaded with content, today’s players are more tech-savvy and demanding than ever. The last two years have brought significant advances in technology and a corresponding increase in player expectations. To stand out, developers therefore need to make intelligent use of the innovative technical features that can take a game to the next level.

Our portfolio deploys state-of-the-art front-end technologies such as HTML5, pixi.js and Spine to offer a pixel-perfect catalogue that authentically recreates the land-based casino experience on mobile, tablet and desktop devices.

Do you have any predictions regarding the iGaming industry future?

The importance of adopting a mobile-first approach will only grow in the short to medium term.

As part of a wider technological revolution, emerging markets such as Latin America have generally bypassed desktop and jumped straight to mobile. As internet connection speeds improve and smartphone usage spreads, this pattern will only accelerate.

As one of the industry’s leading mobile-first providers, we stand ready to equip partners looking to capitalise on the promising commercial opportunities presented by these territories. After partnering with one of LatAm’s fastest growing suppliers in Jazz Gaming Solutions earlier this year, we are gearing up to make our mark in the region with a pipeline of very exciting deals and products.