Parimatch, an online sports prediction platform creating a buzz across the maps– Interview with Dmitriy Belanin, CMO, PMI

Parimatch International (PMI) is a service company, engaged in the development and implementation of the expansion strategy for the Parimatch brand in the markets of Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. The company provides the tech, marketing, and communications services for partners in the betting and gambling industry. Innovations, new technologies, and the desire to provide the best gaming experience for the customers are what drives PMI forward.

 

Mr. Dmitriy Belanin is an experienced marketing strategist and leader in the sports betting industry.

He has experience of over 13 years in both marketing and gaming, and a proven record in building global teams, growing profits, and implementing high-growth marketing, digital, and product development strategies within the biggest gaming companies. Both gambling and gaming are his passions, which he continues to develop.

To know more about Parimatch, we recently have an interaction with him, here is a glimpse of some of the facts we got to know about the company and the current scenario of online sports gaming.

 

 

How PMI was launched and what was the idea behind it?

PMI is a service company providing tech, marketing, and communications expertise to betting and gambling operators in the international markets, such as Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. It has been operating since 2018 and now has over 100 employees engaged in developing and implementing strategies for the expansion of betting brands, such as Parimatch.

PMI partners with gaming operators who have the right to use and develop different brands including the Parimatch brand (an entertainment platform for sports gaming and casino), and helps to develop business in the regions mentioned above. The company utilizes the assets of Parimatch — a brand designed for partners. It offers an exciting form of entertainment that enhances customers’ enjoyment of sports and gaming. The assets include the platform, branding, sponsorship partnerships, casino products, video streaming, feeds, etc. More than 2.6 million users worldwide use the Parimatch platform, which processes more than 88,000 bets per hour.

 

What are the ideas behind the name of the business?

Initially, it all started back in 2018 when we were operating in the African markets. Back then, the company had “A” in it, which stood for “Africa”, now we have “I” which means “International”. PM can stand for whatever any of us internally wants, there is no proper meaning, to be honest  Since we are a very employee-focused company, everyone can find their own meaning. Due to the company’s specialty, this can stand for both product and marketing.

 

What are the operations involved in delivering your services?

Marketing is our core competence, as well as product development and market entry strategies. So far, we have managed to develop a strong, young, and innovative team. Even though our company is new, it consists of world-class gambling veterans from all over the world. Our key operations include marketing strategizing and delivery of the tactics. Product development is always based on thorough market research to make sure that the products we deliver for our partners comply with the market requirements.

 

Whom do you see as your potential competitors and what makes you stand out?

Some of the USPs of our brand include exceptional customer service, smooth operations (including fast deposits and withdrawals), and an exhaustive variety of games. Our portal is customer-centric, fast, and innovative. Some of our competitors are BetDaily, 10Cric, Bet365,  Betway, etc.

We ensure that each player on our platform is able to find a product or a bunch of products that suit him or her. We also like to stay updated with the requirements of our users and our last few studies reflect the fact that most of our customers give a high preference to values that encourage profitability, reliability, and user-friendly services, and our portal provides that and so much more to them. As a brand, we feel we are sailing in the right direction with the hope to grow more every day.

 

What is your targeted customer segment?

Based on our qualitative research and semi-structured interview, we can say that there is no representation of the average online gambler. Overall online casino players and sports bettors are on the younger side (18-45) and they tend to be male. Also, the gap between male and female fractions can be as small as a single percentage point. We have also witnessed good responses from sport and online gaming fanatics who love to enjoy sports games like football, cricket, etc.

 

How would you define the journey of PMI? What have been the challenges and milestones during the course of establishment?

The journey has been smooth so far. We started in 2018 as a team focused on the African markets, but after a huge success there, we entered other markets, such as Asia. We repeated and multiplied our success in the former territories. The team is the biggest asset we have had so far. Hiring a team, creating an environment for the professionals to work together was our biggest milestone and a challenge at the same time. Another milestone is launching in 10 countries at the same time – we are very close to achieving it by the end of 2021.

 

Where do you see PMI 5 years from now?

The market is growing significantly, and the speed of growth does not reflect any massive shift in perspective in the next few years. Our plans for this sector include increasing the category’s size by creating surrogate products and converting players from cross-industries such as social casinos and traditional gaming. In addition to this, we also intend to run extensive brand advertising campaigns using high-reach channels such as TV, radio, or other effective digital media. This will help further boost the size of the industry and increase the solidity of the existing users.

Lastly, we aim to educate the market by creating edutainment content; starting from strengthening the foundation and basics, eventually gliding across more advanced topics such as gaming strategies, market reviews, etc. We plan to change the landscape of the industry in the next decade for the better.

 

Any technological integrations planned to boost the user experience?

We at PMI believe that efficient technology is the catalyst for an enjoyable betting experience and it should help offer seamless mobile, desktop, and app optimization to keep customers happy. It is driven by innovation and the desire to create the most engaging user experiences through sophisticated design technologies.

PMI also has a dedicated team of passionate experts who make up our esports department, proactively seeking the best opportunities and events for customers and offering unrivaled support in this niche area of the sports betting industry. Esports is one of the fastest-growing sports in the world and our partnerships with Fnatic and Virtus. Pro — two of the most influential international esports brands, and some of the most popular and high-quality video games such as Dota 2 — show our commitment to bringing these sports off the sidelines and into the mainstream.

 

What has been the impact of COVID-19 on your business as an online entity, did this bring more opportunities?

The lockdown has had a drastic impact spread across different verticals of various industries, including gaming. Expectations from the market are increasing by the day and priorities have changed enormously, focusing intensely on health and safety above all. This has further realigned fundamental human values and beliefs. What used to be considered a warm customer experience is not good enough to satiate the new behavioral pattern of the clients. This shift in perspective and circumstances has led the gaming industry to rejig its approach and reform conventional ways to create something innovative for its customers.

COVID-19 has widened the category and brought forth a player that is more sensitive and selective in their decision-making. Part of this is a result of players seeking businesses that demonstrate and build trust. In the world of sports gaming and prediction platforms, it is one of the most important brand attributes. The category has grown significantly because of the quarantine and the trend is going to stay the same because many brands are pushing this category at the moment by creating surrogate products and running massive brand advertising campaigns.