"The differentiating factor was the demands of the Brazilian market at the time," Rui Francisco

In an interview with BNLData, the founder and CEO of FBM, Rui Manuel Mendes Francisco, revealed that the demands of the Brazilian market when bingo was legalized were the key factor that allowed companies with Brazilian DNA to become world leaders in the video bingo market.

According to the businessman, Brazil was at a superior level when compared to most international markets, and the intense competition between operators in the country, along with the large volume of gambling, accelerated product development and raised their quality level.

Rui Francisco also discusses the company's leadership in the Asian market, the markets in which it operates, its expansion program, the launches of its multi-game platform with Easy$Link and FBM Digital Systems, and the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on the global gaming market.

FBM INTERVIEW – Rui Manuel Mendes Francisco

FBM has been in the market for many years, and during this time the company has undergone a transformation process. How did the video bingo company become a successful global brand in slots and the online world?

FBM's transition to a global brand is ultimately a natural consequence of the quality of our products and the management choices we've made. The brand was already a benchmark in Brazil when gambling was regulated in that market. At that time, the competitiveness that existed in Brazil led us to achieve a level of maturity and quality in our products that facilitated the brand's global recognition.

From there we took solid steps in the global market and today we are not only known for our video bingo games, but also offer a complete range of slot games and a diverse portfolio of products for online casinos through FBM Digital Systems.

Companies with Brazilian DNA have become world leaders in the video bingo market. What was the key factor that guaranteed this leadership?

The differentiating factor was the demands of the Brazilian market at the time. Brazil was at a superior level when compared to most international markets. The intense competition between operators in the country and the large volume of gambling accelerated product development and raised their quality level.

These factors made the range of products developed by brands with Brazilian DNA more attractive to players in foreign markets during the internationalization process. The response and acceptance were very positive, which ensured FBM a faster and easier global expansion process.

Is there still room for innovation in video bingo?

Yes, of course. Our commitment to innovation and the development of new products remains strong. We believe we can bring new products to the market in different segments, and video bingo is no exception.

There are still many variations and new dynamics of interaction between the player and the bingo product that we want to test and experiment with, and we are certain that this will help us solidify FBM's position as a leading global brand in this game modality.

During the pandemic, FBM launched its first multi-game slot product. Is it still possible to expand this slot line by introducing new games to the brand's more than 30 titles?

Yes, without a doubt. The launch of the first multi-game product with Easy$Link was a success, and proof of that is that we continue to expand the product's presence in arcades across the Mexican market. The FBM development team is working on new multi-game products, and we will also be looking to bring something new to what we have already offered our customers.

In addition to its worldwide recognition, FBM is the number one video bingo brand in Asia. What other markets does the brand have a presence in, such as Europe, North, South, and Central America?

In the land-based universe, our main markets are the Philippines and Mexico, followed by our operations in Spain and Ireland. We are also about to open a new European market. To these markets we must also add the extensive list of countries that have access to FBM Digital Systems games available in online casinos.

Which markets does FBM want to expand into over the next five years?

We already have a plan outlined for 2021 and a new market opening in the first half of this year in the land-based segment. Looking ahead, our analysis will always consider the market's expansion potential and the product profile valued by its audiences. We have been successful with our approach over these 20 years and will continue to follow the same model of sound investments.

Online, 2021 will be a very important year. We have the ambition to sign new agreements that will allow us to distribute games to more than 100 online casinos by the end of the year.

The Covid-19 pandemic was a disaster for the global gaming market. What did FBM learn during this pandemic period?

At FBM, we have learned a great deal during this period by rethinking our global operations. We have new projects, such as FBMDS, which are already public, and others under development that aim to address the needs that the market is demonstrating in this context. Simultaneously, we have adjusted our roadmaps for building new products to meet and exceed the expectations that our customers and partners place in us on this path to recovery.

Several business leaders have commented that the Covid-19 pandemic accelerated many processes that would have taken five or ten years to happen. Do you agree with this concept?

Yes, I believe the time gap isn't that large, but I think there are trends that have been accelerated by the social situation imposed by the pandemic. The growing demand for omnichannel strategies and new solutions that allow for the integration of the player experience in physical casinos with online gaming solutions is a clear example of this.

In my opinion, this period may bring some changes to the profile of the audiences we see frequenting land-based and online casinos. However, I believe that, with the global progress of vaccination, we will once again see a coexistence of land-based and online casinos with a more intense volume of gambling.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, FBM launched FBM Digital Systems. During this pandemic period, FBM Digital Systems obtained a license from the Malta Gaming Authority. Will the company invest in this market?

FBM Digital Systems is an investment in the company's present and future. We had been preparing this step for some time and are pleased to have obtained the license and launched the new website. We have ambitious plans for the FBMDS brand, a defined market strategy, and identified target markets.

I am certain that the technological expertise and strategic vision of the team will allow FBM Digital Systems to position itself at the forefront of innovation, bringing new products to the different verticals of the industry. At this moment we already have a portfolio with bingo, slots, table games and video poker titles, and the objective for the rest of 2021 is clear: to make FBMDS products available in more than one hundred online casinos.