Hybrid Interaction – iGaming Voice by Yeva
Shahar Attias, CEO of Hybrid Interaction and an industry pioneer, recently spoke with AffPapa about his professional path. Find out how he got started, how the market has changed over time, and what he believes most struggling iGaming companies lack.
Yeva: Shahar, how did you decide to start Hybrid Interaction after such a successful career? What inspired you to go down that route of consulting others in the industry?
I just like to build stuff 😉 So after establishing CRM operations for 3 of the largest corporates in the iGaming industry (including the 1st one ever), I thought I might as well do that for a living.
Yeva: Let’s talk about Hybrid Interaction a bit more. What does it offer? What is operators’ outcome?
We offer knowledge. AS simple as that. It’s just that our knowledge is based upon projects held with 150+ online gambling operators, and we can bring both an accurate benchmark for any operator’s KPIs, as well as best practices when it comes to HOW these KPIs are obtained.
Yeva: What are some of your recent projects?
We have just concluded a very successful project with Pasino, a regulated online Swiss casino owned by Groupe Partouche, and another great workshop with Crocobet in Georgia, while we keep working with our long lasting clients (Hard Rock in New Jersey, Platin in Germany, Pin-up in Russia and several more).
Yeva: What do you attribute your success to? What are some of the qualities that a successful leader in this field must possess?
It’s quite obvious – we are all hands on. We don’t use the title “consultant” as a cover up for someone who works but is not fully employed and we don’t just speculate; everything we do is based on cases we’ve seen before and we get a kick out of executing the projects ourselves (rather than just drop a summary document and leave).
Yeva: Following the above mentioned, as an established company yourself, what abilities do most struggling iGaming firms lack?
Planning. But it’s not really their fault; our business keeps changing and if in any other industry you can make strategies for years ahead – in our case every few months some catastrophe happens and changes the rules for everybody.
Yeva: What are some renowned brands you work with? What are the most important aspects in deciding which brands to collaborate with? What are the red flags?
SAME AS A PREVIOUS ANSWER
Yeva: You’ve been in the industry for quite some time now. As a pioneer, how would you say the market has changed over the years?
It’s less fun… but it’s for the common good. I guess 🙂 more regulation and tighter compliance means a better business environment by the end of the day. Even if the compromise is boring parties!
Yeva: During the pandemic, the whole world came to a halt. How did it affect your company?
We’ve experienced the classic switch from “OMG we are out of business” to having the best year ever and keep spiraling up. It was indeed, the best roller-coaster ride in my life. Highly recommended (NOT).
Yeva: Do you think that more emphasis has been placed on responsible gaming over the years? Would you say it is one of the most important factors in your work?
SAME AS A PREVIOUS ANSWER
Yeva: We’d want to know what got you into iGaming in the first place? How do you stay motivated to keep going?
I started without really knowing what it was, as my wife got a relocation position and I was just tagging along… I just got stuck in it for 22 years. But seriously, I couldn’t do anything else for that long; I keep saying that the job I have lasted in the most before starting iGaming was the Israeli army for 3 years – and only because they had quite a different view on the procedure for submitting a resignation letter (i.e. you simply can’t. Period.)
Yeva: Finally, we’d want to learn more about you outside of work! What do you like to do in your spare time, Shahar?
There’s life outside of work? Is that a TikTok prank?? Why nobody tells me anything anymore???
Company: Hybrid Interaction
Interviewee: Shahar Attias
Date: 22.02.2022