LCB Interview: How Evoplay Is Changing Gaming

LCB sits down with Zhanna Tarakanova from Evoplay, the award-winning iGaming studio that’s redefining online casino entertainment. From innovative slots and instant games to cutting-edge promotional tools, Evoplay focuses on player-first experiences and smart, data-driven design. With a growing global presence and a reputation for creativity, the studio is shaping the future of iGaming- one game, one market, and one partnership at a time.

Q: First of all, thanks to Zhanna Tarakanova for taking the time to introduce the company to our players and help them get to know Evoplay better. If someone were encountering Evoplay for the first time, which aspects of your games, approach, or philosophy would you highlight to truly capture what the studio represents?

I want to highlight Evoplay’s ambition not just to follow industry trends, but to set them. Our studio has often been among the first in iGaming to develop games with new mechanics for the industry. For example, our flagship skill-based titles, both inspired by video games, are: Star Guardians, a third-person shooter, and Adrenaline Rush, a skill-based 3D racing game. They made a significant mark on the market and demonstrated our innovative approach to game development.
Evoplay also recognised early the potential of instant and crash titles, formats that currently strongly appeal to iGamers, particularly younger players who enjoy faster, more dynamic gameplay. Another factor that sets Evoplay games apart is their blend of classic gameplay with a modern pace, giving players something familiar yet fresh while putting a new spin on traditional experiences. We also bring this spirit into the development of new verticals, such as bingo and iLotteries, and beyond.

Q: Looking at your portfolio, which titles would you highlight as the most interesting or innovative in terms of themes, mechanics, and features? Are there particular games that you feel truly define Evoplay’s identity and showcase what the company stands for today?

Evoplay aims to make iGaming more diverse, which is why our portfolio brings together both classic and innovative products that meet high-quality standards and resonate with players across diverse interests, age groups, and regions. Among Evoplay's recent innovative titles, beyond those already mentioned, I would highlight Uncrossable Rush. The title stirred strong market interest and was very well received by players. To bring even more excitement, we later released Christmas and Easter additions — Uncrossable Rush X-Mas, and Uncrossable Rush Eggster.

Another important release this year is Penalty Shoot Out: Cup Mania, a football-themed instant game designed to capture strong sports excitement and reflect the spirit of the upcoming FIFA 2026. This title also expands Evoplay’s popular football-themed portfolio, building on our previous successes in this genre and offering players even more ways to enjoy sports-inspired gameplay. A special place in Evoplay’s portfolio also belongs to Tap Craze, an instant game and one of the first titles in iGaming to introduce tap mechanics – a simple, familiar interaction style that makes gameplay more intuitive and accessible for players.

When looking at more classic releases, recent highlights include Imperial Relics: Three Pots, a slot featuring the popular Three Pots mechanic supported by additional boosters and features that make the gameplay more engaging, alongside Cat’s Blessing and Piggy Bank: 3 Pots Bonanza slots.

The Hot Triple Sevens series also deserves special mention. It includes the original title as well as newer versions inspired by American style and popular mechanics Hold and Win – Hot Triple Sevens Hold and Win and American Sevens.

By offering such a diverse portfolio, Evoplay showcases its identity, appealing to a wide range of players – from fans of classic games to those seeking fresh and innovative experiences.

Q: Since Evoplay first entered the iGaming sector, player preferences and expectations have evolved significantly. How does the studio keep track of these changes, and what strategies ensure its portfolio continues to engage and excite modern audiences?

From the start, Evoplay aimed to shape the future of iGaming, with players’ evolving habits and expectations in mind. We focused not only on classic mechanics but also on instant formats, which helped us make the portfolio more dynamic and varied. Recognising the growing popularity of crash games early on, we were among the first to add them to our portfolio, offering players across markets even more variety and excitement. Beyond this, we continue to expand our portfolio by combining classic and modern mechanics, providing experiences that appeal to both traditional and newer players.

Today, we see that games with instant and crash mechanics are becoming increasingly popular. Players, especially younger Millennials and Gen Z, enjoy fast-paced games that deliver instant results while offering social and interactive elements – games that are fun, lively, and engaging. In response, Evoplay continues to explore ways to expand the portfolio with both familiar games given a fresh twist.

Q: Let’s move on to Bonus House, Evoplay's cutting-edge promotional tool that brings together gamification, branding, and performance-driven mechanics under one umbrella. What inspired its development? Can you tell us more about its integrated tools, including Branded Games, Tournaments, Random Prize Drops, Quests, and Races? How do these tools reflect Evoplay’s vision for the future of casino promotions?

We developed Bonus House, inspired by both our partners and players. It acts as a single ecosystem, bringing all of Evoplay’s promotional tools into one place. It allows operators to interact more effectively with their audiences while offering players a richer and more immersive experience.

Recognising strong player interest in competition, social interaction, and self-expression, we added to Bonus House tools that let players enjoy games, compete with each other, win prizes, and engage with the gaming community. Among these tools are Branded Games, Tournaments, Random Prize Drops, Quests, and one of the newer promo tools, Races, currently offered by only a limited number of providers.

Our vision is that promotions should be a natural part of the gaming experience rather than a separate element. The Bonus House ecosystem creates a sense of cohesion and helps our partners engage players, boost retention, and, importantly, increase lifetime value – exactly what operators need today.

Q: North America has become a key focus for Evoplay’s expansion, marked by the launch of its titles in Ontario with BetMGM following an AGCO license, and by the company’s entry into the US lottery market through a partnership with the DC Lottery. How do these milestones reflect Evoplay’s broader regional strategy, and what opportunities do they create for long-term growth in North America?

Our entry into Ontario in March 2025, following approval from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, marked Evoplay’s first step into the regulated Canadian iGaming market. Building on this foundation, our subsequent partnership with BetMGM and other prominent partners expanded the reach of our portfolio within one of North America’s most competitive jurisdictions. Through this partnership, the rollout introduced our top-performing titles, which have already shown strong results in other regulated markets and align well with Canadian player preferences.

Expanding further in North America, we entered the United States in November 2025 through a partnership with the DC Lottery, establishing a strong base for regional development. Alongside this, we partnered with Scientific Games, whose global lottery aggregation platform helps accelerate the distribution of our products across North America.

A key highlight of this expansion was the launch of Adrenaline Rush: Scratch, an instant lottery title inspired by our Adrenaline Rush racing-themed universe, featuring dynamic gameplay and bringing a more interactive and engaging experience to lottery audiences.

To support our long-term ambitions in North America, Ashley McCulloch joined Evoplay as Vice President North America, focusing on strengthening our operations and partnerships across both the US and Canada. Looking ahead, we plan to continue expanding our lottery portfolio while gradually introducing our iGaming products to the region.

Q: In December 2025, Evoplay announced a strategic partnership with Salsa Technology to integrate over 250 of its games into the Salsa Gator network, significantly expanding its reach across Latin America and Brazil. How does this partnership reflect Evoplay’s approach to delivering locally relevant, regulation-ready content? What advantages does it offer in building long-term engagement and growth in the LATAM market?

Evoplay’s games are already popular in the region, and working with local operators like Salsa Technology lets us reach even more players. From our experience, instant titles with football gameplay are especially popular with Latin American audiences. Their mix of engaging and fast-paced mechanics continues to perform strongly over time, showing how much Latin American and Brazilian players value content that feels relevant and tailored to their preferences. Classic slots, with both traditional and modern mechanics, are also well received, confirming the importance of maintaining a balanced portfolio.

Partnering with Salsa Technology supports our steady growth across the region, strengthening connections with both operators and players while driving long-term engagement in these key markets.

Q: Looking back at 2025, Evoplay delivered 45 new games, 79 branded titles, expanded into new regulated markets, launched its first co-created game with an affiliate platform, and strengthened global partnerships and promotional campaigns. From your perspective as a team, what were the most significant moments of the year, and how did these milestones shape Evoplay’s strategy and vision going into 2026?

2025 was a fruitful year for Evoplay and a very important one. Key milestones include expanding into Latin America, with new launches in Peru and Brazil, and strengthening our presence in North America, including Canada and the US lottery market. These moves allowed us to reach new audiences, explore local market dynamics, and refine our approach to regulated markets.

Another major highlight of the year was the launch of Evoplay’s biggest promotional campaign ever, Big Adventures. This campaign was special because it was developed with player feedback in mind, helping us strengthen our connection with the audience and deliver an initiative that truly resonates with them. Alongside this, we actively expanded our B2C partner network and our affiliate direction. 

Overall, we laid a solid foundation across key areas, which we plan to build on and scale further in 2026.

Q:The iGaming industry is evolving rapidly, with trends like AI-driven game recommendations, stricter regulations, data-driven insights, and a focus on long-term player value reshaping operator expectations. From Evoplay’s perspective, what do you see as the key forces that will shape the industry in the coming years, and how is the company positioning itself to stay ahead in this constantly changing landscape?

The industry is evolving rapidly, and AI is accelerating this transformation. While its impact will only grow, we adopt it carefully, mainly for operational tasks, keeping regulatory requirements in mind.

We also see expectations shifting across the industry, from operators to players. For us, this means helping partners operate more efficiently, while also delivering what players want, anticipating trends, and even shaping them.

To achieve this, we build a diverse product portfolio, develop promotional tools, and provide partners with all the resources they need to make their work easier. Meanwhile, we track player behavior and preferences to guide new features and game mechanics, keeping our portfolio fresh and relevant. Above all, every partner receives dedicated support through the Client Area, which contains all the materials and tools they need.

We keep constant communication and aim to make their work as smooth as possible. By meeting both operators’ and players’ needs, Evoplay continues to push itself to reach new heights and expand the boundaries of iGaming.