In a recent interview with Gaming Eminence, Daniel Schembri, the Chief Technology Officer of Enteractive, provided an insight into the technological elements of Enteractive's (Re)Activation Cloud® platform. We touch upon Daniel's thought process as it relates to data security, compliance, and responsible gaming practices. Alongside this we explore the future landscape of player engagement and reactivation strategies, highlighting the cutting-edge advancements in AI and predictive analytics that are poised to shape the industry. Furthermore, Daniel reflects on his personal career journey, underscoring how his diverse experiences have shaped him into a visionary technology leader.
GE) As the Chief Technology Officer of Enteractive, you play a pivotal role in driving technological innovations within the (Re)Activation Cloud®. Can you provide an in-depth explanation of the underlying technologies and architectural components that power this platform? What are some of the technical challenges you encountered while developing and scaling the (Re)Activation Cloud®?
DS) (Re)Activation Cloud® was designed from day one with four main pillars in mind - Security, Scalability, Real-time & Operator Transparency. We’ve aimed to build a platform that delivers personalised one-to-one conversations by humans at scale, heavily supported by tech.
The core of our platform is built over the Microsoft stack and is hosted across regions on Microsoft Azure’s infrastructure in a microservice architecture, allowing us to easily scale our resources quickly and on demand. This, together with partnerships with multiple world-leading telecom providers allows us to have a large number of agents in different geographical locations concurrently, making tens of thousands of calls daily with minimal latency and a superior quality of service.
Our main technical challenge has been that of successfully reaching out to so many different destinations, whilst implementing the most efficient and most effective routes for each unique scenario in terms of voice, text-messaging & virtual phone numbers. We now actively communicate with Players across 50+ countries in Europe, Asia, North America, South America as well as Oceania.
GE) Data security and compliance with regulations such as GDPR and responsible gaming are crucial in the iGaming industry. Could you shed some light on the specific technological measures and practices that Enteractive employs to ensure the safe handling of player data? How do you address the complexities of data security and compliance in a dynamic and ever-evolving regulatory landscape?
DS) We’ve always given great importance to data security and compliance in general. We’ve been a step ahead from the start with GDPR in that we started building our platform shortly before the regulation came into effect in May 2018 so we built our requirements and services with this in mind, knowing what we needed to adhere to in the near future.
The platform has been fully compliant since day one and we have added multiple layers of security across all our services. Tight security controls, forced encryption mechanisms, data anonymisation and pseudonymisation, and data minimisation and purpose limitation are few of the measures taken in place.
Regulatory measures are also an integral part of our operations, with hundreds of phone numbers and routes to monitor and manage. Our commitment to regulatory compliance ensures a seamless and efficient communication system, enabling us to engage effectively with our partners’ customers. We have dedicated teams assigned to oversee and continually monitor responsible gaming laws, compliance, and regulatory requirements across all our markets. We also carry out regular compliance audits from certified third parties and carry out mandatory internal training sessions to our staff. This becomes crucial considering the volume of communication we dispatch on a daily basis.
By focusing on these strategies, we are not only maintaining our position at the forefront of the industry, but also improving our services and better understanding players’ needs. It is this commitment to continuous innovation and understanding that sets us apart and ensures we are always delivering the best possible service.
GE) Enteractive aims to bridge the gap between operators and players by leveraging technology. As a technology leader, what are some of the ongoing technological advancements and trends that you foresee shaping the future of player engagement and reactivation strategies? How does Enteractive stay at the forefront of these developments, and what challenges do you anticipate in implementing and integrating emerging technologies into your existing platform?
DS) With advancements and trends shaping the future of player engagement, I anticipate that we will see continuous improvements in the AI field going forward, with many organisations placing a near-term focus on leveraging these capabilities. AI and ML technologies are revolutionising player engagement and reactivation strategies. These technologies can analyze vast amounts of player data, identify patterns, and make personalized recommendations for re-engagement - enhancing their overall experience.
Furthermore, with the use of predictive analytics, companies can anticipate player churn and proactively engage with players, offering targeted incentives or personalised recommendations to reinvigorate their interest. Tailoring the user experience based on individual preferences and behaviour is becoming increasingly important.
Staying at the forefront of technology and innovation, we are harnessing the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the way we operate and understand the players we communicate with on a daily basis. AI can not only facilitate transcription and translation processes for our calls, but also help us delve deeper into customer sentiment and emotional assessments. We’re looking at how it can aid us in identifying issues and auto-flagging calls for Quality Assurance purposes, and provide us with invaluable insights into the needs and behaviour of each and every player we speak to.
GE) Your career journey showcases a diverse range of roles, from software development to managerial positions. How have these different experiences and responsibilities contributed to your development as a technology leader? Can you share some specific instances or projects that have been particularly influential in shaping your skills and expertise?
DS) I consider myself fortunate to have had the chance to be involved in various projects across different countries, industries, and roles. These endeavours have encompassed both startups and multinational corporations, each with its distinct and diverse processes. I’ve faced the challenge of managing critical high-volume systems that cannot tolerate any downtime, as well as dealt with the agility of startups in quickly analysing and trying out different approaches to maximise returns.
In a managerial position in tech, I believe that having enjoyed a diverse technical background for so many years is highly beneficial as I feel like I can comfortably understand our development team and support them further. In general I feel lucky to have the opportunity to closely collaborate with our technical teams at Enteractive on a daily basis. Thankfully, we have an exceptional and highly proficient group of individuals who work closely in tandem to accomplish remarkable outcomes. For this reason, my working day tends to mix both business and pleasure!
About our contributor
Daniel Schembri is the CTO for Enteractive and is responsible for overseeing all technical and technology aspects of the company. Prior to joining Enteractive in 2016, Daniel spent a number of years in the UK providing software development consultancy for a number of multinational organisations across a range of industries. Bringing extensive technical experience to the table, he has been instrumental to the company’s growth strategy execution. Visit https://enteractive.com/
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