[WATCH] Aspire Global’s Tsachi Maimon on pioneering the ‘biggest market in the world’ – the US
Tsachi Maimon, CEO of Aspire Global, joins SiGMA TV to discuss embracing sportsbook and taking over the United States of America on our exclusive Executive Series
In today’s exclusive Executive Series, SiGMA TV chats to the mastermind behind the bravery; joining us all the way from Madrid is Tsachi Maimon, CEO of Aspire Global. With the entire gaming industry following the obvious post-COVID trends, Aspire Global is flying in the face of convention and fearlessly taking less-travelled routes that are already inspiring change in the market. In this interview, Maimon shares why Aspire has embraced sportsbook during the pandemic, taking on the US, and his unique approach to the work environment.
As the majority of operators run from the traditional sportsbook, why has Aspire decided to embrace it?
The pandemic has prompted a standstill when it comes to sports around the world, pressuring operators to diverge and diversify their offerings. Aspire Global, however, decided to embrace traditional sportsbook at a time when esports and iGaming is at the forefront. Maimon shares:
We didn’t come from sports, it wasn’t our bread and butter. But when we thought about where we want to see ourselves in the future, we wanted to see ourselves as a gaming supplier that controls more and more elements in the value chain. Sport is the main vertical in many counties, so for us it was naturally that if we want to be very influential in the gaming sector, we need to own the sport vertical.
It’s more of a very long plan, ambition. So even if now it is being affected by the pandemic, it will not disturb us from looking a little bit further.
Uncovering the potential of the North American Market
Breaking into the North American online gaming market is considered a highly tedious yet rewarding endeavour, Maimon shared ‘The U.S. is so exciting, and we knew that it will shift Aspire Global from it’s core markets and business. This is why we didn’t choose to join the U.S in the first wave, we are joining it now in the second wave and we’re doing it through PariPlay‘. He adds:
You need to be educated to the market. It’s so true. [sic] Just the early entry, how much due diligence each one of the management needs to do and the company needs to do just to enter one state. It takes months.
The CEO believes that this extensive process is place due to the specific U.S regulation forbidding companies to operate online without a joint venture or a corporation with a land-based local company which is in place to safeguard the relationships and regulation. The disparities between states add another hurdle to achieving a licence. As a result, ‘the due diligence process is massive’.
Maimon continues:
It’s also a threat for companies to come in because some black companies operating illegally in some counties, they will not be able to pass the regulation in the States. So it’s like a block for some companies and an opportunity because the ones that successes going over it, it’s opening up the biggest market in the world. So it’s really exciting.
Currently, Aspire Global is active in West Virginia and New Jersey. According to the CEO, ‘New Jersey is becoming mature, the biggest state already in gaming. From the gaming aspect, a lot of gaming operators and suppliers are already there for some time right now. So, when you see the opportunity with many operators already active, we are able to supply our products there and then go into the next states that were released recently’.
Looking ahead into the future, Maimon offered a preview into what projects Aspire global has tucked under their sleeve. He states:
We are in the process of Pennsylvania and also Michigan and some others.
Maimon also shared methods he has employed in bid to ensure his employees remain supported and efficient throughout the uncertainty of the pandemic
Over the past year, Aspire has seen astonishing growth during a particularly challenging time brought upon by the COVID-19 pandemic. Maimon discussed the unique work environment Aspire is adopting to ensure his employees are working as effectively as possible even post-COVID.
What we decided to do [already then] was to combine to it with X days in the week in the office, X days at home. And we even tried to take it to another level, not only on the same hours of the day, so they can also choose to start work at 9am or 1pm.
It’s better for me that the employees and the staff are happy.
WATCH the full interview below:
SiGMA Roadshow – Next stop Las Vegas:
After our successful roadshow in Ukraine -The SiGMA Roadshow’s next stop is Las Vegas
Our Virtual Roadshow reflects SiGMA’s global events opening in 5 major regions over the next few years, specifically Europe, the CIS region, Asia, the Americas and Africa. Our previous virtual event, held in Ukraine, welcomed over 2,500 delegate registrations and over 1,500 conference views. There were also over 75 exhibitors and the number of total booth entries hit close to a 6k mark. Join us for our next Virtual Roadshow to learn more about the US gaming market!
