Exclusive Interview with Niko Mazger, CEO at Fugaso

Interviewer: Daniel Velasquez (DV)

Respondent: Niko Mazger (NM)

DV: First of all, thank you very much for accepting this interview. I would like to ask you to introduce yourself to our readers and tell us when and why you started working in this industry?

NM: It’s a pleasure to be given an opportunity to present our story and how it all came together, so thank you guys.

My name is Niko Mazger and I am the CEO of FUGASO.

I have been a part of the i-Gaming industry for the last 17 years and I feel that the industry has been enormously growing in the last few years which makes us more than happy to be a part of as one of the most entertaining game providers.

Fugaso has been established towards the end of 2016 with a group of highly experienced professionals of the i-Gaming industry from companies like 888, Playtech , Bwin since the early 2000’s.

Ever since our inception, we have continued to provide state-of-the art video slots and table games for online casinos while providing players with a safe and responsible gaming environment.

DV: Mr. Mazger, Tell us about Fugaso software. In which markets does the company operate, and how does it adapt to the industry regulation in different regions?

NM: We strive to operate on a global scale in various regulated markets and we have already managed to enter Italy, Ukraine and Belarus which are just the beginning for us.

Adapting for further regulated markets isn’t an easy process but we are keeping in mind that there are plenty of restrictions for the sake of a safe and responsible gaming environment, we always strive to develop our content under the technical standards of the highest and most prestigious regulation authorities out there.

Nevertheless, adaptation and penetration towards new regulations out there is indeed a challenge but what makes it easier for us is our capability of making transitions into regulated markets under certain requirements due to the fact that we have been developed under strict technical standards, understanding the regulations and the markets bigger picture can also allow a more diverse adaptation.

DV: Taking a look at the games you have prepared for your partners – what have you selected as the best in your catalogue? What can players look forward to?

NM: It is very hard to say which are the top games, because they are different in every market due to different end users, different currencies etc…

Our team of professionals is always keen on new designs, math and what will excite the player, our goal in hand is to bring a whole new level of entertainment to the table, and we have big plans on doing so which will unravel in the very near future, you will hear all about it very soon!

DV: Briefly describe the audience of fans of Fugaso games: geography, age, gender. Why do they love your games?

NM: Our fan base must be very diverse, since we started, CIS has been a big growth region for us, we have managed to partner up with major brands in various CIS markets and form strong relationships which then led to a more global exposure in countries like Turkey, Finland, Germany, Norway, Armenia and even Asia where we continue to grow.

Our player audience is quite asserted, all the way from old school players who transitioned from land base to online where they seek for similar content such as Classic slots which we have to offer in plenty, up to a younger generation of players who find a more diverse, funny, entertaining, blockbuster type of games more interesting for them which we have become familiar from since the release of our known blockbuster at Trump It Deluxe EPICWAYS and in general the whole EPICWAYS series which has a more attractive feel for the younger generation of players.

This is just the beginning for us, as we are certain that the upcoming set of releases will just increase and diversify even further our players and fan base.

DV: Which of Fugaso’s games is your favorite? And why?

NM: This one is hard to answer as it depends on so many different aspects.

From our point of view and according to the results we have been seeing I must say it is most probably The Mummy Win Hunters EPICWAYS as it allows a very mysterious journey through the beloved Egyptian themed roller-coaster with a wide range of features and what excites players the most is the option to WIN IT BIG TIME, and with the 50,000x on your bet, its definitely an option as we have seen some HUGE wins since the release of our EPICWAYS series in general.

Another beloved set of games has featured our newly addition with the DAY 2 DAY™ JACKPOTS system which can be found on some of our favorite titles: Magic Spinners, Stoned Joker, Clash of Gods, Book of Tattoo 2 and Stoned Joker 5.

In these games players usually win between 50-60 Jackpots per day, this tool gives players a chance not only to win often but to also WIN BIG, due to the fact that a simple bet of 0.03 EUR can result in over 2500 EUR win which comes out as x83,000+ multiplier.

DV: In 2019, Fugaso was nominated for the AskGamblers Award for Best Provider, but the award went to Pragmatic Play. Did you agree with this decision?

NM: It was a great honor to be nominated as one of the best providers in the prestigious Ask Gamblers Awards.

I do think that Pragmatic Play is a worthy enough game provider to deserve the first place, players have voted and anyone from the top 10 finalists deserved winning the 1st place as everyone did a phenomenal job.

Cleopatra’s Diary being a top 10 video slot amongst hundreds if not thousands of slots is a big achievement which makes us grateful and thankful for the appreciation of our hard work.

DV: When will Fugaso be on the list of the top three slot providers? And who do you think are the top three today?

NM: In such a diverse industry with so many different providers its practically impossible to say, everything is relative the way we see it and we focus on our own progression regardless of what everyone else is doing.

Our goals at hand are not in comparison to others but solely to our own vision, once that vision is achieved and it so comes out that we are amongst the considered top providers, it will be a very big achievement for us.

Making a decision to choose  TOP 3 game providers for me is very difficult therefore i will mention the providers whom i think deserve to be considered as TOP 3: Evolution, Red Tiger Gaming, Play’n Go, NetEnt, Microgaming, Pragmatic Play.

DV: Fugaso has been around for about 5 years, how would you rate the results?

NM: Establishing a regulated and a very popular game development studio who carries so many powerful titles within just 4.5 years while managing a small team of professionals is a hell of a challenge and we are very proud and grateful to where we have come today and our biggest success is exactly where we are and what we are about to introduce into the industry during the next few years, you would want to see that, believe me, we are only getting started!