AI, RTP and Retention: inside Entain’s market strategy
As operators navigate rising taxes, tighter regulation and intensifying competition from unlicensed markets, Entain’s Global Gaming Director, Obdulio Bacarese (OB), believes the industry is entering a period where transparency, AI adoption and local market intelligence will separate the winners from the rest. Speaking to G3, OB explains why Entain is resisting RTP cuts in the UK, and how AI-powered personalisation could fundamentally reshape the casino and betting experience.
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OB, can you give us an overview of your role at Entain and what falls under your remit?
I sit in Entain’s central Product and Technology department and look after gaming content across the group. This includes games, supplier relationships, contracts, integrations, testing, publishing and road-mapping. We support the brands on the Entain platform, but we also provide content across other platforms globally, including BetMGM and some of our smaller regional platforms. Essentially, my team acts as the bridge between Entain and our gaming suppliers.
The industry is navigating constant regulatory and tax changes globally. How does Entain evaluate whether a newly regulating market represents a genuine long-term opportunity?
The first thing we look at is the size of the opportunity. There are some markets you simply cannot ignore because of scale. We also look at whether we already have a regional presence or operational knowledge in that market. For example, if a new US state opens, we already have infrastructure and partnerships there through BetMGM, so that becomes a more natural expansion.
In some cases, we may already operate sports betting in a market, and so when casino regulation follows later, for example, that makes expansion much more straightforward because you already have the brand, local expertise and player understanding.
Which emerging market opportunities are particularly important for Entain?
Alberta, Canada is a major focus for us. We already operate successfully in Ontario, so we think we are well positioned there once licensing opens. New Zealand is another important opportunity. We already have a strong sports betting business there with a local partner, and with online casino regulation expected next year, we see significant potential.
The advantage of having local teams is that they understand the player better than anyone else. They know how the market functions, how websites in that region operate and what player expectations look like. Such local knowledge is extremely important.
Transparency is becoming a much bigger topic, especially around RTP and promotions. Do you see transparency as a compliance issue or a competitive advantage?
For me, transparency should absolutely be a competitive advantage. Player loyalty is earned primarily through transparency. Clean promotions, reliable payments and clear RTP information create trust with players. I think there are regulated operators that perhaps are not as transparent as they should be. Equally, there are unregulated operators that present themselves as very transparent. For us, irrespective of tax pressure or regulation, transparency is simply the right thing to do.
Speaking of RTP, the UK market has seen growing discussion around RTP reductions following the latest tax increases. Entain has resisted that approach so far. Why?
The first reaction from many operators was to reduce RTPs. In some ways, suppliers also drove that because it became convenient and then almost circular across the market. Entain has decided not to lower RTPs for now because we think it pushes players away.
My view is that players do not care about tax. The only thing the player notices is pricing, whether that comes through RTP or promotions. UK players are sophisticated and knowledgeable. If pricing becomes less attractive, they will simply look elsewhere. At Entain, we believe keeping RTP stable helps us maintain player loyalty and trust.
Do you think RTP reductions risk accelerating migration towards the black market?
Yes, I think there is definitely that risk. The challenge is that unlicensed operators do not pay the same taxes or comply with the same obligations, so they can spend more on bonuses, marketing and promotions. That creates an uneven playing field.
But regulated operators cannot stand still. We still have to compete and retain players while operating within the rules. Where all things are equal, I think most players would rather stay with trusted regulated brands like ours. The danger is when the regulated market pushes players away through pricing or product changes.
Beyond RTP, how else do higher taxes affect operational strategy?
Marketing investment is one of the first changes. We have already seen some operators reduce visibility around certain events, particularly horse racing. Bonusing will also become smarter and more personalised. AI will play a role there because promotions can become much more targeted rather than broad-based.
If everyone in the regulated market adjusts similarly, then market share may remain relatively stable. The challenge is when others, especially operators outside the regulated framework, can spend more aggressively.
AI is dominating almost every industry conversation right now. Where do you think it is already making the biggest practical difference inside gaming?
At the moment, a lot of AI discussion is still academic, but adoption is accelerating very quickly. Within Entain, especially in Product and Technology, we are already using AI extensively for development, testing, ideation and workflow support. It saves huge amounts of time. Previously, some projects may have taken teams months. Now you can move from idea to prototype in days.
How far away are we from AI fundamentally reshaping the actual player experience?
Long term, I think every player will effectively have their own AI agent. You log onto the website and that agent understands your preferences, suggests games, supports responsible gambling interactions and personalises the experience entirely around you. It’s a level of personalisation that will eventually extend across every page and every product interaction. It also solves localisation challenges. Brazilian players like different things to UK players, for example. AI can adapt dynamically to those preferences.
Does that become a race for operators – to be the first to deliver genuinely intelligent personalisation?
I do not think it is a race to be first, but you also cannot afford to fall too far behind. The first version will not be perfect, but once one operator proves the concept works, others will follow quickly. AI also accelerates development itself, so the speed of innovation becomes much faster. It’s is probably the biggest shift AI brings to the industry overall.
Online casino lobbies now contain thousands of games. Does AI become essential for product discovery?
Yes, absolutely. One of the challenges suppliers always have is visibility and positioning. AI personalisation can solve a lot of that because instead of manually curating every market, the platform dynamically adapts to the player. But I would not want it to become too restrictive. Players still want freedom and variety.
If you only showed a tiny group of games, players would start asking why they are only seeing those products and whether there is some commercial reason behind it.
Looking ahead, what ultimately separates the operators that succeed from those that struggle over the next decade?
AI adoption will be key, not just one AI product, but how effectively businesses apply AI across product, payments, marketing, personalisation and safer gambling. I also think operators need to continue refreshing their brands and marketing approaches. Younger audiences behave differently and expect different experiences. Influencer marketing is a good example. In markets like Brazil, operators that embraced influencers early gained an advantage.
Finally, global scale helps, but only if organisations can properly share knowledge internally. If something works in Croatia, for example, how do you make sure teams in Georgia or Alberta can learn from that success? That ability to adapt and share expertise quickly will become increasingly important.
